Info On Orange County Please! (Orlando, Seminole: insurance, house, teaching jobs)

[bkinzler]

There are a lot of teaching jobs available there, how do the teachers like their jobs? Is Florida an expensive place to live due to the tourism? Do they have comparable shopping places? bkinzler

[kjjbuck]

I haven't taught in Orange County in about 8 years - but I do still have teacher friends and my kids are in public school. It's a very large county and while the company line is that being large offers more amenities, it's also very impersonal. I love my kids' school but there are many schools in Orange County that are struggling. If you're looking for a teaching job, you REALLY need to know the area and the administration to know what kind of job situation you're getting into. I'm sure that's true anywhere. If I were looking for a new job in the area, I'd probably look at Seminole County. The schools are generally considered better and I THINK the pay is slightly better. Plus it's somewhat outside of the city so you can get a house in a nice, affordable area much more readily than trying to buy in a nice area in Orange.

I love Orlando, but Florida is expensive - less due to tourism than due to insurance and housing. Good luck with your decision!

[Pooh]

Orange County actually pays better than Seminole County. You should check the Orange County web site for more info about schools, etc. There is a shortage of teaching jobs, so finding one would not be a problem. However, it is very costly to live in Orlando as housing prices have increased. Living on a teaching salary would be difficult especially if you were trying to buy a house. The further outside of Orlando you go, the better your chances may be to find a cheaper house. To answer your other question about shopping... there are plenty of malls and stores from which to choose.

[Jammie]

Would it be cheaper to live in Seminole Co. then Orange Co? Would the higher wage you'd be paid in Orange Co. make up for the difference in cost of living?