Florida's 5 Safest Orlando Suburbs In 2026 To Visit, According To Data

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Orlando, Florida, is the most visited city in America and one of the most popular destinations in the world. If you're one of the more than 75 million people traveling to Orlando this year, you might be wondering how safe this sprawling city actually is. Well, Orlando is safer than about 78% of U.S. cities, with fluctuating crime rates in different neighborhoods. The areas with the most tourists like those with theme parks rank high for safety, but what if you're going to the suburbs? Based on data including crime reports and neighborhood reviews from Niche and other sources, as well as compelling things to do for visitors, five suburbs come up on top for safety and attractions worth a trip.

There are plenty of reasons to head outside the tourism corridor like accommodation, a meeting, or simply looking for the best things to do in Orlando besides Disney World. The suburbs discussed here range in size, location, and activities, but one thing they have in common is safety. That being said, it's good to know that property crime is the most common type of offense, with car theft of particular concern. This means taking precautions like not leaving anything visible when you leave your car no matter what neighborhood you're in. With the crowds that Orlando sees, and the metro area being one of the country's fastest-growing, the city and its suburbs do a fantastic job of crime prevention. Here's more on five of the city's safest suburbs and why they're good places to visit.

Home to celebrities and surrounded by lakes, Windermere is a beautiful, small, wealthy community southwest of Orlando. It's so wealthy that the glamorous enclave of Windermere has the most expensive real estate in Central Florida. With property values so high, the neighborhood is well protected with safety measures like gated communities. 

Windermere receives a B+ rating for crime on Niche, which synthesizes data from multiple local and federal sources. According to 1776 Moving, Windermere is safer than 67% of neighborhoods in America with crimes against property affecting a little more than five residents per 1,000; when considering violent crime, that figure goes down to one in 1,000. A survey of residents found 71% agreeing with the statement, "The police are very visible and very responsive." 

Just 20 minutes from Disney's Magic Kingdom, Windermere has a pretty, walkable downtown with coffee shops, boutiques, and restaurants, and a sense of community according to realtor Ken Pozek. It's a place where you could join residents at the farmer's market and food truck nights. "The town is quiet and peaceful, the weather is great, and there are plenty of amenities nearby," according to a review on BestPlaces. A great way to enjoy this town is on a boat tour, and Orlando Lake Tours cruises the Butler Chain of Lakes. On a 75-minute ride, you'll see Windermere's beautiful homes from the water and spot wildlife like ospreys, eagles, alligators, and armadillos. "Lake views, luxe homes & local charm — a must-do tour," a reviewer wrote on Tripadvisor. Overall, Niche gives Windermere an A rating. 

A great spot for bird lovers and children, Oviedo offers butterfly encounters and airboat rides to spot birds around an Audubon Bird Sanctuary. Very different from Windermere, Oviedo is much larger, with more than 40,000 residents. It's also farther from Disney's Magic Kingdom, with a drive taking about an hour. Earning best Orlando suburb for raising a family, Oviedo gets an A+ overall on Niche and a B for Crime and Safety. Calculated as if there were 100,000 residents, the town's violent crime rate is well below the national average, with 38 assaults when the national average is 283. Burglary is one-fifth lower than average and theft one-quarter. This is one place where you don't have to worry too much about car theft as Oviedo had 8 when the national average was 284. When a survey asked if the police are very visible and very responsive, 80% of respondents answered yes. 

 A Yelp reviewer says Oviedo is "expanding in a fun way with good restaurants, shopping and new housing. They have numerous family friendly parks with hiking trails and other fun activities." Kids will love interacting with butterflies at Lukas Nursery Butterfly Encounter, which Orlando Business Journal named as one of the 25 largest tourist attractions in Central Florida. A Tripadvisor  reviewer wrote that it's "extremely affordable and...everyone is also super friendly and knowledgeable!" Admission to the 4,000-square-foot conservatory, which also houses finches and quail, is $8.95. To see more birds like pelicans, eagles, egrets, and herons, zoom around Lake Jesup in an airboat on a Black Hammock tour that circles Bird Island. For a different kind of bird experience, pedal a swan boat at Center Lake Park where kids can cool off under the jets of a splash pad and play in the playground.

Art lovers will find galleries and art events and active outdoorsy types will enjoy both Lake Mary's water-based pastimes and sports like golf and cycling. About 20 minutes from Oviedo and an hour from the Magic Kingdom, Lake Mary is a charming and safe Orlando suburb. Also like Oviedo it gets an A+ overall from Niche and a B for Crime and Safety. Much smaller than Oviedo but larger than Windermere, Lake Mary has nearly 17,000 residents. Crime here falls well below the national average in every category. Assault reports are less than one-third of the national average and robbery is under one-quarter. When looking at property crime, burglary and theft are both less than half the national average. "The police are very visible and very responsive" agreed 71% of Niche survey respondents, and 68% agreed with the statement that Lake Mary is "Very safe. There are no safety concerns."

The mild Florida climate means people can enjoy outdoor activities year round in a place an Expedia reviewer calls a "lovely town."  There are several golf options but in Lake Mary, trails for walking, biking, and jogging are a big draw as is water-based recreation at Rock Springs and Wekiwa Springs State Park. The 1,400-mile Florida National Scenic Trail crosses Lake Mary for the 14 miles of the Seminole Wekiva Trail. A paved trail, it's a great place to take a family bike ride without encountering vehicles. Lake Mary is also an artsy community with events like the annual Lake Mary-Heathrow Festival of the Arts and the monthly WineART Wednesday Marketplace. 

You can escape Orlando crowds at the charming little city of Winter Park, which is about 50 minutes from the Magic Kingdom. Well named, it has more land set aside for parks than anywhere else in the state. The one you can't miss is the 11-acre Central Park, which borders the shopping and dining hub of Park Avenue and includes fountains and a rose garden. A wealthy community of around 30,000 residents, Winter Park gets an overall Niche grade of A+ and a Crime and Safety grade of B-. More than half of survey respondents agreed with the statement that the community is "pretty safe. There are some safety concerns, but I generally feel safe." The robbery rate is less than half the national average and property crimes near the halfway mark.

It's a college town with the campuses of Rollins College, Valencia College, University of Central Florida, and Full Sail University, meaning there are a lot of local events and a range of coffee shops, restaurants, and stores, with a walkable hub on picturesque Park Avenue (above). "Lots of activities to satisfy just about any interest," a reviewer wrote on Reddit, which could include Park Avenue as well as the parks, boat tours, and museums. The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, where you'll find an incredible collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany glasswork, is a standout among a range of cultural attractions that also includes the Rollins Museum of Art and Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. 

Known for its RiverWalk, boating, beautiful Victorian architecture, walkable downtown, and cultural attractions, Sanford is a bustling little city of 65,000 residents. Although some reports of crimes in Sanford are above the national average, robbery and motor vehicle theft are below average and 73% of survey respondents agreed to the statement "There are some safety concerns but I generally feel safe." The city gets a C for Crime and Safety but an overall Niche grade A-, making it an attractive Orlando suburb to visit with many things to do.

Situated on Lake Monroe, and with the completion of the five-mile RiverWalk in town (pictured), it's now possible to walk the entire 26-mile perimeter of the lake or pass Sanford while biking the 210-mile Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail. Architecture fans will want to check out the city's three historic districts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places to admire the variety of preserved buildings that include Bungalow, Craftsman, and Queen Anne homes as well as public buildings like churches and schools. "The historic downtown area, with its brick paved streets and restored buildings is super charming and chock full of cool shops," a Yelp reviewer wrote. First Street is the hub of downtown where you'll find shops, restaurants, and art galleries. At the Central Florida Zoo visitors can see 100 species of animals, feed a giraffe, and walk among butterflies in the botanical gardens. Kids will appreciate a break from the heat playing at the splash pad.

The city is under and hour from the Magic Kingdom. There's an airport right in Sanford, the Orlando Sanford International Airport, which has flights to many places across the U.S. like like Las Vegas, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh.

In researching safe Orlando suburbs to visit, we started with the list from Niche, which synthesizes data from multiple local and federal sources. We also reviewed reports from 1776 moving, Real Living in Orlando Florida, Extraspace, Doorprofit, Areavibes, Ken Pozek, and Florida Real Estate Insider plus reviews on Yelp, Expedia, Tripadvisor, and Reddit. In addition, we consulted the state's official tourism information website Visit Florida as well as official town websites to find things to do that would be a draw for visitors, striking a balance between safety and a worthwhile place to visit. We narrowed the findings to suburbs of Orlando, not neighborhoods within the city limits.