AreaScoop
Lakeland, FL

Photo: Wikipedia

Lakeland, FL

Find The Best Places To Live
in Lakeland

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.

Demographics

Majority WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 61
Population117,030
Foreign Born5.2%
Population Density1,757people per mi²
Median Age39.9 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2010, this city's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

100/100
A

The Real Cost of Living in Lakeland, Florida

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $21k$39k
Comfortable $45k$65k
Luxury $110k+$171k+
Elite (Top 5%) $136k+$210k+
Affordability Ratio

93%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean92%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
35
Positive
40
Poor
5
Negative
1

Groceries

5 within 10 miles

2.7mi

Gas

20 within 10 miles

1.8mi

Hospital

9 within 20 miles

0.3mi

Airport

TPA — Tampa International

35.8mi

Post Office

USPS — Lakeland, FL

0.8mi

Critical Amenities

Golf5Nearest 3.5 mi
Camping12Nearest 18.2 mi
Marina0 
Winery0Nearest 14.2 mi
Ice Rink0 
Gun Range1Nearest 5.4 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C-
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$61k+4.6%
19% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$558k
15% below US avg
College Educated
27.7%
21% below US avg
WFH
11.6%
19% below US avg
Homeownership
56.1%
14% below US avg
Median Home
$229k
19% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
B+
Safe

Generally safer than 73% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
9.0
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
+79.1%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr+74.5%
Homicide*
0.02 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Robbery*
0.23 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Aggravated Assault*
1.25 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg

Property Crime

5yr+83.8%
Burglary*
0.82 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Larceny-Theft*
6.09 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft*
0.43 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025* = State-level data substituted where local agency has not published figures

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+14Leans Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Lakeland, Florida
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
B-
Fair9.1% of income
Property Rights
B+
GoodIJ Grade B+
Firearm Rights
B-
GoodFPC Grade B-
Homeschooling
A+
GreatNo notice required

Energy independence: Importer (10% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
F
ProhibitedIllegal
Gambling Laws
B
Broadly OpenTribal · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
C+
LimitedMedical only

Homesteading

Growing Season350 days364 frost-free
Annual Rainfall65.5"
Elevation217 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C-
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
B-
Fair32 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak1,757/sq mi
Fallout Danger
C+
Weak16 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorHurricane, Inland Flooding, Strong Wind, Tornado, Wildfire
Border / Coast
B
Fairborder 958 mi · coast 32 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$212.6M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityTampa385k people are 32 mi away
Nearest Major AirportTPA36 mi away
Distance to State Capital216 miTallahassee, FL
Nearest Prison14 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-22T06:35:35.000Z

What your realtor won't tell you!

Find the best place to live

Go beyond the listing to get the inside scoop on any home in the US.

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.