Horizon West vs Lake Nona (2026): How Do Home Prices, CDDs, Commutes and Lifestyle Compare?
A Horizon West neighborhood in Winter Garden, with homes set among lakes and trees.
Image: Jared Jones Team
Quick answer
As of October 2026, Horizon West homes sold for a median $585,000 across 1,524 sales in 12 months (Stellar MLS), with no CDD on 60 of 60 parcels checked. Lake Nona is a 17-square-mile Tavistock community in Orlando beside the airport, where some sections sit in special districts.
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Closed sales, past 12 months | Horizon West: 1,524 (ending Oct 2, 2026); Lake Nona (32827/32832): 987 (ending Oct 19, 2026) |
| Median sold price | Horizon West: $585,000; Lake Nona: $635,000 |
| Median price per sq ft | Horizon West: $253; Lake Nona: $261 |
| Median days on market | Horizon West: 32 days; Lake Nona: 46 days |
| Typical year built (middle 50% of sales) | Horizon West: 2016–2025; Lake Nona: 2010–2024 |
| Size and plan | Horizon West: five villages and a Town Center; Lake Nona: 17 square miles (about 11,000 acres) |
| Jurisdiction | Horizon West: unincorporated Orange County; Lake Nona core: City of Orlando (Lake Nona Planned Development) |
| Master developer | Horizon West: multiple developers under an Orange County plan; Lake Nona: Tavistock Development Company |
| CDD | Horizon West: none on 60 of 60 sample parcels (tax year 2026); Lake Nona: Boggy Creek, Greeneway and Myrtle Creek improvement districts cover parts of the development |
| ZIP codes | Horizon West: mainly 34787 and 34786; Lake Nona: 32827 (original core) and 32832 |
| Drive to downtown Orlando | Horizon West: about 31 min (20.1 mi, free-flow); Lake Nona: about 25 min off-peak |
| Drive to Walt Disney World | Horizon West: about 29 min to Magic Kingdom’s ticket center (free-flow); Lake Nona: about 25–35 min depending on park and time |
| Airport | Lake Nona is contiguous to Orlando International Airport (MCO) |
Sources: Stellar MLS (Horizon West village boundaries, closings 12 months ending Oct 2, 2026; pulled Oct 2, 2026; Lake Nona ZIPs 32827 and 32832, closings Oct 20, 2025 to Oct 19, 2026; pulled Oct 20, 2026; single-family and townhomes; analysis: Jared Jones Team); Orange County Property Appraiser parcel records (tax year 2026); map check (Sep 2026); Lake Nona Fact Sheet Q2 2024 (Lake Nona/Tavistock); Tavistock Development Company: Lake Nona project page (checked Oct 20, 2026); Boggy Creek Improvement District Public Facility Report; Jared Jones – Orlando Living: “Is Lake Nona Actually Worth It?” (Oct 15, 2026).
How do Horizon West and Lake Nona home prices compare?
Over the 12 months ending Oct 2, 2026, homes inside Horizon West’s village boundaries sold for a median $585,000 across 1,524 closed sales, or $253 per square foot, with a median 32 days on market (Stellar MLS, Jared Jones Team analysis). The middle half of homes sold were built between 2016 and 2025. Village medians ranged from $561,995 to $636,030 (see our Horizon West neighborhoods guide).
Over the 12 months ending Oct 19, 2026, single-family homes and townhomes in Lake Nona’s ZIPs 32827 and 32832 sold for a median $635,000 across 987 closed sales, or $261 per square foot, with a median 46 days on market (Stellar MLS, Jared Jones Team analysis). The middle half were built between 2010 and 2024. By ZIP, 32827 posted a $735,000 median on 449 sales and 32832 a $542,500 median on 538 sales. The two ZIPs carry very different home mixes: 32827 holds the original core, including Medical City, Laureate Park, Village Walk, Town Center and Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, while most of 32832 lies east of Narcoossee Road, outside the original master plan.
Do Horizon West or Lake Nona homes have CDD fees?
In our check, Horizon West did not. None of the 60 Horizon West parcels we looked up across 50 subdivisions showed a Community Development District assessment on Orange County Property Appraiser records for tax year 2026, though each home still has an HOA (see our Horizon West CDD guide).
Lake Nona’s infrastructure was built in part through special districts. The Boggy Creek Improvement District, a Chapter 190 district, covers 1,126 acres of the Lake Nona Planned Development inside the City of Orlando, and its public facility report names the neighboring Greeneway and Myrtle Creek improvement districts. Whether a given home carries an assessment depends on the parcel, so read the non-ad valorem lines on its tax bill before you compare total yearly cost.
How do commutes compare?
Lake Nona sits on Orlando’s southeast side, contiguous to Orlando International Airport, with direct access to SR 417 and the Beachline Expressway (Tavistock). Off-peak, downtown Orlando is about 25 minutes away and the Disney area about 25 to 35 minutes, and Narcoossee Road gets congested at peak hours (Jared Jones – Orlando Living, Oct 2026).
Horizon West is on the opposite side of the metro. In a free-flow map check in September 2026, it was about 31 minutes (20.1 miles) to Orlando City Hall and about 29 minutes (14.9 miles) to Magic Kingdom’s ticket and transportation center. SR 429 and the coming SR 516 shape which villages feel close; our commute and roads guide covers the details. Drive your own route at your real departure time.
How do the two places differ in layout and amenities?
Lake Nona is a single master-planned community of 17 square miles, about 11,000 acres, planned and developed by Tavistock Development Company. It is built around clusters: Lake Nona Medical City, a Sports & Performance District anchored by the USTA National Campus, and Lake Nona Town Center. Lake Nona reports more than 44 miles of trails.
Horizon West is an Orange County plan made up of five villages and a Town Center, built out by many developers and builders, with Hamlin as the Town Center’s retail hub. The new Horizon West Branch Library opened Oct 10, 2026, at 4657 Hamlin Groves Trail (see our Horizon West Library guide). Census figures cited by WKMG show Horizon West’s population grew from about 14,000 in 2010 to more than 58,000 in 2020.
What should buyers check before choosing?
- City or county: Lake Nona’s core is in the City of Orlando, while Horizon West is unincorporated Orange County. That affects taxes and services.
- CDD or special-district lines on the specific parcel’s tax bill, plus HOA dues.
- Your real commute at peak hours, especially on Narcoossee Road or SR 429.
- Flood zone and insurance quotes for the exact property.
- Assigned Orange County public schools, confirmed by address with OCPS.
Weighing Horizon West against Lake Nona? Call or text 407-706-5000 and we will pull side-by-side comps for the homes you are considering.
Frequently asked questions
How do Horizon West home prices compare with Lake Nona?
Over the 12 months ending Oct 2, 2026, Horizon West homes sold for a median $585,000 across 1,524 sales, or $253 per square foot (Stellar MLS). Over the 12 months ending Oct 19, 2026, Lake Nona ZIPs 32827 and 32832 sold for a median $635,000 across 987 single-family and townhome sales, or $261 per square foot (Stellar MLS).
Does Lake Nona have CDD fees?
Parts of Lake Nona sit in special districts. The Boggy Creek Improvement District covers about 1,126 acres of the Lake Nona Planned Development, and the Greeneway and Myrtle Creek improvement districts also built infrastructure there. Check the specific parcel’s tax bill for any assessment before comparing yearly costs.
Does Horizon West have CDD fees?
In our check, no. None of the 60 Horizon West parcels we looked up across 50 subdivisions showed a CDD assessment on Orange County Property Appraiser records for tax year 2026. Homes still carry HOA dues and county assessments, so check the specific parcel.
Which is closer to the airport, Horizon West or Lake Nona?
Lake Nona. Tavistock describes it as contiguous to Orlando International Airport, with direct access to SR 417 and the Beachline Expressway. Horizon West is on the west side of the metro near SR 429, much closer to the Disney area than to the airport.
Is Lake Nona in the City of Orlando?
The core of Lake Nona is. The Lake Nona Planned Development is inside the City of Orlando, while some surrounding areas with Lake Nona addresses are in unincorporated Orange County. Horizon West is entirely unincorporated Orange County, so check each parcel’s city code on the Property Appraiser site.
How big are Horizon West and Lake Nona?
Lake Nona covers 17 square miles, about 11,000 acres, as a single Tavistock master plan. Horizon West is an Orange County plan of five villages and a Town Center. Census figures cited by WKMG show Horizon West grew from about 14,000 residents in 2010 to more than 58,000 in 2020.
Sources
- Stellar MLS: Horizon West closed sales, village boundaries (data as of October 2026; pulled Oct 2, 2026; analysis: Jared Jones Team)
- Stellar MLS: Lake Nona ZIPs 32827 and 32832 closed sales, single-family and townhomes (closings Oct 20, 2025 to Oct 19, 2026; pulled Oct 20, 2026; analysis: Jared Jones Team)
- Orange County Property Appraiser: Horizon West parcel records (data as of tax year 2026; checked Sep 2026)
- Lake Nona: Lake Nona Fact Sheet Q2 2024 (data as of 2024; checked Oct 20, 2026)
- Tavistock Development Company: Lake Nona project page (data as of October 2026; checked Oct 20, 2026)
- Boggy Creek Improvement District: Public Facility Report (data as of 2016 boundary revision; checked Oct 20, 2026)
- WKMG News 6 (ClickOrlando): New library opens in fast-growing Horizon West (data as of October 2026; checked Oct 20, 2026)
- Jared Jones – Orlando Living (YouTube): Is Lake Nona Actually Worth It? (data as of October 2026; published Oct 15, 2026)