Moving to Bloomingdale, Florida

Bloomingdale is one of those communities that doesn't make anyone's "hot neighborhoods" list — and the people who live there are perfectly fine with that. It's a census-designated place tucked between Brandon and Valrico along Bloomingdale Avenue, and it does exactly what a suburb is supposed to do: good schools, safe streets, reasonable prices, and enough nearby shopping that you're never more than ten minutes from whatever you need.

It's not glamorous. It's not trendy. It's the kind of place where your neighbors wave when they drive by and the biggest drama is whose Christmas lights are the best on the block. For a lot of families relocating to Tampa Bay, that's exactly the point.

Why Move to Bloomingdale

Bloomingdale works because of its location. You're close enough to Tampa for a reasonable commute but far enough east to get more house for your money. I-75 and the Selmon Expressway are both accessible, which means you can get to downtown Tampa, MacDill AFB, or south toward Sarasota without too much pain.

The community is established — most neighborhoods were built in the 1980s through early 2000s — so you get mature trees, finished landscaping, and that settled-in feel that newer subdivisions can't replicate. No construction dust. No waiting three years for the community pool to get built.

Who's it for? Families with school-age kids, first and foremost. Couples who want a solid starter home or a comfortable forever home without the premium you'd pay in FishHawk or South Tampa. Military families stationed at MacDill who want suburban stability. Remote workers who want a quiet neighborhood and don't care about being close to Ybor City nightlife.

The honest pitch: Bloomingdale is not exciting. If you want walkable urbanism, craft cocktail bars, or waterfront views, this isn't your spot. If you want a well-run suburb where nothing dramatic happens and your kids can ride bikes in the street — welcome home.

Neighborhoods

Bloomingdale Estates — One of the larger subdivisions in the area. Mix of 3/2 and 4/2 homes, mostly block construction from the 1990s. Well-maintained HOA, community pool, tennis courts. This is the core Bloomingdale experience.

Bloomingdale Hills — Slightly newer homes on the eastern edge. Bigger lots than the estates section. Popular with families who want a little more space between houses.

Bell Creek Nature Preserve area — Homes backing up to the preserve get a premium, but the trade-off is genuinely nice — woods and wildlife out your back window instead of another roofline. Some flooding concerns in heavy rain years, so check elevation.

Providence / Heather Lakes — Nearby communities that blend into the Bloomingdale area. Similar price points, similar vibes. Providence has a particularly active HOA with community events.

Bloomingdale Avenue corridor — The main commercial strip. If you're on a side street off Bloomingdale Ave, you get walkability to shopping but also traffic noise. Homes right on the corridor sell for less — that's not a mystery.

Cost of Living

Bloomingdale hits a sweet spot: not the cheapest in Hillsborough County, but well below the trendy areas.

• Median home price: ~$360,000 (ranges from $300K for older 3/2s to $450K+ for updated 4/3s on larger lots)
• Average rent: $1,800–$2,300/month for a single-family home; $1,400–$1,700 for apartments
• Property tax rate: Standard Hillsborough County rate, roughly 1.1%–1.2% of assessed value
• HOA fees: $50–$150/month for most communities (some are deed-restricted without formal HOA)
• Utilities: FPL for electric, Tampa water/sewer. Budget $250–$350/month total for a typical 4-bedroom home.

Compared to FishHawk (median ~$450K+) or Westchase (median ~$500K+), Bloomingdale gives you a similar suburban lifestyle for significantly less. The homes are a little older, sure, but many have been updated and the bones are solid.

Schools

Schools are one of Bloomingdale's strongest selling points.

• Bloomingdale Senior High School — The anchor institution. Consistently rated above average for Hillsborough County. Strong AP program, competitive athletics (the Bulls football program has a following), and a dedicated STEM magnet program. Parents generally rate it well.
• Kingswood Elementary — Solid neighborhood school with good parent engagement.
• Burns Middle School — Feeds into Bloomingdale High. Above-average ratings, good mix of academic and extracurricular programs.
• Alafia Elementary — Another option depending on your exact address.
• Newsome High School — Some Bloomingdale-area addresses fall in the Newsome zone (Lithia). Newsome is one of the top-rated public high schools in the county — if your address falls here, that's a bonus.

The Bloomingdale High School zone is a genuine draw for families. It's one of those schools where parents specifically buy into the zone, which keeps demand (and home values) steady.

Private options nearby include Bell Shoals Baptist Academy and several other faith-based schools along the Brandon/Valrico corridor.

Commute and Getting Around

Bloomingdale's location is one of its best features for commuters.

• To downtown Tampa: 25–35 minutes via Selmon Expressway (toll) or I-75 to I-4
• To MacDill AFB: 25–30 minutes via Selmon
• To Westshore business district: 20–25 minutes
• To Brandon (Westfield Mall area): 5–10 minutes
• To Lakeland: 30–35 minutes via I-4

Key roads:

• Bloomingdale Avenue — Your main east-west artery. Gets congested during morning and evening rush, especially between US-301 and Providence Road. Budget an extra 10–15 minutes if you're leaving between 7:00–8:30 AM.
• US-301 (Riverview Drive) — North-south connector to Riverview and I-75.
• Selmon Expressway — Toll road that gets you to South Tampa and downtown fast. Worth the $2–$3 toll to skip surface street traffic.
• I-75 — Accessible via a 10-minute drive west. Your route to Sarasota, the airports, and USF.

Public transit is basically nonexistent. HART bus service technically reaches parts of the area but with frequencies that make it impractical for commuting. You need a car.

Cycling is fine within neighborhoods but Bloomingdale Avenue itself is not bike-friendly. The Upper Tampa Bay Trail and other regional bike paths require a drive to access.

Local Favorites

Bloomingdale's dining and entertainment scene is centered on strip malls along Bloomingdale Avenue and nearby Bell Shoals Road. It's not foodie paradise, but there's more here than you'd expect.

Food and Drink:

• Jimbo's Pit Bar B-Q (nearby on SR-60) — Old-school Florida BBQ. Cash only. Smoked mullet if you're feeling adventurous. A Tampa Bay institution.
• Café Ponte (short drive to Clearwater) — Ok, this is a drive, but for a special occasion it's worth mentioning as one of the best restaurants in the Bay area.
• China Yuan — Solid Chinese food that's been serving the Bloomingdale area for years. Nothing fancy, consistently good.
• PDQ — Fast-casual chicken spot in the Bloomingdale area. Great tenders, good salads.
• First Watch — Breakfast and brunch chain but a reliable one. The Bloomingdale Avenue location is always packed on weekends, which tells you something.
• Winthrop Town Centre (Riverview, 10 min) — Growing collection of restaurants and shops just down the road.

Parks and Outdoors:

• Nature's Playground at Bloomingdale — The community park. Playground, walking trails, sports fields. It's where local families spend weekend mornings. The trail system connects through some nice wooded areas.
• Alafia River State Park (15 min east) — Mountain biking trails that attract riders from across the state. Also has hiking, horseback riding, and camping. If you're outdoorsy, this is your backyard playground.
• Lithia Springs Park (15 min) — Natural spring-fed swimming area. Crystal-clear water, perfect for summer days. Gets crowded on weekends — go early.
• Bell Creek Nature Preserve — Walking trails through wetlands right in the community. Great for birding and a morning walk with the dog.

Shopping:

• Bloomingdale Avenue corridor — Publix, Walmart Neighborhood Market, CVS, various strip-mall retail. Everything you need day-to-day.
• Westfield Brandon Mall — 10 minutes away. Full mall experience with major retailers.
• Winthrop Town Centre — Newer mixed-use development in Riverview with restaurants and retail.

Setting Up Your New Home

Moving into an established neighborhood like Bloomingdale has some advantages — most of the infrastructure headaches are already solved.

Home services: Many homes in Bloomingdale are 20–30 years old, which means you might be dealing with aging water heaters, original roof assessments, or that bathroom renovation the previous owner "was going to get to." Best Bay Services — Handyman & Home Services handles the full range — from hanging ceiling fans to full bathroom refreshes — and they know these neighborhoods well.

Internet: Spectrum Internet is the primary provider in Bloomingdale with solid coverage throughout the area. Most homes can get gigabit speeds. A few of the older neighborhoods also have AT&T fiber as an option.

Security: The crime rate in Bloomingdale is low, but it's still suburban Hillsborough County — car break-ins happen when people leave vehicles unlocked. An ADT Home Security system gives you monitoring and the doorbell camera that lets you watch for porch pirates.

Yard care: Bloomingdale HOAs generally require maintained yards. St. Augustine grass is the standard. Budget for a lawn service or a good mower — Florida grass grows year-round and your HOA will send letters if you let it go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bloomingdale part of Brandon or Valrico? Neither, technically. Bloomingdale is its own census-designated place. But your mailing address might say Brandon, Valrico, or Riverview depending on your exact location. For practical purposes, it straddles the border of Brandon and Valrico and you'll use amenities from both. When people ask where you live, saying "Bloomingdale area, near Brandon" works fine.

Is Bloomingdale good for families? This is arguably Bloomingdale's strongest suit. The school zones (especially Bloomingdale High), the safe neighborhoods, the parks, and the access to kid-friendly activities in greater Brandon make it one of the better family-oriented communities in Hillsborough County at this price point. It's not FishHawk-level planned community, but it's solid.

What's the worst thing about living in Bloomingdale? Traffic on Bloomingdale Avenue. During rush hour, the stretch between US-301 and Lithia Pinecrest can crawl. If your daily life requires crossing that corridor multiple times a day, it gets old. The other common complaint: it's a little boring. There's no real "downtown Bloomingdale" to walk to for dinner and drinks. You're driving to Brandon, Riverview, or Tampa for anything beyond chain restaurants and strip-mall retail.

Are homes in Bloomingdale a good investment? Bloomingdale has shown steady appreciation without the boom-and-bust swings of trendier areas. It's not going to double in value overnight, but it's unlikely to crater either. The school zones keep demand consistent, and the location between two growing corridors (Riverview and Valrico/Lithia) gives it long-term stability. It's a "buy and live in it" investment, not a flip-and-profit play.

Ready to find your home in Bloomingdale? The NOW Team — Barrett Henry, REALTOR®