Housing in Live Oak reflects its small-town, North Florida character. The inventory ranges from older single-family homes on the shaded streets near the historic downtown to mid-century ranches and newer construction in the neighborhoods around the I-10 and U.S. 129 interchange. Beyond the city limits, Suwannee County offers acreage and rural homesites for buyers who want space, with wooded lots and farmland common in the surrounding countryside. It is a single-family-dominated, low-density market where modest in-town homes sit alongside larger properties on the city's rural edges.

Life in Live Oak is shaped by river culture, music, and a rural small-town pace. The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park & Campground, one of the region's signature venues, brings concerts and festivals that draw campers and music fans to the area. The downtown along U.S. 90 has kept its older storefronts, local eateries, and civic character, while community events such as the Suwannee River Roundup Pro Rodeo mark the local calendar. Residents spend weekends on the river, at the springs, and in the surrounding forests, giving the city an outdoorsy, unhurried identity distinct from Florida's coastal communities.

Public education in Live Oak is provided by the Suwannee County School District, based in the city, which operates the area's elementary, middle, and high schools. The Suwannee River Regional Library System offers library services from Live Oak, and Riveroak Technical College provides post-secondary workforce training for the region. Higher education options are available in nearby Gainesville, home to the University of Florida, and at other regional institutions within commuting distance.

Live Oak sits at the junction of three major corridors: Interstate 10, which crosses North Florida east–west, and U.S. Highways 90 and 129. I-10 places the city roughly midway between Jacksonville and Tallahassee, while U.S. 90, the older east–west road, runs through the heart of downtown and U.S. 129 connects the area north–south. Gainesville lies about an hour to the southeast. Day-to-day travel is by car, and the city's compact core is easily navigable on local streets.

Live Oak is a gateway to the Suwannee River and the freshwater springs that feed its basin. Residents and visitors swim, paddle, fish, and cave-dive in the spring-fed waters of the region, while parks and preserves offer hiking, biking, camping, and horseback riding through pine flatwoods. The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park & Campground provides a major outdoor venue for concerts and festivals. The city's parks and the nearby river corridor round out a recreation scene built around water and woods.