Identity
Tavares markets itself as America's Seaplane City, and the waterfront reflects a deliberate public investment: a splash park, boardwalk, marina and restaurants where a courthouse town used to end at the water.
Lake County
Tavares
Greater OrlandoFlorida
The Lake County seat on Lake Dora, which built its identity around a seaplane base and a redeveloped waterfront.
Location and access
Lake County on the Harris Chain, between Mount Dora and Leesburg on US-441.
Everyday life
Day to day, this is what you can expect: waterfront-centred, with county offices and everyday retail along the highway.
- Wooton Park and the seaplane base.
- The lakefront boardwalk and marina.
- Access to the full Harris Chain of Lakes.
Housing
- Established homes near the centre.
- Newer and active-adult communities on the edges.
- Waterfront and canal properties.
New construction
steady on the outskirts, with the waterfront developing through public and mixed-use projects.
Getting around
car-based, with US-441 and SR-19 as the main routes.
The area
A seaplane-base lakefront linking the Harris Chain to a small-town main street.
Real life here
What an ordinary week looks like.
The redeveloped waterfront on Lake Dora sets the tone: a splash park, boardwalk and marina where the county seat's business ends at the water, with seaplanes taking off and landing as part of the everyday view. County offices and highway retail cover the rest of the routine.
Routines that fit
- Wanting a redeveloped, event-driven waterfront within walking distance.
- Boating on the full Harris Chain of Lakes rather than a single lake.
- Working with or near the county government offices based in Tavares.
Outdoors and leisure
- Wooton Park and the seaplane base on Lake Dora.
- The lakefront boardwalk, splash park and marina downtown.
- Boat access to the full Harris Chain of Lakes, including the Dora Canal.
Eating and shopping
The waterfront district carries most of the restaurants, built around the marina and boardwalk; everyday retail and chain dining run along US-441 through the rest of the city.
County government offices, banks, pharmacies and clinics are based in and around downtown, with hospitals in nearby Leesburg and Mount Dora.
Seasons
Seaplane operations and waterfront events bring noise and activity that vary by season and by proximity to the water; boating season runs spring through early fall.
Around here
Schools nearby
Real institutions inside this area's radius, ordered by distance. No ratings: assignment depends on the exact address, and a star average does not measure a school.
Source: Google Places. Names, addresses, photos and ratings are published by Google and can change.
Around here
Restaurants around
Real addresses nearby, with public Google ratings where they exist.
Red Crab - Juicy Seafood (Eustis)
Seafood restaurant
2884 David Walker Dr, Eustis, FL 32726, USA
4.5 · 661 reviews$$
WebsiteTiki West Raw Bar and Grill
Upbeat cafe with a cozy patio offering comfort eats, a raw bar & craft beers in a colorful setting.
118 W Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.4 · 1846 reviews$$
WebsiteBTW - BURGERS TACOS WAFFLES
A seasonal menu of American snacks served up in a casual eatery with hip decor & outdoor seats.
115 E Main St, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.4 · 1095 reviews$$
WebsiteOakwood Smokehouse & Grill
Local BBQ chain serving ribs, steakburgers, seafood & Southern sides in a relaxed atmosphere.
2911 David Walker Dr, Eustis, FL 32726, USA
4.6 · 2105 reviews
WebsiteFish Camp Lake Eustis
Seafood, sandwiches & other American fare, offered with full bar in a casual, lakefront space.
901 N Lakeshore Blvd, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.3 · 2945 reviews$$
WebsiteLuigi's | Italian Restaurant
Casual Italian eatery serving a traditional menu in an airy simple space with booths & tables.
2814 David Walker Dr, Eustis, FL 32726, USA
4.5 · 1006 reviews$
WebsiteHurricane Grill and Wings
Tropical-themed chain offering spiced-to-order wings with an array of sauces, pub grub & a full bar.
3351 W Burleigh Blvd, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.3 · 4021 reviews$
WebsiteKalua Beach Bar
Lakeside bar & American eatery with a chill vibe, live music & patio tables overlooking the water.
181 S Joanna Ave, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.2 · 1494 reviews$
WebsiteSource: Google Places. Names, addresses, photos and ratings are published by Google and can change.
Around here
Parks and green space
Public parks inside this area's radius.
Wooton Park
Lakeside park featuring a play structure, a seaplane-themed splash pad (fee) & picnic areas.
100 E Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
WebsiteSource: Google Places. Names, addresses, photos and ratings are published by Google and can change.
Around here
Things to do here
Cinema, bowling, activities for the children, culture and sport around here, without repeating the parks. I list what actually exists, with the public Google rating where there is one.
Jones Brothers Air & Seaplane Adventures
Tourist attraction
210 E Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.9 · 333 reviews
WebsiteDora Queen
Event venue
375 S. Sinclair Avenue City Of Tavares Marina, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.9 · 304 reviews
WebsiteGolden Triangle YMCA Family Center
Gym
1465 David Walker Dr, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.5 · 516 reviews
WebsiteLake County Museum of Art
Local art museum & community center offering a range of works & exhibits, plus educational classes.
213 W Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778, USA
4.6 · 48 reviews
WebsiteSource: Google Places. Names, addresses, photos and ratings are published by Google and can change.
Real indicators
Market in Lake County, with sources.
These numbers are published per county, not per neighbourhood or community. They show the direction of the market around this area, they do not estimate the price of a specific home.
Median listing price (county)
The midpoint asking price of homes listed across the whole county that month. It is what sellers ask, not what buyers pay, and a county is far larger than a single community, a specific neighbourhood can sit well above or below it.
$399,999
median asking price (USD)
−1.8% vs. a year earlier
September 2026 · monthly series
Median listing price (county): from $372,259 in September 2021 to $399,999 in September 2026, higher over the period. Low of $372,259 in September 2021 and high of $449,400 in June 2022. 61 real observations.
September 2021, September 2026 · 61 observations
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis FedView data table
Showing 1 in every 2 real observations from the selected period.
| Period | Median listing price |
|---|---|
| September 2021 | $372,259 |
| November 2021 | $376,698 |
| January 2022 | $399,000 |
| March 2022 | $394,600 |
| May 2022 | $432,488 |
| July 2022 | $433,690 |
| September 2022 | $406,555 |
| November 2022 | $402,009 |
| January 2023 | $399,700 |
| March 2023 | $408,581 |
| May 2023 | $404,303 |
| July 2023 | $425,000 |
| September 2023 | $420,000 |
| November 2023 | $415,000 |
| January 2024 | $410,750 |
| March 2024 | $420,000 |
| May 2024 | $422,500 |
| July 2024 | $420,000 |
| September 2024 | $415,749 |
| November 2024 | $409,900 |
| January 2025 | $407,000 |
| March 2025 | $410,000 |
| May 2025 | $416,900 |
| July 2025 | $409,987 |
| September 2025 | $407,450 |
| November 2025 | $399,900 |
| January 2026 | $399,000 |
| March 2026 | $399,900 |
| May 2026 | $400,000 |
| July 2026 | $402,950 |
| September 2026 | $399,999 |
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis Fed · Housing Inventory: Median Listing Price in Lake County, FL
Median listing price per square foot (county)
Asking price divided by interior area, at the county midpoint. It travels better between areas than a total price because it partly removes house size from the comparison, but it still ignores lot, age, finish level and view.
$211
USD per square foot
−1.4% vs. a year earlier
September 2026 · monthly series
Median listing price per square foot (county): from $186 in September 2021 to $211 in September 2026, higher over the period. Low of $186 in September 2021 and high of $220 in May 2022. 61 real observations.
September 2021, September 2026 · 61 observations
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis FedView data table
Showing 1 in every 2 real observations from the selected period.
| Period | Price per sq ft |
|---|---|
| September 2021 | $186 |
| November 2021 | $191 |
| January 2022 | $199 |
| March 2022 | $206 |
| May 2022 | $220 |
| July 2022 | $218 |
| September 2022 | $214 |
| November 2022 | $211 |
| January 2023 | $209 |
| March 2023 | $208 |
| May 2023 | $211 |
| July 2023 | $218 |
| September 2023 | $218 |
| November 2023 | $219 |
| January 2024 | $219 |
| March 2024 | $219 |
| May 2024 | $219 |
| July 2024 | $219 |
| September 2024 | $219 |
| November 2024 | $217 |
| January 2025 | $216 |
| March 2025 | $217 |
| May 2025 | $216 |
| July 2025 | $215 |
| September 2025 | $214 |
| November 2025 | $213 |
| January 2026 | $213 |
| March 2026 | $212 |
| May 2026 | $210 |
| July 2026 | $212 |
| September 2026 | $211 |
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis Fed · Housing Inventory: Median Listing Price per Square Feet in Lake County, FL
Active listings (county)
How many homes were actively listed for sale in the county during the month: a snapshot of available supply. It says nothing about how many sold and excludes homes already under contract.
2,513
active listings
+3.1% vs. a year earlier
September 2026 · monthly series
Active listings (county): from 750 in September 2021 to 2,513 in September 2026, higher over the period. Low of 480 in March 2022 and high of 2,520 in August 2026. 61 real observations.
September 2021, September 2026 · 61 observations
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis FedView data table
Showing 1 in every 2 real observations from the selected period.
| Period | Active listings |
|---|---|
| September 2021 | 750 |
| November 2021 | 675 |
| January 2022 | 580 |
| March 2022 | 480 |
| May 2022 | 682 |
| July 2022 | 1,114 |
| September 2022 | 1,275 |
| November 2022 | 1,416 |
| January 2023 | 1,280 |
| March 2023 | 1,170 |
| May 2023 | 1,070 |
| July 2023 | 1,129 |
| September 2023 | 1,313 |
| November 2023 | 1,496 |
| January 2024 | 1,528 |
| March 2024 | 1,542 |
| May 2024 | 1,698 |
| July 2024 | 1,933 |
| September 2024 | 2,127 |
| November 2024 | 2,222 |
| January 2025 | 2,203 |
| March 2025 | 2,318 |
| May 2025 | 2,434 |
| July 2025 | 2,491 |
| September 2025 | 2,437 |
| November 2025 | 2,413 |
| January 2026 | 2,310 |
| March 2026 | 2,455 |
| May 2026 | 2,469 |
| July 2026 | 2,510 |
| September 2026 | 2,513 |
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis Fed · Housing Inventory: Active Listing Count in Lake County, FL
New listings (county)
Homes that entered the county market for the first time that month. It measures how much new supply arrived, which is what usually changes negotiating room from one season to the next.
688
new listings in the month
−3.1% vs. a year earlier
September 2026 · monthly series
New listings (county): from 686 in September 2021 to 688 in September 2026, higher over the period. Low of 472 in December 2022 and high of 918 in April 2025. 61 real observations.
September 2021, September 2026 · 61 observations
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis FedView data table
Showing 1 in every 2 real observations from the selected period.
| Period | New listings |
|---|---|
| September 2021 | 686 |
| November 2021 | 628 |
| January 2022 | 612 |
| March 2022 | 754 |
| May 2022 | 862 |
| July 2022 | 840 |
| September 2022 | 682 |
| November 2022 | 488 |
| January 2023 | 576 |
| March 2023 | 662 |
| May 2023 | 634 |
| July 2023 | 600 |
| September 2023 | 596 |
| November 2023 | 616 |
| January 2024 | 610 |
| March 2024 | 784 |
| May 2024 | 778 |
| July 2024 | 720 |
| September 2024 | 696 |
| November 2024 | 600 |
| January 2025 | 736 |
| March 2025 | 852 |
| May 2025 | 776 |
| July 2025 | 680 |
| September 2025 | 710 |
| November 2025 | 684 |
| January 2026 | 820 |
| March 2026 | 796 |
| May 2026 | 872 |
| July 2026 | 814 |
| September 2026 | 688 |
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis Fed · Housing Inventory: New Listing Count in Lake County, FL
Median days on market (county)
The midpoint of how long county listings stayed on the market that month: half were listed for less, half for more. It measures pace, not price.
74
days on market
−3.9% vs. a year earlier
September 2026 · monthly series
Median days on market (county): from 38 in September 2021 to 74 in September 2026, higher over the period. Low of 28 in May 2022 and high of 82 in January 2026. 61 real observations.
September 2021, September 2026 · 61 observations
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis FedView data table
Showing 1 in every 2 real observations from the selected period.
| Period | Days on market |
|---|---|
| September 2021 | 38 |
| November 2021 | 43 |
| January 2022 | 46 |
| March 2022 | 34 |
| May 2022 | 28 |
| July 2022 | 32 |
| September 2022 | 49 |
| November 2022 | 60 |
| January 2023 | 73 |
| March 2023 | 53 |
| May 2023 | 49 |
| July 2023 | 49 |
| September 2023 | 51 |
| November 2023 | 52 |
| January 2024 | 69 |
| March 2024 | 54 |
| May 2024 | 49 |
| July 2024 | 57 |
| September 2024 | 64 |
| November 2024 | 72 |
| January 2025 | 81 |
| March 2025 | 59 |
| May 2025 | 64 |
| July 2025 | 76 |
| September 2025 | 77 |
| November 2025 | 79 |
| January 2026 | 82 |
| March 2026 | 64 |
| May 2026 | 72 |
| July 2026 | 72 |
| September 2026 | 74 |
Realtor.com via FRED · St. Louis Fed · Housing Inventory: Median Days on Market in Lake County, FL
Metro and statewide context
Median listing price
$410,000
median asking price (USD)
−2.5% vs. a year earlier
September 2026 · monthly series
Florida house price index
825.7
index · base 1980:Q1 = 100
+1.4% vs. a year earlier
Q2 2026 · quarterly series
30-year fixed mortgage rate
7.24%
annual rate
+1.07 percentage points vs. a year earlier
Week ending Oct 29, 2026 · weekly average
Honest trade-offs
What you accept when you choose this area.
Trade-offs
- Seaplane and event activity means noise near the waterfront.
- Distance from Orlando is significant for daily commuting.
- Flood and elevation vary along the shoreline.
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