Conway, Orlando

Conway is an unincorporated census-designated place (CDP) in Orange County, Florida — it is not part of the City of Orlando, nor is it the City of Belle Isle. With a population of approximately 13,596 (2020 census), Conway is governed by Orange County rather than any independent city government. Orange County Sheriff provides law enforcement. Geographically, Conway sits approximately four miles southeast of downtown Orlando and about seven miles northwest of Orlando International Airport. Its unincorporated status means no separate city millage tax, though it also means residents rely on county rather than municipal services. The neighborhood's identity is shaped entirely by its established residential character and its position on the Conway Chain of Lakes.

The Conway Chain of Lakes is a system of interconnected freshwater lakes totaling approximately 1,800 acres in southeast Orange County. The chain includes West, Middle, East, and South Lake Conway, plus Little Lake Conway and Lake Gatlin — all joined by navigable canals. Maximum depth reaches 30+ feet; water clarity allows visibility to 10–12 feet in most conditions. Activities include waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing, largemouth bass fishing, crappie and bream fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and boating. Two public boat ramps serve the chain — one off Hoffner Avenue and one at Randolph Avenue in Belle Isle — though parking is limited at both. Canal bridges limit vessel height to eight feet. The Conway Chain is a local's lake with minimal tourist traffic, making it one of the most genuinely community-oriented lake systems in the metro.

Conway is served by Orange County Public Schools (OCPS). Elementary schools in the 32812 area include Conway Elementary (4100 Lake Margaret Dr), Shenandoah Elementary (4827 S. Conway Rd), and Lake George Elementary (4101 Gatlin Ave). Conway Middle School (4600 Anderson Rd) serves grades 6–8. For high school, the 32812 ZIP code has addresses zoned for both William R. Boone High School and Colonial High School — the split is address-specific and must be verified through the OCPS Find My School tool before purchase. Boone High is the more sought-after zone due to its Criminal Justice, Law & Finance magnet programs — three college-prep academies nationally recognized by Magnet Schools of America. Always verify your specific address assignment through OCPS before purchasing.

The majority of Conway's single-family residential neighborhoods carry no HOA — this is one of the neighborhood's most distinctive advantages in the Orlando metro. In a market where HOA fees of $200–$600 per month are standard in newer master-planned communities like Lake Nona, Horizon West, and Hunters Creek, Conway's no-HOA character represents meaningful monthly savings and lifestyle freedom: boat or RV storage, no architectural review for pools or additions, no restrictions on paint colors or holiday decorations. Some communities with shared lake amenities have a light HOA for cost-sharing (Lake Conway Woods, for example, has a low-fee HOA that funds its community lakefront park and boat ramp). Verify HOA status on a property-by-property basis.

Conway is approximately seven miles northwest of Orlando International Airport (MCO) — a typical drive of ten to fifteen minutes via S. Conway Road to the SR-528 Beachline, or via Hoffner Avenue to the airport connector roads. Downtown Orlando is approximately four miles northwest, reachable in twelve to eighteen minutes via SR-408 (East-West Expressway, toll) or via Orange Avenue and Michigan Street (free). Conway sits at the intersection of two major toll expressways: SR-408 (Exit 13 off S. Conway Road) connects to downtown and I-4; SR-528 (Beachline) connects to MCO, Lake Nona, and the Space Coast. This dual expressway access — both within about five minutes of most Conway addresses — is a logistical advantage that most southeast Orlando neighborhoods cannot match.

Conway home prices range widely depending on lake access and condition. Non-lakefront established SFR homes typically run $320K–$580K. Lake-access community homes — in neighborhoods with deeded community dock and boat ramp rights like Lake Conway Woods or Conway Place — run $450K–$900K. Direct Conway Chain lakefront with a private dock ranges from $700K to $2M+, with premier estate-tier properties exceeding $2M. The median sale price for the broader Conway market in 2025 was approximately $438K (Redfin). The majority of homes are on 8,000–15,000+ sq ft lots with no HOA, which compares favorably to HOA-heavy communities at similar price points. Condos and townhomes in the area range from $200K to $380K.

Conway and Belle Isle share the Conway Chain of Lakes and many physical characteristics, but differ in key ways. Belle Isle is a fully incorporated independent city — it has its own city government, its own police department (established 2009), and was founded specifically in 1924 (reincorporated 1954) to protect the lakes from county development. Conway is unincorporated Orange County — no city government, Orange County Sheriff for policing, no city millage tax. Entry prices in Conway ($320K+) are typically 10–15% lower than Belle Isle ($400K+) for comparable non-lakefront homes, reflecting Belle Isle's incorporated-city premium and tighter inventory. School zones overlap but are not identical — Belle Isle addresses typically feed to Pershing K-8 then Boone HS, while Conway addresses feed to Conway Elementary or Shenandoah, then Conway Middle, then Boone HS or Colonial HS depending on location. Both communities share the no-HOA majority character and the same lakes.

Conway's most sought-after communities break down by lake access tier. For direct or community lake access: Conway Place and Lake Conway Woods offer deeded community dock and boat ramp access with home prices in the $450K–$900K range — the best value-to-lake-access ratio in the area. The Lake Margaret corridor (near Conway Elementary) offers a mix of lakefront and lake-view homes on a smaller lake in the $380K–$900K range. The Gatlin Heights and Gatlin Avenue corridor provides genuine no-HOA character with proximity to Lake George Elementary and Lake Gatlin. For interior no-HOA neighborhoods, the Conway Road corridor and Conway Garden Road area provide established 1970s–1980s SFR stock on large lots in the $300K–$550K range, with easy expressway access.