Learn More About Davenport, Florida
About Davenport:
Davenport is a small city, located in Polk County, Florida. With a population of approximately 3,000 people, the city is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area, which makes it a great choice for those who need to commute to a big city for work, but would rather come home to the peace and quiet of a small town.
The settlement that would eventually become the town of Davenport, was originally founded in 1838, when the U.S. Military set up Fort Davenport during the Second Seminole War. The fort was part of a long line of forts built in 20-mile intervals along the trail from Fort Brooke to Fort Mellon and only existed for a few years. The modern city of Davenport was founded around 1880 when the South Florida Railroad reached that point in the peninsula.
Located in Central Florida, the city has only 1.6 square miles and a humid subtropical climate, with hot, rainy summers and very mild, warm winters. Despite being such a small town, Davenport boasts of festivals and local attractions, such as Big Belly Barbecue Battle, Horse Creek Festival and Winterfest. The proximity to Orlando makes it a great choice for those who want to visit the parks and attractions, but still retire to a quiet place to rest and recharge. Walt Disney World is only 10 miles away along Interstate 4 and other theme parks, like Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are just a few more miles away.
Despite the proximity to such a huge tourist hotspot such as Orlando, Davenport has a pretty low cost of living, with a rate averaging at 12% lower than other cities in the United States. The median annual income for a family is approximately $41,000.
When it comes to education, Davenport is served by the Polk County Public School System and the district requires all students from Kindergarten to 8th grade to wear uniforms. There are also private schools in the area, such as Ridge Christian Academy and Independent Baptist Academy. The area boasts of higher education institutions, though, with no less than seven universities in Polk County, including Florida Polytechnic University and Polk State College.
