Living in Paisley, FL: Who It Fits, and Who Should Look Elsewhere

Paisley is where Lake County's land and lake lots are still cheap, and the reason is what sits on them. Close to six in ten homes sold here in the last twelve months were manufactured or mobile homes, against fewer than one in ten in Umatilla and Eustis, and not one came with a homeowners association. In exchange, an acre or more closed at about $315,000 and a lake lot at about $249,000, roughly half what either neighbor charges. It is a rural community on the edge of the Ocala National Forest, with the longest drive of the three towns on this page.

A note on scope: Paisley is unincorporated, and the Census-defined Paisley community is far smaller than its mailing area, so this page uses the Paisley mailing address, zip 32767, for sales, population, income and commute alike.

Who Paisley Fits, and Who It Doesn't

Strong fit: buyers who want land on a budget, since a home on an acre or more closed at about $315,000 here against about $600,000 in Umatilla and $570,000 in Eustis; buyers who want to live on a small lake for less, since waterfront homes closed at about $249,000; buyers of manufactured homes, who will find most of the market built for them and no association rules; and anyone who wants the Ocala National Forest, with Clearwater Lake's campground and the trail to Alexander Springs, close to home.

Weaker fit: anyone commuting into Orlando or Seminole County, because Paisley has the longest average commute of the three; buyers who want new construction, since only two new homes sold here all year while nearly half of what sold in Umatilla was brand new; buyers who want shopping and medical care nearby, which means a drive to Umatilla or Mount Dora; anyone who wants a large market with choice, because only a few homes sell here in a typical month; and anyone who has not checked flood zones, since a low price on a lake lot is not the same thing as a low cost.

Still deciding between towns? We pulled the closed sales around a $250,000 budget and put Paisley side by side with its neighbors: what $250,000 actually buys in each. Square footage, bedrooms, year built, and how many came with a pool.

Where Is Paisley, and What Makes It Different?

Paisley is an unincorporated community in northern Lake County on the southern edge of the Ocala National Forest, about 17 miles northeast of Eustis and 16 miles west of DeLand. County Road 42 is the main road through it, and the community includes Johnsons Corner and Blue Lakes Ridge. Clearwater Lake on the south side has a campground and a trailhead for the trail north to Alexander Springs. The mean commute is 46.0 minutes.

Paisley Housing Market Snapshot (2026)

Over the last twelve months 43 homes sold in Paisley at a median of $220,000, up 25.4% against the twelve months before. In August 2026, 6 homes closed at a median of $222,500 and the typical one went under contract in 22 days. One month is too small a sample to read a direction from, which is why the twelve-month figure leads here. That twelve-month median rests on 43 sales, a small sample for a percentage, so read it as directional rather than precise. There are 22 active residential listings as of October 9, 2026, with a median asking price of $245,400, or $178 per square foot.

Wondering whether it is a buyer's or seller's market around Paisley? We publish that answer for Lake County as a whole, from current MLS data: Is Lake County a buyer's or seller's market?

Best Neighborhoods in Paisley, FL: Communities to Know

Paisley is a scatter of small lakes and old plats rather than subdivisions in the modern sense.

• Lake Kathryn, the northeast corner, where Lakeview Park, Lake Kathryn Heights and Forestview sit around the lake on smaller lots, at about $140,000 to $195,000, with the lakefront sales at about $212,000
• Blue Lakes Ridge and the chain of small lakes, the center of the community around Lake Lulu, Lake Sidney and Chain O Lakes, at about $195,000 to $317,000, with the larger lots running toward three quarters of an acre
• Pine Valley, on the south side, on lots of close to an acre, at about $247,000
• The acreage, parcels of five to twenty acres scattered between the plats, which closed at about $283,000 to $410,000

Paisley's housing is a mix of manufactured and site-built homes: a site-built house typically closed at about $249,000 and a manufactured home at about $185,000.

Communities in Paisley with their own page:

• Lakeview Park
• Pine Valley
• Chain O Lakes
• Forestview
• Blue Lakes Ridge
• Fishermans Road
• Lake Kathryn Heights
• Littlefield Ranch

Paisley vs. Umatilla vs. Eustis: The Honest Comparison

Umatilla, the nearest town, about ten miles away, is now largely a new-construction market, with nearly half of what sells brand new and land and lake lots at about twice Paisley's price. Eustis, the larger town farther south, has far more choice, more acreage and the shortest commute of the three. Paisley is the rural end of the three: the cheapest land and water, almost all of it without an association, and most of it manufactured.

Schools, Commute, and Day-to-Day Life

Lake County Schools serves the city, and assignment varies by address rather than by city name, so confirm the zoning for the specific property before you buy on a school reputation.

Mean travel time to work is 46.0 minutes, against 41.6 from Umatilla.

How Much of Paisley Is New Construction?

Paisley has no municipal police agency reporting usable figures to the FBI, so there is no honest city-level crime comparison to publish here, and a number that cannot be sourced is worse than none. What can be measured is the age and type of what is for sale, which is the other question relocation buyers ask.

Across 22 active residential listings, the median asking price is $245,400, or $178 per square foot. Where a town is still building, the per square foot figure runs closer to replacement cost; where it is built out, it reflects land and location instead.

Cost of Living in Paisley, FL

Housing is the line that moves a Central Florida budget. Paisley's median asking price is $245,400 against a median household income of $64,772, which puts a home at about 3.79 times household income here. That ratio, rather than the sticker price, is the number worth carrying between towns, and it is why a cheaper town is not automatically a more affordable one.

Florida charges no state income tax, so the property tax line matters more here than it would elsewhere, and a homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of a primary residence. Millage varies by taxing district, so treat any single quoted rate as an estimate until the specific parcel is checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paisley, FL a good place to live?

Start with the numbers. Against the 60 places this site tracks across Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia counties, the median asking price of $245,400 is lower than most and the mean commute of 46.0 minutes is longer than most. The median household income here is $64,772, which puts housing at 3.79 times income, a lighter load than in most of those places. On local incomes, that makes buying here easier than in most of the group. Who it fits, and who it does not, is laid out at the top of this page.

What is the median home price in Paisley, FL?

The median sale price was $222,500 in August 2026 across 6 closed sales. Over the last twelve months 43 homes sold at a median of $220,000, up 25.4% against the twelve months before. The median asking price across 22 active listings is $245,400, or $178 per square foot.

Is Paisley cheaper than Umatilla?

On the asking median, yes: $245,400 against $354,945. Measured against household income, Paisley is at 3.79 times income and Umatilla at 5.28, so on that basis Paisley is the more affordable of the two. See what $250,000 buys in each town.

What is the cost of living in Paisley, FL?

Housing is the deciding line. A median asking price of $245,400 against a median household income of $64,772 puts a home at roughly 3.79 times income, and Florida charges no state income tax, which shifts weight onto the property tax line.

What school district serves Paisley, FL?

Lake County Schools. Assignment varies by address within the city, so confirm the zoning for the specific property.

Thinking About a Move to Paisley?

I work these four counties every week and I will tell you when a town is wrong for you. If you want the numbers for your budget before you tour anything, start with what $250,000 buys across Paisley and its neighbors, or call me at 407-616-9019.

You can also browse homes for sale in Paisley, which updates with current inventory.