Who This Site Is For
This site is written for people who are still deciding, not people who have already picked a house. You may be retired or close to it, visiting the area for the first time, or comparing Central Florida with other places. Common situations include:
- You are comparing towns. Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, the Clermont area, and The Villages area around Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, and Wildwood each feel different, and they sit in three different counties.
- You want to know what changes when you become a Florida resident. Driver licenses, vehicle registration, homestead exemption, voter registration, and insurance all have their own rules and deadlines.
- You are planning around healthcare. Moving can affect a Medicare Advantage or drug plan, and you will want to know which hospitals are nearby.
- You have never lived with hurricanes. Central Florida is inland, but storms still bring wind, heavy rain, and power outages.
Everything here is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Rules change, so confirm details with the agency that runs each program.
How to Use This Site
Start with the checklist, then compare counties, then dig into daily life. A simple order that works for most people:
- Read the moving checklist. Moving to Central Florida from Out of State: A Checklist lists the 10 day and 30 day deadlines, the January 1 and March 1 homestead dates, insurance steps, hurricane prep, Medicare, and voter registration.
- Study the homestead deadline. Florida Homestead Exemption: The March 1 Deadline for New Residents covers who qualifies, what to bring, county filing links, Save Our Homes, portability, and senior options.
- Compare the three counties. Lake vs Sumter vs Marion County for Active Adults puts property tax rates, sales tax, hospitals, airports, drive distances, and climate side by side, using official data.
- Understand home insurance before you buy. Florida Homeowners Insurance Explained for Newcomers and Retirees covers Citizens, wind mitigation and 4-point inspections, hurricane deductibles, flood insurance, and a pre-purchase checklist.
- Plan for your property tax bill. Florida Property Tax Bills Explained for Newcomers and Retirees explains the August TRIM notice, the November bill and early payment discounts, the installment plan, CDD assessments, and where to look up a bill in each county.
- Estimate your first year costs. Florida Property Tax and First Year Cost Estimator lets you enter your own figures to estimate property tax and first year carrying costs.
- If you have inherited a home in The Villages. The First 90 Days After Inheriting a Home in The Villages walks out-of-state family through securing the house, insurance vacancy clauses, District bills, the homestead and Save Our Homes reset, probate basics, and a 90-day checklist.
- If you just bought a home. Your First Year as a New Home Owner in The Villages Area: A Month by Month Checklist walks through license and voting deadlines, warranty basics, the homestead filing, your first tax bill, insurance renewal, and a month by month checklist for year one.
- Learn how golf cart living works. Our sister site, Golf Cart Homes, explains what a golf cart community is, daily life by golf cart, and Florida golf cart rules.
- Make a short list, then verify. Use the official links on each page to check the exact address you are considering: flood zone, tax bill, evacuation zone, and local rules.
Quick Comparison: Lake, Sumter, and Marion Counties
All three counties share the same state rules, but property tax rates, sales tax, and nearby services differ. The figures below come from the Florida Department of Revenue and NOAA. The full side by side, with more detail, is in the county comparison guide.
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| Lake County | Sumter County | Marion County | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Towns in this guide | Leesburg, Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Clermont area | Wildwood | Ocala |
| Average total property tax rate, 2025 (all levies, countywide average) | 15.6324 mills | 11.2052 mills | 15.8838 mills |
| Total sales tax rate (6% state plus county surtax) | 7% | 7% | 7.5% |
| Hospitals named in this guide | Leesburg, Tavares, Clermont | No in-county hospital confirmed; nearby options in the comparison guide | Ocala (three hospitals) |
| Typical July high (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals) | About 91 to 94°F (Leesburg, Clermont stations) | About 91°F (Bushnell station) | About 92°F (Ocala station) |
A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value. The county averages above blend every taxing authority in the county, so the rate on a specific home can be higher or lower. Look up the parcel on the county property appraiser's site before you compare homes.
The Towns at a Glance
Each town has its own city government, and golf cart rules are set locally. Here is a quick orientation, with links to the official pages we were able to confirm.
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| Area | County | Golf cart rules to check | Nearest large passenger airport by road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocala | Marion | City allows carts only on mapped streets, for licensed drivers 16 and older (City of Ocala) | Gainesville Regional, about 40 miles |
| Leesburg | Lake | Check with the city | Orlando Sanford International, about 45 miles |
| Lady Lake | Lake | Carts allowed on designated streets in town-recognized golf cart communities (Town Code Ch. 17) | Orlando Sanford International, about 50 miles |
| Wildwood | Sumter | New city ordinance adopted July 2026 (City of Wildwood) | Orlando International, about 60 miles |
| Clermont area | Lake | Check with the city | Orlando International, about 35 miles |
| The Villages area | Lake, Sumter, and Marion | Rules vary by city, county, and community. Check with the community or district directly | Orlando Sanford or Orlando International, about 50 to 60 miles |
Road distances are estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, measured from each town's center. See the county comparison guide for all four major airports and estimated drive times.
Sister Site: Golf Cart Homes
If golf cart living is part of why you are looking at Central Florida, Golf Cart Homes covers it in depth. It is an independent, informational sister site. Good places to start: