Davie is a town in Broward County, Florida, situated about 24 miles north of Miami and southwest of Fort Lauderdale, near the western edge of the county's urbanized core. With a population of roughly 110,000, it is the largest town in Florida by population — a designation that reflects both its size and its deliberate choice to remain a town rather than incorporate as a city. Founded in the early 1900s as an agricultural and cattle-raising settlement on the fringes of the Everglades, Davie developed around ranches, citrus groves, and horse properties.
That western and equestrian character is not incidental. Town leadership and residents consciously preserved it through zoning and land-use rules, producing one of the most horse-friendly communities in the country. Equestrian trails run through residential areas, ranch-style properties remain common, and the Davie Rodeo Arena hosts professional rodeo events that anchor the town's cowboy identity. Western Town, along the Griffin Road corridor, maintains old-west architectural codes that reinforce the theme throughout the built environment.
Davie is equally known as an education center. Nova Southeastern University's main campus is located in the town, and it clusters with Florida Atlantic University's Broward campus, the University of Florida's regional facilities, and McFatter Technical Center in the South Florida Education Center area, one of the largest generators of activity in Broward County. This combination of colleges, a working equestrian culture, and suburban neighborhoods gives Davie a character that sets it apart from its coastal neighbors.
Residential areas span established single-family subdivisions, gated communities, and equestrian estates with acreage for horses, while an extensive system of parks and trails connects neighborhoods to open space. For residents who want a South Florida location with a distinctly outdoorsy, small-town feel, Davie offers a rare blend of rural tradition, academic energy, and convenient access to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
