Astor's housing reflects its identity as a rural river community. The stock includes modest single-family homes, riverfront and canal-front properties, and manufactured homes, reflecting the area's popularity with retirees and seasonal residents. Many properties are oriented toward the water, with boat docks and direct access to the St. Johns River and its connecting lakes. The suburban-rural mix means homes are spread out along wooded roads rather than concentrated in dense subdivisions. Most residents own their homes, and the market offers a more attainable entry point to Central Florida riverfront living than the region's larger lake communities.

Astor is an unincorporated community spread along the St. Johns River and State Road 40, with no formal municipal boundaries or centralized downtown. Development clusters near the river crossing and along the waterways, with canal-front and riverfront neighborhoods extending along the shore. Astor Park lies to the west, and the Volusia County community of Volusia sits across the river to the east, forming a continuous, loosely organized river community. This dispersed, water-oriented pattern—where homes, marinas, and woodland intermingle—defines Astor's neighborhood character and its close relationship with the river and forest.

Life in Astor revolves around the St. Johns River and the surrounding natural landscape. The community is a traditional gateway to the upper St. Johns River, and boating, fishing, and river access are woven into daily life. Astor has a suburban-rural mix, with most residents owning their homes and a significant retiree population drawn by the quiet, riverside setting. The pace is relaxed and unincorporated, with local marinas, fish camps, and riverside businesses serving the boating community. For those seeking a low-key Florida lifestyle oriented around water and forest rather than development, Astor offers a distinctive, unhurried alternative.

Public education in Astor is provided by the Lake County Schools system, which serves the unincorporated community and the surrounding area. Because Astor is a small, dispersed community, students travel to schools in nearby Lake County communities, and the district provides the full range of elementary through high school programs. For a rural, retiree-oriented area, the school system is a smaller part of the community's identity than in more family-dominated towns, but it remains an important service for the families who call the Astor area home.

Recreation in Astor is dominated by the St. Johns River and the Ocala National Forest. The river supports boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing across its network of lakes and tributaries, with local marinas and boat ramps providing access. The Ocala National Forest, immediately to the west, offers hiking, camping, and spring recreation, including Alexander Springs about ten miles southwest of the community. The forest's extensive trail system and spring-fed swimming areas give residents year-round outdoor options, while the river itself remains the community's defining recreational resource.