James Laughlin House · National Register of Historic Places
Zellwood’s story
149 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1877Zellwood is settled
James Laughlin House · Photo: PanzerMan1002 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,228
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$335K
+0% in a year
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
62.9
years
Jobs based here
843
A commuter town
Settled
1877
149 years ago
Is Zellwood a good place to live?
Good on most counts; one lags. Where it does best is cost of living — a typical home costs about $335K, 4.3 years of the Orlando metro’s $79K median household income. What holds it back is walkability. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. Put together, the subjects come to a B+ overall, better than 73% of U.S. towns. That places it 39th of 634 in Florida. James Laughlin House is on the National Register of Historic Places. 44% of residents are 65 or older in Zellwood, where Florida’s towns sit at 20% and U.S. towns at 18%.
Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · National Register of Historic Places.
How Zellwood grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Zellwood is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.8 of 20; 3.8% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Cost of livingIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & income$70K median household incomeA−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC+Open →SchoolsAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →HealthHealthier than 52% of U.S. towns; Orlando Health-Health Central Hospital 12.1 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Housing market$335K typical home, up 0% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 62.9; 21% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Zellwood stand out
Where Zellwood beats most towns.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Zellwood for work
Where Zellwood’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
843jobs based in Zellwood
2%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Zellwood.
Zellwood has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has commutes shorter than most of Florida, but it has little public open land.
SchoolsB−
Zellwood’s public schools outperform 54% of Florida districts
54%of FL districts it outscoresB−School Grade
Its public schools are run by the Orange school district. 564 students attend Zellwood’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zellwood ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 564 | C |
| Hampden Dubose Academy PrivateLargest high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 278 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most of Zellwood’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.7 jobs for each of them
2%work in town
The average commute for its 1,160 working residents takes 21.9 minutes, against 28 across Florida. Jobs based here grew from 547 in 2013 to 843.
The top destinations are Orlando (14%), Apopka (5%) and Tavares (4%). Most working residents leave Zellwood for work: only 2% work in town. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 296, to 843. For residents in the town, the share who live below the poverty line is 3.7%.
| Zellwood | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 5% | 8% |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Zellwood2%
Orlando14%
Apopka5%
Tavares4%
Mount Dora3%
17 mi
median commute distance
843
jobs based in Zellwood
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 6% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Zellwood, expect mild winters and hot summers
92°summer high
The Sanford weather station, 19 miles away, records that about 109 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. January nights average 48.2°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 92°.
The July high in Zellwood is 92°F. Snow is a rarity.
| Zellwood | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 48°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter50–72°
Spring60–83°
Summer73–91°
Fall65–84°
Dec 29
typical first frost
Feb 24
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsD
Zellwood has set aside 0.3% of its land for conservation
#333for trails in FL
Just 7 of its 2,502 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Zellwood itself; its outdoors grade is D.
1.1 miles of trail.
| Zellwood | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
0.3%
conserved · 7 of 2,502 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade A
Zellwood’s grade for cost of living is an A
$335KZillow home value
The median property tax bill is $798, against $2,730 across Florida, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
In Zellwood, just over nine in ten households live in a home they own. Homes locally are typically worth about $335,000, about the same as a year ago, 11% below the Florida typical home.
Typical home value
Zellwood$335K
Florida$375K
+0%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Zellwood faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
55risk score of 100
Just over a third of Zellwood’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by hurricanes at 22%. On expected storm and flood damage, Zellwood sits above 55% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Zellwood households in 8 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesStrong wind
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB−
Zellwood stands out in Florida and nationally, with fewer of its adults who binge drink
52%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
Among adults in Zellwood, 28% get no exercise outside work. The town beats the Florida average on 14 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 8. In Zellwood, 49% of adults have high blood pressure, and 12% report frequent mental distress.
| Zellwood | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 8.9% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 86% | 79% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Florida
14 better9 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Zellwood | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.8% | 13.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.9% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 17.3% | 9.1% |
Orlando Health-Health Central Hospital
12.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
45th
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Zellwood
17pages on Zellwood
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
Nearby attractions
All 91 attractions →Walt Disney World Resort and 52 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Zellwood. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi Theme parkWalt Disney World Resort
Big draw18 mi Theme parkUniversal Studios Florida9.5M visitors a year
Big draw21 mi Theme parkUniversal Epic Universe
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaCamping World Stadium
Big draw18 mi Theme parkUniversal's Islands of Adventure9.5M visitors a year
17 mi Stadium & arenaKia CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Walt Disney World Resort: Anthony Quintano from Westminster, United States, CC BY 2.0 · Universal Studios Florida: Radiobroadcastcenter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Universal Epic Universe: Martin Lewison, CC BY 2.0 · Camping World Stadium: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 · Universal's Islands of Adventure: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Kia Center: 350z33 (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Zellwood: who provides what
Zellwood is unincorporated, so Orange County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDuke Energy18.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOcud/Southern Water Sys (5 Wps)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers42% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesOrange CountyOrange County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOrange Supervisor of ElectionsOrange County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2024
ZIP codes32798, 32757, 3271232798 89% · 32757 6% · 32712 5%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Zellwood
About 1 of every 100 Zellwood residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
Zellwood’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Zellwood.
ApopkaTangerineZellwood
How the neighbors grade
Zellwood and Tangerine report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Zellwood with a neighbor →
Questions about Zellwood
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Zellwood, FL a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Zellwood grades B+ overall, better than 73% of U.S. towns and #39 of 634 in Florida. It grades B− for health and B− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Zellwood, FL expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
Zellwood is in here
Say something about Zellwood.
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