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Pine Hills
Census-designated place
Location in Orange County and the state of Florida
Location in Orange County and the state of Florida
Country United States
State Florida
County Orange
Area
 • Census-designated place 12.68 sq mi (32.84 km2)
 • Land 12.20 sq mi (31.58 km2)
 • Water 0.49 sq mi (1.26 km2)
Elevation
112 ft (34 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Census-designated place 66,111
 • Density 5,421.16/sq mi (2,093.19/km2)
 • Urban
1,377,342 (35th)
 • Metro
2,134,311 (26th)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
32808, 32818
Area code(s) 407, 689
FIPS code 12-56825
GNIS feature ID 0288851

Pine Hills is a special kind of community called a census-designated place (CDP). It is located in Orange County, Florida, just west of Orlando. In 2020, about 66,111 people lived there. Pine Hills is part of the larger Orlando area, which is home to over 2 million people.

Pine Hills has many parks, five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. A bike path called the Pine Hills Trail is being built. It will connect Barnett Park through the community. Pine Hills is known for its diverse population, with many different cultures living there. The community has been working hard to improve and make the area even better.

History of Pine Hills

Pine Hills started in 1953 with its first neighborhoods, Robinswood and Pine Ridge Estates. These were built along the new Pine Hills Road. It was one of the first suburbs near Orlando. Many people who worked at Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) lived here. Back then, it was a fancy suburb with a country club called "Silver Pines."

During the 1960s and 1970s, Pine Hills grew a lot. It got its own fire department, a post office, and more schools. Later, the Orange County government took over the fire services. Community leaders tried to make Pine Hills its own city, but this plan did not happen. Some parts of Pine Hills were later added to the city of Orlando. However, many residents did not want this because they worried about higher taxes. Over time, as Orlando grew bigger, some of the first families moved to newer areas nearby.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, Pine Hills faced some challenges. The Silver Pines Country Club closed, and the main shopping center changed. Housing became more affordable. However, the area also got a reputation for being less safe. But this has changed! Since 2013, people in Pine Hills have worked together to make things better. Schools and churches now offer after-school programs. The Orlando Police Department and Orange County Sheriff's Office have increased patrols to prevent crime. The local government is also making sure homes look well-maintained.

Many new things have happened in Pine Hills recently. Maynard Evans High School was rebuilt in 2012 with the latest technology. Other schools like Meadowbrook Middle and Pine Hills Elementary also got new buildings. Orlando's newest "Chinatown" is now located along West Colonial Drive. This road, a main highway in Pine Hills, was also updated in 2011 with better traffic flow and landscaping.

Community Improvement Efforts

A big effort to improve Pine Hills started with the "Pine Hills Safe Neighborhood Partnership." This group is made up of local residents. They work with the Orange County Government and police to keep the area safe. This non-profit group gets money to fund projects that help prevent crime and make residents feel safer.

Some of their projects include:

  • Hiring off-duty police officers for extra patrols.
  • Offering summer programs for young people.
  • Helping neighborhoods improve traffic and lighting.

Regular community meetings are held at the Pine Hills Community Center.

In 2004, the Pine Hills Community Council created a plan for how the area could grow and improve. Since then, the community has continued to focus on making things better. They hold meetings, work with developers, and encourage residents to protect their neighborhood. Because of these efforts, the sheriff's office has reported less crime in the area. In 2009, Mayor Richard Crotty also created a special committee to help improve the economy of Pine Hills.

Diverse Community

Pine Hills is one of the most diverse areas in Greater Orlando. It is a "minority majority" community, meaning that most of its residents belong to minority groups. There are many African-Americans and Hispanics living here. Also, a lot of people from other countries have made Pine Hills their home.

You can find large groups of people from the Caribbean, like Haitians, Jamaicans, and Puerto Ricans. There are also many Asian residents, including Vietnamese, Koreans, and Cambodians. This mix of cultures is easy to see along Pine Hills Road. You'll find many immigration offices, Caribbean and Asian restaurants, and West Indian grocery stores.

Some neighborhoods in Pine Hills have higher average incomes. For example, the Rosemont neighborhood, which was one of the first planned communities in Orlando, has expensive homes. You can also find nice homes near Balboa Drive and North Powers Drive. There's even a house off North Hiawassee Road that looks a lot like Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion!

In 2010, Evans High School became the first UCF-Certified Community Partnership School in Florida. This happened thanks to a partnership between the Children's Home Society of Florida, Orange County Public Schools, and the University of Central Florida. Since then, student test scores have gone up. The graduation rate at Evans High School improved a lot, from 64% in 2010 to 87% in 2017!

Geography of Pine Hills

Pine Hills is located at 28°34′30″N 81°27′26″W / 28.57500°N 81.45722°W / 28.57500; -81.45722.

The community covers about 12.68 square miles (32.84 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Population Information

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1970 13,882 —
1980 35,771 157.7%
1990 35,322 −1.3%
2000 41,764 18.2%
2010 60,076 43.8%
2020 66,111 10.0%
Population 1970–2010.

In 2020, Pine Hills had 66,111 people living there. There were 22,660 households and 17,339 families.

The population is quite young, with many people under 18. In 2018, about 51% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age was 30 years.

The average income for a household in Pine Hills in 2018 was about $37,158.

Languages Spoken

In 2000, most people in Pine Hills (66%) spoke English as their first language. However, many other languages are also spoken. About 12.45% of the population spoke Spanish, and 10.76% spoke Haitian Creole. Other languages like French and Vietnamese were also common.

Economy and Jobs

The main type of business in Pine Hills is retail. West Colonial Drive is sometimes called "car row" because it has many car dealerships. The Central Florida Fairgrounds also hosts a fruit and vegetable market every Saturday, along with concerts and other events. Local football teams play there too.

Because Pine Hills is close to major highways like Interstate 4 and Highway 408, there are many small industrial businesses. For example, there are Frito-Lay and Coca-Cola factories nearby. Many companies that work with marble and flooring are also in this area.

Pine Hills is in a central spot, so it's easy for residents to get to jobs in other parts of Orlando. Many people travel to downtown Orlando, which is less than 5 miles away. Others commute to the northern suburb of Maitland, or to the big tourist areas like International Drive, Universal Orlando Resort, and Walt Disney World Resort. There's also good public transportation through the Lynx bus system, and a Greyhound bus station is close by.

Education in Pine Hills

Pine Hills is served by Orange County Public Schools.

Elementary Schools

  • Hiawassee Elementary
  • Lake Gem Elementary
  • Mollie E. Ray Elementary
  • Pine Hills Elementary
  • Rolling Hills Elementary
  • Ridgewood Park Elementary
  • UCP Pine Hills Charter School

Middle Schools

  • Meadowbrook Middle School
  • Robinswood Middle School

High Schools

  • Maynard Evans High School
  • While Wekiva High School is in Apopka, many students from Pine Hills attend this school.

Private Schools

There are several private schools in Pine Hills that offer classes from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade.

Colleges

  • Valencia College West Campus is less than 3 miles south of Pine Hills, offering college courses.

Parks and Fun Activities

Orange County Parks and Recreation manages the public parks in Pine Hills. It's free to visit all of them! There are four main parks:

  • Barnett Park - This is the biggest and most important park in Pine Hills. It has Lawne Lake, a professional BMX track, biking and nature trails, football fields, ball fields, dog parks, and places for events. It's right next to the Central Florida Fairgrounds, which has cultural events all year.
  • Rolling Hills Park - Located on North Pine Hills Road, this park has several ball fields and playgrounds.
  • Signal Hill Park - This park is actually inside Orlando city limits, near Rolling Hills Elementary School. The City of Orlando manages it.
  • Willows Park - Also located within Orlando city limits and managed by the City of Orlando.

Getting Around Pine Hills

Main Roads

  • West Colonial Drive (State Road 50)
  • State Road 408 - This is a toll road that runs just south of Pine Hills.
  • Silver Star Road - This road connects east and west to U.S. Route 441.

Other Important Roads

  • Pine Hills Road - Runs north to south.
  • Hiawassee Road - Another north to south road, parallel to Pine Hills Road.
  • Clarcona-Ocoee Road - The northern border of Pine Hills, also connecting east and west.

Local Roads

  • Hastings Street
  • Balboa Drive
  • Powers Drive
  • North Lane

Public Transportation

Lynx is the public bus system for the Greater Orlando area. It has many bus stops throughout Pine Hills, making it easy to get around.

Famous People from Pine Hills

Many talented people have lived in Pine Hills, including:

See also

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