Already renowned worldwide as the #1 Vacation Destination, Orlando is also known for its tropical climate and relaxed lifestyle. After leading the nation in job growth, Orlando is attracting some of the biggest names in business, creating thousands of high-wage, high-tech jobs in a region traditionally known for tourism. Recently named one of the nation’s most cost-competitive locations, Orlando is an emerging tech and startup hub and Florida's friendliest metro for small businesses.

Orlando has been the third-fastest-growing large metro area in the nation over the last few years, with more people expected to move here than any other point in history. Orlando is projected to add more than1,000 people to the region every week for the next 7 years, eventually reaching a population of 5.2 million people by the year 2030. Basically speaking, more people equals more economic opportunities and although Orlando has been known primarily for tourism and hospitality, with the fastest growing industry expected to be home and healthcare services producing a 64 percent increase in employment.

tourism

Over 74 Million Tourists visited Orlando in 2022, considered the World's #1 Vacation Destination and home to 7 of the Worlds Top 10 Theme Parks (soon to be 8 with Epic Universal), led by the Walt Disney World® resort.

innovation

Known as the Modeling, Simulation and Training (MS&T) capital of the world, Orlando is home to the simulation procurement commands for the U.S. Armed Forces with over $4B in annual contracts.

life sciences

With one of the most rapidly evolving Life Sciences and Healthcare industries in the United States, Orlando has caught the attention of medical innovators and entrepreneurs around the globe.

With over 4,000 square miles, the Orlando region offers irresistible lifestyle options for virtually everyone. One of the fastest-growing major metros in the country, Orlando boasts both high-rise luxury living and distinct neighborhoods, a state-of-the-art performing arts center, sophisticated dining and a sports arena that plays host to the NBA’s Orlando Magic in the downtown core — all with the sparkling backdrop of nightly fireworks from world-famous tourist attractions.

And, thanks to Orlando's thriving tourism industry, the region has been enabled to make substantial enhancements to the quality of life amenities in the region including:

• a brand new Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center ($488 million);

• renovations to the Camping World Stadium ($207.7 million);

• the Orlando City (MLS) Soccer Stadium ($155 million); and

• an upcoming Sports Entertainment Complex ($200 million) adjacent to the Amway Center, built in 2010 and home to the Orlando Magic (NBA) and Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL).

Current or upcoming transportation infrastructure investments include:

• $2.3 billion in I-4 Ultimate, an overhaul of Interstate 4 which connects the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean;

• $3.5 billion express train connecting Orlando to Miami called Brightline by Brightline;

• $3.1 billion expansion at Orlando International Airport;

• $1.6 billion creation of the Wekiva Parkway, completing Orlando’s beltway system;

• $650 million expansion at Port Canaveral;

• $800 million investment in the region’s commuter rail system, SunRail, and;

• $50 million investment in coast-to-coast bike trail.

Improvements to Orlando’s competitive product offerings include:

• Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center, a $500 million facility that is home to the world’s first industry-led smart sensor consortium, BRIDG;

• Creative Village, the $1 billion home to creative professionals and students in the creative professions at the upcoming $207 million University of Central Florida and Valencia College joint downtown campus; and

• Health Village, the $350 million cornerstone for Florida Hospital.

Nearby rolling hills, world-class golf courses and pristine nature preserves line the countryside. In a region with a thousand lakes, miles of trails and year-round sunshine, a healthy lifestyle is a way of life. With a median population of 37, younger than other metros across Florida, Orlando is home to the nation’s ninth-largest school district and the second-largest university.

With all there is to see and do in the region, it would take about 67 days to visit all the entertainment offerings. And with approximately 450 hotels — including one AAA Five Diamond, 35 AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star award recipients — Orlando offers a wide array of accommodations.

This is a welcoming, uniquely livable community offering small-town charm with big-city amenities. For companies of all types and sizes, the area's unparalleled quality of life enhances employee recruitment and retention. For those of us who live here, it simply makes us happy to call Orlando home.

Credit: Resources provided by Orlando Economic Partnership

The region leads the way in terms of variables such as housing starts; growth in population, employment and resident income; mortgage lending; building permits; new-home sales; and home prices. On the strength of those factors, housing availability, affordability and diversity are widely apparent. Homeowners save significantly by living in Orlando.

As for diversity, housing options and neighborhoods span a broad spectrum, from an urban setting in downtown Orlando to the rolling hills of Lake County. Houses in every description — from one-bedroom condo units to multi-acre estates — are plentiful. 

Preparing students at all stages to serve as Orlando’s workforce of tomorrow is a top priority as educators committed to excellence work in partnership with parents, teachers, administrators and community leaders to create innovative curriculum and programs, starting as young as the Pre-Kindergarten level. 

The four K-12 school districts in the Orlando region – Lake County Schools, Orange County Public Schools, School District of Osceola County and Seminole County Public Schools – are high-performing and award-winning with numerous accolades received including the Broad Prize for Urban Education (OCPS) and are routinely named to lists like “Most Connected,” “Best High School” and “Top of the Class.” Each district has innovative magnet programs as well as a focus on Advanced Placement and dual enrollment, STEM and robotics (as early as Kindergarten), unique arts schools and personalized learning approaches. A strong private school system is also available.

For higher education, the Orlando region offers more than 35 colleges, universities, technical schools and private institutions as well as continuing education programs that offer on-going opportunities for workers sharpening their skills.

Full Sail University caters to those pursuing careers in the entertainment and media industry and graduates routinely win prestigious awards including Oscars and GRAMMYs.

Rollins College Crummer Graduate School has been named among the top MBA programs in the nation.

The University of Central Florida, one of the nation’s most innovative schools, is the country’s second largest university, offering 200 degree programs to more than 60,000 students.

Unique colleges in the region include Beacon College, the first higher education institution in the country to award bachelor degrees exclusively to students with learning disabilities; Florida Institute of Technology, named one of the nation’s top technological institutions; and Keiser University and Webster University, both with flexible programs and personalized learning approaches.

The region’s state colleges have also earned high marks. Lake-Sumter State College, Seminole State College of Florida and Valencia College (named the best community college in the nation by the Aspen Institute), all offer DirectConnect, a partnership with the University of Central Florida.

Statewide universities operate divisions in the Orlando region including Florida A&M University College of Law, Florida State University College of Medicine, and the University of Florida Research and Academic Center.

Healthcare in the region is comprehensive, with internationally recognized programs in cardiology, cancer, women’s medicine, neurology, diabetes, orthopedics and rehabilitation. According to the American Hospital Association, two of the nation’s largest healthcare systems, highlighted below, are headquartered in the region.  

Florida Hospital
Florida Hospital is an acute-care healthcare system with more than 2,800 beds in a comprehensive network of 17 hospitals and 15 Centra Care walk-in urgent care centers. Owned and operated by Adventist Health System, Florida Hospital is the second busiest system in the country and treats more than one million patients each year.

Florida Hospital offers a wide range of health services for the entire family, including nationally and internationally recognized programs in cardiology, cancer, women's medicine, neurology, diabetes, orthopedics and rehabilitation. For the past several years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Florida Hospital as one of "America's Best Hospitals". In addition, because Florida Hospital performs more complex cardiac cases than any other facility in the country, MSNBC selected Florida Hospital as the premier focus of their hour long special—"Heart Hospital."  Florida Hospital also operates Florida Flight 1, their emergency air-medical transport service.

Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a 1,780-bed, private, not-for-profit healthcare network. Established in 1918 on the heels of World War I, and in the midst of the Spanish Flu epidemic that raged across the world, the system today cares for more than two million local patients and 4,500 international patients each year.

A community-based and supported hospital organization of facilities, they are comprised of Orlando Regional Medical Center, UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, South Seminole Hospital, Health Central Hospital, and South Lake Hospital. The system is home to Orlando’s only Level One Trauma Center, which serves a 22-county region and is equipped to handle the most serious emergencies. Orlando Health is also home to the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, designed to treat infants with serious conditions. They established the Heart Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, bringing together leading pediatric cardiology sub-specialists to offer extensive expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of infants and children with heart disease.

Nemours Children’s Hospital
Also located at Lake Nona Medical City, Nemours Children’s Hospital is a 620,000-square-foot facility with 95 beds, an 18-bay emergency department, a neonatal intensive care unit and departments specializing in complex childhood diseases. The hospital is a central hub of a 60-acre pediatric health campus featuring a children’s clinic, emergency department, diagnostic and ambulatory programs, education centers and research programs. The Nemours Children’s Hospital is expected to pump $400 million into the Central Florida economy and eventually create 2,600 new jobs.
 
Designed with the help of a Family Advisory Council, the hospital was built with input from parents and children who received care at Nemours. Patient-controlled technology that can change the color of the lighting in a room at night and personalize space for a child is just one of the features developed by the families and designers. The hospital concept also connects with nature and its healing power by incorporating numerous gardens and green space around the perimeter for patients, and their parents, to explore.

Orlando VA Medical Center
Located at Lake Nona Medical City, the Orlando VA Medical Center is a 134-bed hospital that brings the latest research and state-of-the-art medicine to 400,000 Central Florida veterans. This facility, the first VA hospital built in the United States since 1995, will pioneer cutting-edge technology in prosthetic limbs and bionic technologies for arms, legs, and eyes. The Center also specializes in brain injury treatment, post traumatic stress disorder research and treatments in suicide prevention.

In addition, the Center will be the nationwide training and planning home for the VA’s new medical simulation system—Simulated Learning Enhancement and Advanced Research Network (SimLEARN).  A 35,000-square-foot facility, to be called the SimLEARN National Center, will bring physicians and other medical professionals from throughout the country to train in the latest medical simulation technology, including surgical robotics.

In Orlando, you'll never run out of things to do. The same ideals of creativity and innovation that rank Orlando's theme parks among the best in the world overflow to the surrounding community, making this a haven for artists and performers. From the intimate Orlando Repertory Theatre and Mad Cow Theatre to the Broadway Across America Orlando series, the entertainment options are endless. And can we mention, the area is also home to hundreds of museums, galleries, theatres, gardens and historic homes. Here are some of the area's options:
 

• The state-of-the-art Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a brand new premiere destination for world-class arts, culture and entertainment; a Center where regional and global creativity converge to educate and nurture the region’s artists, arts organizations, audiences and students.
   
• The artistic director of the Orlando Ballet, Robert Hill, is internationally renowned in ballet circles.
   
• Orlando is home to one of the top orchestras in the state as well as the third-oldest continuously operating Bach Festival in the United States.
   
• The Morse Museum is internationally known for its Tiffany Glass collection.
   
• The City of Orlando’s Public Arts division curates three galleries, all of which are free to the general public. Two of the galleries are located in Orlando’s City Hall; the third is housed within the historic Harry P. Leu Gardens Garden Home.
   
• The Florida Film Festival in Orlando is an Oscar®-qualifying festival, premiering the best in current, independent and international cinema.
   
• The Zora Neale Hurston Festival is an internationally known celebration of the cultural contributions that Africa-descended people have made to the United States and to world culture.
   
• The Orlando Museum of Art boasts a renowned permanent collection and has played host to many world-famous traveling exhibits, including American glass artist Dale Chihuly, China’s Ming Dynasty Collection and American folk painter Grandma Moses.
   
• Adding to the rich community fabric of Orlando cultural arts is the Broadway Across America: Orlando and Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF.
   
• The Osceola Center for the Arts promotes interest and participation in the arts by offering events and programs that are accessible for everyone. The Center hosts five art exhibits in their gallery and produces a two-day art festival in downtown Kissimmee.
   
• The Orlando Fringe Festival is a well-known, off-beat cultural event.
   
• Home to exciting, hands-on exhibits, amazing giant-screen movies and engaging live programming, Orlando Science Center is a place where visitors can explore and discover science and technology together.

Orlando ranks as "the best city for Recreation in the United States, by WalletHub for the last two years in a row. The four county region has a multitude of sports and recreation options with more than 100 top-rated golf courses, miles and miles of walking and cycling trails and triathlon certified training at the National Training Center where Olympians also happen to train. In 2016 Orlando became home to more than 100 tennis courts as the “new home of American tennis” with the United States Tennis Association and a brand new $27 million sports complex in Seminole County. 

The region’s mild climate makes outdoor recreational pursuits a year round lifestyle choice in Orlando. This is one reason that more professional golfers live here than in any other city in the United States, including legend Arnold Palmer.

But, there are plenty of sports and recreation options for amateur sports enthusiasts and spectators as well. Highlights include the following:
 

• The region is home to more than 100 top-rated golf courses, which are available for play 365 days a year. The annual Arnold Palmer Invitational is just one of the tournaments that attract top players to Central Florida.
   
• The NBA’s Orlando Magic play on their home court in the Amway Center in downtown Orlando, as do the AFL's Orlando Predators and the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears. Before the new Amway Center opened, the Orlando Magic’s corporate home was based at Orlando’s RDV Sportsplex, a sprawling sports and entertainment destination that houses a fitness club, ice skating rink, tennis courts, salon and spa, retail and restaurants, corporate event facilities. The Sportsplex is adjacent to a Florida Hospital Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation complex.
   
• A new 25,500-seat soccer stadium opened in 2017, is home to the MLS's Orlando City Soccer Club and the NWSL's Orlando Pride.
   
• USTA has built a state-of-the-art facility, the USTA National Campus. The facility features 100-plus courts and house the USTA’s Community Tennis and Player Development divisions.
   
• The region’s park network is extensive and well maintained, providing space for activities ranging from youth to adult recreational sports programs to corporate picnics and family reunions. A growing number of hiking and bike trails also dot the region; providing safe, traffic-free expanses for weekend exercise as well as for athletes in training. More information: Orange County Parks | Seminole County Parks & Preservation | Lake County Parks & Trails | Osceola County Parks | City of Orlando Parks & Recreation
   
• Orlando Speedworld is Central Florida's most active stock car racing speedway. And, nearby Daytona Beach is home to the world-famous NASCAR and Daytona 500, as well as to the annual Bike Week gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts.
   
• The Atlanta Braves, of MLB fame, host their spring training at the state-of-the-art ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. That unparalleled sports mecca is also home to hundreds of other annual sports competitions, ranging from youth soccer to professional fastpitch softball and the annual Disney Marathon.
   
• The Camping World Stadium is the only facility in the world that plays host to back-to-back NCAA Bowl games: the Russell Athletic Bowl in December and the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl on New Years Day. The stadium is also home to the Florida Blue Florida Classic, our state’s premier black college football game.
   
• Lake County is home to the National Training Center, a facility where local residents, national and international athletes of all levels gather to train and build strength. World-class track and field athletes from the USA, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Great Britain, Jamaica, Netherlands/Antilles, Nigeria and Barbados are among those who have taken advantage of this stellar resource while training for the Olympic Games.
   
• From the Silver Spurs Rodeo in Osceola County and indoor sky diving on Orlando’s International Drive, to scuba diving in the Wekiva Springs in Seminole County, to “blueway” waterway trails on the lakes of Lake County, there is something for everyone to be found in the Orlando region!

Shopping 

Within a 20-minute radius, visitors and residents will find 12 versatile shopping malls and outlet centers. No other destination in the U.S. offers fashionistas the world's most sought-after brands including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Cartier, Rolex, Tiffany & Co. among 100 other designer brands in such a compact shopping district and outlet options. Shoppers will also find major department stores along with numerous trendy, independently-owned boutiques.

The Mall at Millenia transforms shopping into a multi-sensory experience through its dramatic architecture and distinctive design. Ambiance aside, the mall delivers the goods – and exquisite goods at that. It offers a dazzling selection of over 150 stores and restaurants anchored by Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Macy’s. International stores are combined with the most in-demand U.S. retailers fresh from fashion runways, all poised under one roof.

Discerning shoppers will also enjoy the fresh-air, small-town feel of browsing on Winter Park’s Park Avenue, dubbed “Rodeo Drive East” for its boutiques and galleries. Small upscale clothiers like Tuni, John Craig and Lilly Pulitzer dot the avenue along with independent stationers, jewelers and florists and a few high-end chain retailers such as Chico’s, Lucky Brand, Talbot’s and Williams-Sonoma.

Those who love antiquing will delight in Ivanhoe Row (just north of downtown Orlando) and in Mount Dora. Museum stores, art galleries and antique shops add to the wealth of shopping options. In all, Orlando's retail offerings are vast enough to fill 900 American football fields (or 676 FIFA football fields).

Dining

Orlando has a thriving culinary community, complete with celebrity-owned restaurants, top-rated cuisine and eateries for every taste. Whether it's exotic, gourmet or comfort food, there is something for every dining distinction in Orlando. And, what's more, we have the awards to prove it, including James Beard Award Nominated/Affiliate Chefs/Restaurants.

With more than 5,000 restaurants, Orlando's dining options read like a world map as visitors from all over the world can find a taste of home here. Restaurant options run the gamut from African to Vietnamese and include eateries by popular American celebrity chefs, intimate cafes and wine bars, dinner shows and dining experiences in uniquely themed environments.

Once the sun sets, the pulse quickens as Orlando's thriving nightlife comes alive. From ultra-hip bars and high-energy dance clubs to laid-back pubs and multi-venue entertainment complexes, Orlando offers plenty of hot spots to live it up.