— Community Guide
Temple Terrace
Temple Terrace, FL
“Temple Terrace is its own incorporated city in northeastern Hillsborough County — built in 1921 around a nationally-registered golf course, bordered by the Hillsborough River to the west and the University of South Florida campus to the east.”
Historic golf course city · Hillsborough River access · USF adjacent · Florida College community
What locals love
- Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club — 1922 course on the National Register of Historic Places
- Hillsborough River frontage along Riverhills Drive with kayak and paddling trail access
- USF campus directly adjacent — 5-minute drive to one of the 10 largest U.S. universities
- Original 1920s Mediterranean Revival homes alongside mid-century Florida ranches
- Lettuce Lake Conservation Park — 240-acre preserve with boardwalks and canoe trails
A brief history
The land was part of Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer's 19,000-acre Riverhills Ranch before four investors developed it starting in 1921 — creating what was then described as the world's largest orange grove alongside a residential golf community planned by George F. Young. Tom Bendelow designed the golf course (which opened in 1922, three years before the city incorporated in 1925); "Long" Jim Barnes, a two-time PGA champion, was the club's first professional. The same former Palmer ranch land later became the site of the University of South Florida in 1956 — and when USF officials shortlisted university names, "Florida Temple Terrace University" made the final cut before "University of South Florida" was chosen for broader appeal.
The housing mix
The housing stock spans three eras: 1920s Mediterranean Revival villas near the golf course (terra cotta roofs, arched doorways, designed by architects M. Leo Elliott and Dwight James Baum), 1950s-1960s CBS ranch homes on standard suburban lots beneath the city's mature sand live oak canopy, and occasional mid-century modern infill. River-frontage lots along Riverhills Drive occupy their own price tier. Median prices range from approximately $175K for entry condos to $1.2M+ for Hillsborough River waterfront homes, with a city-wide SFR median around $385K.
Who lives here
USF faculty, researchers, and administrators make up a distinct segment — many prefer to own within 5-10 minutes of campus rather than rent near the university. Families drawn to the golf club lifestyle at a non-luxury price point, retirees downsizing from larger Tampa homes, and buyers who want historic character without South Tampa prices round out the profile. Florida College adds a smaller community of families and students affiliated with the private liberal arts institution on the city's eastern edge.
Landmarks & things to do
- Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club — 18-hole private course from 1922, National Register of Historic Places, with a figure-eight layout through mature oaks
- Riverhills Park — kayak launches, fishing piers, and walking paths along the Hillsborough River
- Lettuce Lake Conservation Park — 240-acre preserve with elevated boardwalks, observation tower, alligators, and canoe trails
- Hillsborough River Paddling Trail — 30-mile Florida designated state trail starting at the city's doorstep
- Florida College campus — 1946-founded private liberal arts college on a tree-canopied residential campus
- USF campus — Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), the Phyllis P. Marshall Center, and major athletic venues within a 5-minute drive
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay — 5 minutes south via Fowler Avenue
- Coffee Mill — a Temple Terrace breakfast institution open since the 1950s on Bullard Parkway
Schools in the area
Detailed school zone + rating pages are rolling out progressively. Ask Ben about school-zoned home searches in Temple Terrace — he'll pull the exact attendance map and closed-sale data for each feeder pattern.
Frequently asked about Temple Terrace
Is Temple Terrace a neighborhood in Tampa or its own city?
Temple Terrace is its own incorporated city — it is not part of the City of Tampa. It was incorporated May 28, 1925, and celebrated its centennial in 2025. The city covers approximately 7.77 square miles in northeastern Hillsborough County, directly adjacent to Tampa's northeastern edge and sharing a border with the University of South Florida campus. It has its own city government, police department, and public works department.
What schools serve Temple Terrace?
Temple Terrace is served by Hillsborough County Public Schools. Public elementary options include Lewis Elementary, Riverhills Elementary, and Temple Terrace Elementary; Greco Middle School serves the area. King High School is the primary traditional public high school, with Tampa Bay Technical High School and Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School as additional options. Private options include Corpus Christi Catholic School (PreK-8) and Florida College Academy (K-12). Confirm the exact zone for your address at sdhc.k12.fl.us.
What flood zones apply in Temple Terrace?
Flood risk varies significantly by location. Properties nearest the Hillsborough River — along Riverhills Drive and lower-elevation riverside streets — are typically in FEMA AE flood zones, where flood insurance is required for financed homes. Interior elevated streets east of 56th Street generally fall in Zone X (minimal flood risk, no mandatory coverage). The City of Temple Terrace has a Flood Awareness program at templeterrace.gov/365/Flood-Awareness. Pull the FEMA FIRM map for the specific property address and get an insurance quote before making an offer.
What is the Temple Terrace real estate market like in 2026?
The market has softened compared to the 2022-2023 peak. The median SFR sale price is approximately $385,000, and homes are spending around 68 days on market — up significantly from 29 days in 2024. There are roughly 60 active listings citywide at any time, with prices ranging from $155K (condos) to $1.3M+ (river waterfront). The market is buyer-favorable: more inventory, less competition, and prices down 3-20% year-over-year depending on the segment. Ben can pull current closed-sale data from the Stellar MLS for ZIPs 33617 and 33637.
How does Temple Terrace compare to other Tampa-area neighborhoods?
Compared to South Tampa neighborhoods like Bayshore Beautiful (median ~$1.3M) or Hyde Park (~$850K+), Temple Terrace offers similar Florida-character housing at a dramatically lower price point (~$385K median). Compared to New Tampa to the northeast, Temple Terrace has older housing stock with more architectural character but less master-planned infrastructure. The USF adjacency is unique — no other Tampa-area neighborhood sits within a 5-minute drive of a major research university campus. Busch Gardens is 5 minutes south; downtown Tampa is 15-20 minutes.
Nearby
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Thinking about a home in Temple Terrace?
Tell me what you're looking for and I'll send a tailored list with context on each one — schools, flood zones, market timing, the stuff that matters.