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Hillsborough County · 33647 · 33637 · 33613

New TampaVA Real Estate & MacDill AFB Commute Guide

James A. Haley VA Hospital is across the street. Master-planned communities, top middle schools, USF next door.

Photo · DanTD / CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Median 3BR/2BA

    ~$500k

    ZIP 33647, 2026

  • MacDill commute

    35–55 min

    I-275 + Howard Frankland

  • Walk Score

    5–63

    Residential vs commercial

  • Days on market

    ~75

    Softening from 2024

  • County

    Hillsborough

  • ZIP codes

    3 ZIPs

    33647 · 33637 · 33613

The look + feel

New Tampa, in pictures.

  • Bruce B. Downs medical corridor

  • USF Marshall Student Center

  • USF bull statues

  • USF water tower

  • Tampa Palms

  • Hillsborough River at Trout Creek

The data

What the numbers say.

Real estate read

SFH
$500k
Townhome
$340k
Condo
varies
Days on market: ~75 days

3.7 months supply, softening from 2024 peak. Tampa Palms median ~$455k. Cory Lake Isles avg sale $731k. K-Bar Ranch new construction $400-700k.

Source · Zillow + Redfin, 2026

Top schools nearby

  • Liberty Middle

    Public · Middle

    State A regained

    B+

    Rating

  • Benito Middle

    Public · Middle

    21 straight A years

    A

    Rating

  • Wharton HS

    Public · High

    B

    Rating

  • Freedom HS

    Public · High

    B-

    Rating

Source · Niche.com

Commute reality

  • James A. Haley VA

    Bruce B. Downs straight south

    10–15 min

  • USF main campus

    5–10 min

  • Downtown Tampa

    20–30 min

  • Tampa Int'l

    25–40 min

  • MacDill AFB

    I-275 + Howard Frankland choke

    35–55 min

Source · Google Maps drive-time, typical morning rush

Healthcare access

  • James A. Haley VA Hospital

    Full VA · 24/7 ER · spinal cord injury center

    VA

    10–15 min

  • AdventHealth Tampa

    Tertiary teaching hospital · Pepin Heart

    10–15 min

  • AdventHealth Care Pavilion

    Primary + specialty in New Tampa

    in-town

  • USF Health

    Academic medical campus

    5–10 min

The VA unlock

James A. Haley VA Hospital is on Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Technically 33612, but functionally on top of the New Tampa corridor. A Tampa Palms or Hunters Green homeowner is 10–15 minutes from one of the largest VA medical centers in the Southeast.

~696 physicians, 70 specialty areas. Polytrauma rehab program (one of only 5 in the country). Spinal cord injury patients travel from across the Southeast for Haley. Full ER, primary + specialty care, mental health, prosthetics, audiology, vision rehab. Phone 813-972-2000.

For VA-eligible buyers with service-connected care needs, this is the single biggest neighborhood-selection factor in Tampa Bay. Living anywhere in New Tampa puts you minutes from the hospital instead of an across-town drive.

Inside New Tampa

The master-planned communities.

  • Tampa Palms residential community

    Tampa Palms

    1986-87+ flagship master-plan. Mixed-use, golf country club, 5 private parks, Olympic pool, tennis, riverfront access. Top master-planned community of 1987 (NAHB). The prestige New Tampa address.

    Range: $400k–$700k+Known for: Original 1987 flagship

  • Hunters Green

    Mid-1990s. 24-hour guard-gated. 23 sub-enclaves. Tom Fazio 18-hole golf, country club, tennis, 43 lakes / 65 acres wetlands, off-leash dog park.

    Range: $475k–$800k+Known for: Guard-gated + Tom Fazio golf

  • Cory Lake Isles

    Guard-gated, waterfront. Custom homes (Spanish Revival + contemporary). 165-acre ski lake, beach clubhouse, lagoon pool with waterslide, roller hockey, sand volleyball.

    Range: $530k–$1.9MKnown for: 165-acre private ski lake

  • Heritage Isles

    Late 1990s-2000s. Golf country club community, 1,020 homes. Heritage Isles Golf & Country Club. ~$2k/yr CDD, ~$130-140/mo HOA.

    Range: $400k–$650kKnown for: Golf country club + ~$2k CDD

  • K-Bar Ranch

    2010s-present, final phase active (Gilded Woods by M/I, Lennar, Mobley). ~2,000 homes when complete. Villas + SFH 1,750-5,500 sqft. Clubhouse, walk-in pool, tennis, pickleball.

    Range: $400k–$700kKnown for: Newest construction in New Tampa

  • Pebble Creek

    Older established community. Golf course (1967 — among Tampa's older) closed 2021; rezoning to residential denied 2024-2025 in court. Tennis, pool, basketball, baseball, 3 playgrounds.

    Range: $375k–$550kKnown for: Established + cheaper entry

  • Cross Creek

    1990s-2000s. Mix of SFH + townhomes + apartments. Pools, fitness centers, playgrounds. More affordable.

    Range: $350k–$525kKnown for: SFH + townhome + rental mix

  • Live Oak Preserve / West Meadows

    2000s+. 1,300 acres, 362 acres wetland preserve. Conservation-integrated layout. Includes Stone Ridge at Highwoods Preserve (gated sub).

    Range: $400k–$650kKnown for: Conservation-integrated

Why vets pick it

VA hospital + USF + corporate employer base.

James A. Haley VA Hospital is the headline. For service-connected vets — especially polytrauma, spinal cord injury, mental health — living minutes away is life-changing.

USF and USF Health are next door — relevant for transitioning service members on the GI Bill and academic medical careers.

JPMorgan Chase Highland Oaks campus alone employs 3,000+ in 33647, plus 6,000+ JPMC across Tampa. Major corporate employer for spouses or post-service careers. BayCare Health System is another giant — nearly 33,000 team members regionally.

Master-planned amenities at scale. Golf, tennis, lakes, 24-hour guard gates in select communities. Top middle schools (Benito A-rated 21 straight years, Liberty back to A); high schools more variable.

MacDill is doable for active duty willing to commute — typically 35-55 min depending on time of day via I-275 + Howard Frankland.

VA loan reality

What to know before you write an offer here.

Flood zones — mostly low-risk inland

New Tampa is largely inland and outside FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas. Lake-adjacent and creek-adjacent lots — particularly in Cory Lake Isles (around 165-acre Cory Lake), parts of Hunters Green (43 lakes / 65 acres of wetlands), and lots backing the Hillsborough River corridor — can fall into Zone A or AE. Pull the FEMA panel for the specific parcel.

Hurricane evacuation — non-evac advantage

The bulk of 33647 is non-evacuation zone — a real selling point versus South Tampa, Davis Islands, Apollo Beach, or anywhere on the bay/Gulf.

CDD fees — heavy across master-planned

Tampa Palms, Hunters Green, Heritage Isles, Cory Lake Isles, K-Bar Ranch all carry CDD assessments. Heritage Isles runs ~$2,000/year (rolled into tax bill). VA underwriting includes CDD in DTI ratio. Buyers under-budget for it constantly. Decompose the tax bill before falling in love with a house.

VA condo project approval

True condo stock in New Tampa is limited — most multi-family is rental apartment communities, not VA-eligible condos. For any condo target, pull live status from VA Lender Portal before writing an offer.

Heritage

From Henderson Field to USF to Tampa Palms.

New Tampa is a young place. Rural pasture and pine flatwoods through the mid-20th century — first settled mid-1800s but barely touched.

1956 — USF

Florida Legislature votes to convert the old Henderson Air Field WWII bombing range into the University of South Florida. Classes begin 1960. USF is the first 20th-century state university built in Florida.

1984–1985 — "New Tampa" becomes a thing

In 1984, Hillsborough County renames the road north of SR 582 from "30th Street" to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, honoring the deputy county administrator for public works. In 1985, Denver developer Ken Goodconvinces the City of Tampa to annex 24 square miles north of USF — the largest annexation in Tampa's history. This is the moment "New Tampa" was born.

1986-1987 — Tampa Palms

Tampa Palms is built out by The Mackle Company as the master-plan flagship. Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club opens 1987. Named "top master-planned community in the U.S. for 1987" by the National Association of Homebuilders. Wins the Aurora Award.

1990s–today — The boom

Population grows from 7,145 (1990) to 26,634 (2000) — 273% increase. Hunters Green built mid-1990s. Heritage Isles, Cross Creek, Pebble Creek (golf 1967), Cory Lake Isles fill in. 2000s-2010s: Live Oak Preserve, West Meadows, K-Bar Ranch. K-Bar Ranch enters final phase ("Gilded Woods") today.

Daily life

Where to eat, where to shop.

Restaurants worth knowing

  • Kobe Japanese Steakhouse · hibachi, $$ · 17641 Bruce B Downs Blvd.
  • Acropolis Greek Taverna · Greek, $$ · 14947 Bruce B Downs (Oak Ramble Plaza).
  • Minerva Indian Restaurant · Indian, $$ · Bruce B Downs Blvd.
  • CALI · California / coastal, $$ · Tampa Palms.
  • Noble Crust · coastal Italian, $$ · New Tampa.
  • Stonewood Grill & Tavern · American grill, $$.
  • The Fat Rabbit Pub · gastropub, $$.
  • Via Italia Woodfired Pizza · Italian, $$.

Where to shop

  • New Tampa Center · 19034 Bruce B. Downs. 93,666 sqft Publix-anchored open-air center, built 1996, fully leased.
  • The Shoppes at New Tampa · Multiple plazas under similar branding.
  • The Shops at Wiregrass · ~10 min north in Wesley Chapel. Lifestyle center, anchors include Anthropologie, Brighton, department stores.
  • USF-area commercial · Fowler Ave / Fletcher Ave corridors. Big-box and student-oriented retail on the southern edge.

Within reach

Flatwoods, the lakes, and the zoo next door.

  • Flatwoods Conservation Park ⭐ · 5,400 acres. 7-mile paved multi-use loop. 30+ miles of single-track mountain bike. Bruce B Downs entrance: 18205 Bruce B Downs Blvd. Parking $2/vehicle. Connects via Wilderness Loop into a 19-mile continuous ride.
  • New Tampa Community Park / Recreation Center · Adjacent to Freedom HS / Liberty MS. 4 softball, 5 soccer, 1 baseball field. 12,500 sqft gymnastics facility.
  • Tampa Palms private parks (5) · 7 tennis courts, racquetball, volleyball, canoeing on Hillsborough River, 4 playgrounds, junior Olympic pool.
  • Cory Lake Isles (resident-only) · 165-acre ski lake, 5,000 sqft lagoon pool, beach clubhouse, tennis, roller hockey rink, sand volleyball.
  • USF Botanical Gardens · Native plants, butterfly garden.
  • ZooTampa at Lowry Park · Adjacent (technically 33604). 1101 W Sligh Ave. 1,300 animals on ~60 acres. $39.95 adult / $29.95 child 3-11 / free under 2.

Two stories

Commercial nodes are walkable. Residential interiors aren't.

Walk Score by location: Bruce B Downs & New Tampa Blvd = 63 (Somewhat Walkable). Bruce B Downs & Cross Creek Blvd = 62. But residential interiors of Tampa Palms, Hunters Green, K-Bar Ranch run 5–11 (firmly Car-Dependent).

HART Route 275LX New Tampa Limited Express runs the corridor — express service to downtown Tampa with stops near major retail nodes. The University Area Transit Center connects multiple HART routes including Route 1 (Florida Avenue).

Bike infrastructure is decent on Bruce B Downs and excellent inside Flatwoods, but interconnection between subdivisions and commercial is weak. Drive everywhere, park once, walk the destination.

Have a question?

Ask about this area.

Whether you're trying to figure out if it fits your family, your commute, or your VA budget — drop a note. I'll come back with what I know.

No spam. No pressure. Just useful guidance if you're trying to make a smart move.

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New Tampa fit your read?

The VA hospital is the unlock. The community is the choice.

If New Tampa is your target, the next step is one form. I'll walk you through Tampa Palms vs Hunters Green vs Cory Lake Isles vs K-Bar Ranch — and what each costs in CDD and HOA on top of the mortgage.

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