The cost of living in the Tampa area is way up. Houses cost more. Rents are higher. Gas and groceries are more expensive. One way to save a little bit of money is to check out the suburbs. You get a little more bang for your buck and don’t have to deal with all of the hustle and bustle of the city. None of the Tampa area suburbs on this list are particularly cheap by any means. But Niche compiled this list based on information from the US Census and other agencies measuring things like the cost of living, schools, crime rates, and property values.

• #20: Lakeland Highlands

  Just beating out Valrico (#21), Lakeland Highlands has a population just over 12,000. Reviewers noted that it’s a quiet and clean family neighborhood where neighbors look out for each other. Others noted the location is ideal being halfway between Tampa and Orlando.

• #19: Odessa

  If you’re looking for someplace uncrowded, Odessa may be for you says their residents.  One said that you’re close enough to stores, but still far enough away  so that by 9pm, everything is quiet.  The one common complaint was morning traffic near the Lutz Lake Fern-Gunn Highway intersection.

• #18: Brandon

  There’s been so much growth in this part of Tampa Bay just since I moved here 10 years ago.  Locals know to avoid the mall area around the holidays… or any day for that matter.  Renters vs owners  – it’s about a 50/50 mix.   Brandon scores an A+ on Niche’s rating for diversity.

• #17: Safety Harbor

  With lots of restaurants, coffee shops and parks, Safety Harbor has that “small town” feel even though it’s so close to bigger cities like Tampa and Clearwater.  Niche scores Safety Harbor as a B+ for diversity and jobs, but a C+ for safety.

• #16: Land O'Lakes

  The second best place to live in Pasco County, according to Niche, scoring A’s in public schools, family life and diversity.  Most (about 81%) own their home and the average media household income was just over $80,000.

• #15: Town 'n' Country

  Although the commute on Memorial and Hillsborough can be rough, residents love how everything you need is nearby – but it’s still far enough away from the problems of the cities.

• #14: Cheval

  A smaller chunk of Tampa Bay, Cheval in Hillsborough County has a population of just over 10,000. One resident said it’s an enjoyable place to live but can get a bit pricy and touristy.

• #13: Citrus Park

  A little bit of the city life with that big mall, but still far away enough to enjoy some peace and quiet seems to be the sentiment of residents.  A good family environment with low crime.

• #12: Feather Sound

  Location, location, location.  That’s what Feather Sound residents tend to like about living in the quiet golf course community just off the Howard Frankland Bridge.  The common complaints? A lack of great restaurants and Ulmerton traffic as you leave the neighborhood.

• #11: Temple Terrace

  If you like the nightlife and lots of things to do, Temple Terrace may not be for you.  But it isn’t far from Busch Gardens and Adventure Island.

• #10: Lutz

  One resident said “Lutz is a stereotypical small town outside of a city and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.” With good schools, Lutz is another solid choice to raise a family according to reviewers.

• #9: Northdale

  One resident said Northdale is “a neighborhood where my children are able to be children. They are able to ride their bicycles without fear.”  Lots of retail growth is happening in the area and reviewers say it’s a great place to work too.

• #8: Wesley Chapel

  There has been a lot of construction and traffic over the past few years in the area, but residents say they love that it still has a small town feel.

• #7: Bloomingdale

  The small area near Brandon features good schools, but residents say they are fed up with traffic problems.

• #6: Lake Magdalene

  A popular spot for young professionals, the area features lots of restaurants and parks with a population just over 30,000.

• #5: Pebble Creek

  Scoring high marks for diversity and family life, the suburb near Lutz has a population just over 10,000.  Like many of the neighborhoods on this list, traffic seems to be the big complaint.

• #4: Carrollwood

  Residents say it’s clean, safe and there are lots of ways to enjoy the outdoors.

• #3: Keystone

  If you don’t mind the commute, it’s a great place to live say residents.  The growing area features great schools, bicycle and horseback riding areas, and low crime.

• #2: Fish Hawk

  Scoring an A+ for family life, A for public school and A- for diversity, the area just east of Riverview has a population of about 22,000.

• #1: Westchase

  Ranking #1 in Tampa Bay and the #4 suburb to live in Florida, Westchase scores high ranks for having so much to do – from golfing and shopping to its parks and has a small nightlife scene that many of the others on this list do not.  Yet it’s still relatively quiet and has great schools.

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