Moving to Orlando for a Research Park or Defense Job: Where Should You Live?

Most people think of theme parks when they hear "Orlando." But if you are moving to Orlando for a defense job, you are joining a very different economy. East of downtown, near the University of Central Florida (UCF), sits a cluster of military commands, defense contractors, and research labs built around training and simulation.

This guide is for service members with orders to Naval Support Activity (NSA) Orlando, veterans starting a second career with a defense contractor, and federal civilians taking a job in the area. It covers who works here, which communities to look at first, what the 2026 housing allowance looks like, and how to pick a home that works on a normal weekday. The local insights come from Ted Moseley, a Navy veteran and VeteranPCS agent who lives on this side of town.

What Is Central Florida Research Park?

Central Florida Research Park sits right next to UCF. The park reports 1,027 acres, 68 buildings, more than 140 companies, and more than 9,500 employees. It is not part of UCF, but the two work closely together.

UCF calls Orlando the modeling, simulation, and training capital of the world. According to UCF's modeling and simulation page, the region wins about $7 billion a year in modeling, training, and simulation contracts. Big names like Lockheed, SAIC, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman are part of that picture.

Research Park at a glance

• 1,027-acre research and business campus
• 68 buildings and 140+ companies
• 9,500+ employees
• Right next to UCF
• Home to NSA Orlando and its military tenant commands

NSA Orlando: A Small Base With a Big Mission

NSA Orlando is not a large base with barracks and a flight line. The Navy's installation guide describes it as a 40-acre facility inside Central Florida Research Park.

Two major commands are based there, according to the Navy's tenant command page:

• Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD). The Navy's main center for research, testing, buying, and supporting training systems.
• Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI). The Army office that buys and delivers simulation, training, and testing tools.

Air Force, Marine Corps, and joint training offices are also supported here. So this area runs on engineering, acquisition (the process of buying military systems), research, civil service, and contractor work, not on thousands of active duty troops.

What military families should know about support services

Because NSA Orlando is so small, it has very limited support services on site. The Navy's installation guide notes a few things that affect daily life:

• There is no commissary in Orlando.
• The Orlando Navy Exchange, near Orlando International Airport, carries a large selection of groceries.
• The closest full-service base is Patrick Space Force Base, about 54 miles away. MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa is about 113 miles away.
• There is no large on-base housing community, so most families live off base and use their housing allowance in the local market.

If you are coming from a large installation, plan for a more civilian lifestyle. Our Patrick Space Force Base guide covers the nearest full-service base if you plan to use its services.

Who Works Around Research Park?

The workforce is broader than the phrase "defense contractor" suggests. Depending on the employer, it can include:

• Systems and software engineers
• Modeling and simulation specialists
• Cybersecurity professionals
• Program and project managers
• Training system developers and testers
• Acquisition and contracting staff
• Federal civilian employees
• UCF researchers and graduates
• Veterans moving into second careers

That matters when you buy a home. You may be taking one job, but you are entering a whole regional industry. If the job changes in a few years, there is a good chance the next one is nearby. For more on that shift, see our guide to buying a home after military service.

2026 BAH for NSA Orlando

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is the monthly housing payment for service members who live off base. NSA Orlando falls in the Orlando military housing area (MHA FL062). We pulled these 2026 rates from the Defense Travel Management Office for ZIP code 32826, where Research Park sits.

2026 Orlando BAH by pay grade. Source: Defense Travel Management Office, ZIP 32826.

Check your exact rate with the official DTMO BAH calculator before you set a budget. If you plan to buy, a VA loan (a home loan backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs) often needs no down payment. Our guide to 2026 VA loan limits explains how entitlement works.

Where Should You Live If You Work Near Research Park?

There is no single best community. Start by deciding which problem your home needs to solve.

This is a starting point, not a ranking. Each area solves a different problem.

Waterford Lakes and East Orlando: convenience first

Waterford Lakes and nearby communities like Eastwood and Stoneybrook East keep you close to Research Park while giving you established shopping, restaurants, and services. Much of daily life can stay near work.

The catch: close does not mean traffic-free. Alafaya Trail, East Colonial Drive, University Boulevard, and the ramps to SR 408 can be slow on weekday mornings. A home ten miles away with a reliable route can beat a closer home with an unpredictable bottleneck.

Avalon Park: when the community matters

Avalon Park was built around a planned town-center idea. That appeals to buyers who want the neighborhood itself to add to daily life, with shops and community spaces nearby.

Its southeast location also helps households with two jobs. If one person works at Research Park and the other works near the airport or Lake Nona, Avalon Park can split the difference.

Oviedo and southeast Seminole County: look north

Oviedo is its own city in Seminole County, not an Orlando neighborhood. That changes the school district, local government, and services. It sits just north and northeast of the Research Park area.

Depending on the home, your commute might use Alafaya Trail, McCulloch Road, Lockwood Boulevard, or SR 417. Oviedo covers enough ground that two homes a few miles apart can have very different drives. Compare the exact address, not just the city name. Our Florida schools guide for military children can help you compare districts.

Chuluota, Lake Pickett, and the eastern edge

Farther east, suburbs give way to larger lots, lower density, and rural land. Some buyers want exactly that: more space and more nature.

Buying here means paying closer attention to roads and growth. Orange County is studying a widening of about 1.9 miles of Lake Pickett Road between East Colonial Drive and Percival Road. As of this writing, the study is still in its data-gathering phase. Plans like this can change, stall, or stop, so you are buying into a changing landscape, not just a house.

The Grow: newer homes farther east

The Grow, a Pulte Homes community on East Colonial Drive, began new home sales in April 2026. It is built around a working farm, an idea often called an "agrihood." For a Research Park employee, it offers newer construction on the east side. As with the rest of this corridor, test the real weekday commute first.

How Your Schedule and Household Change the Answer

Your in-office schedule

One of the first questions to ask is simple: how often do you have to be on site? If you drive in five days a week at rush hour, a reliable route should carry a lot of weight. If you are hybrid, you can give more weight to yard size, community amenities, or a spouse's commute. The job did not move, but the value of living six minutes closer to it did.

Two careers, two commutes

Say you take an engineering job near Research Park and your spouse works in Lake Nona. Living five minutes from your office could give your spouse a much harder drive. The same issue comes up if the second job is downtown, near the airport, in Winter Park, in Lake Mary, or toward the Space Coast.

At that point, stop asking "What is closest to my office?" and start asking "Where does this household work best?" Sometimes the answer is Waterford Lakes. Sometimes it is Oviedo or Avalon Park. Sometimes it is a place neither of you considered until you mapped both routines.

SR 417 and SR 408

Two toll roads shape this side of town. SR 408 is the main east-west expressway across Orlando. SR 417 runs north-south through eastern Orange and Seminole counties toward the airport and southeast Orlando. The Central Florida Expressway Authority lists planned work on both roads in its Five-Year Work Plan.

The practical advice: test the commute before you buy. Not at 11 on a Sunday morning. Drive it on a Tuesday at the time you would arrive at work, then drive home at the time you would leave. If a Florida afternoon thunderstorm joins you, count that as the advanced course.

If you are on PCS orders, house hunting leave can give you time to do these test drives in person.

Ted's Take: Knowing This Corridor Firsthand

Ted Moseley spent more than 20 years working for a company in the defense industry before real estate, and his Navy career gave him wide exposure to modeling and simulation. He now lives on the eastern Seminole and Orange County side of the metro, so these roads and communities are part of his regular routine.

Ted notes that a recent client, who wanted a veteran agent, pointed out how few people understand how much Department of Defense work surrounds Research Park. In Ted's view, tourism gets the billboards, but this side of Orlando has spent decades building a skilled defense, simulation, and engineering workforce. That workforce draws UCF graduates, gives veterans a path into second careers, and brings new families to Central Florida who all end up asking the same question: where should we live so the rest of life works as well as the new job?

A Research Park Relocation Checklist

Before you narrow your home search, answer these questions:

1. Where exactly is the job? "Research Park area" can mean several different buildings.
2. How many days a week will you commute?
3. What hours will you usually drive?
4. Where does the other working adult need to go?
5. Is commute time or lifestyle more important to you?
6. Do you want an established suburb, a planned community, or more space?
7. Which roads will you actually use every day?
8. Which road or development projects nearby should you look into?
9. Have you driven the route at the hours you will really commute?

Once you buy, look into Florida's property tax exemptions for veterans and service members, and review our hurricane prep guide for new Florida residents.

The Bottom Line

The best home for a Research Park or NSA Orlando job is not always the one closest to the office. Waterford Lakes, Avalon Park, Oviedo, Chuluota, and newer communities farther east can each make sense for different households. The better choice comes from matching the job with real commute routes, how often you are on site, a second commute, and the kind of life you want after work.

Ted Moseley
Orlando, FL
Retired
Real Broker, LLC

Get in Touch

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Central Florida Research Park part of UCF?

No. Central Florida Research Park is a separate business and research park next to UCF. The close ties between UCF, government offices, and private companies are a big reason the area's simulation industry grew.

Is there military housing or a commissary at NSA Orlando?

NSA Orlando is a small, 40-acre facility with very limited support services. There is no commissary in Orlando, though the Orlando Navy Exchange near the airport carries groceries. Most families live off base and use BAH in the local market.

What is the 2026 BAH for NSA Orlando?

For ZIP code 32826 (MHA FL062), 2026 BAH with dependents is $2,658 for an E-5, $2,982 for an E-7, $2,997 for an O-3, and $3,255 for an O-5. Confirm your rate with the DTMO BAH calculator.

Is Oviedo or Waterford Lakes better for a Research Park job?

Either can work. Waterford Lakes usually keeps you closer to the UCF and East Orlando corridor. Oviedo is a strong pick if you want Seminole County and a wider range of neighborhoods. Compare the exact home and the real weekday route.

Is Lake Nona too far from Research Park?

Not always. Lake Nona can make sense for a hybrid worker or a two-career household, especially if the other job is near Lake Nona, the airport, or southeast Orlando. Test the SR 417 drive at your real commute hours first.

About This Guide

This guide was adapted from an article by Ted Moseley, a Navy veteran, retired defense industry professional, and VeteranPCS agent serving Orlando and Central Florida. Ted's personal views are labeled as his. VeteranPCS checked the Research Park, NSA Orlando, BAH, road project, and community details against the sources linked above as of October 2026.

This content is for informational purposes. Consult a professional for personal financial decisions.