32132 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32132
33853
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 13%
vs35 · Bottom 13%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
82 · Top 12%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs20 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 22%
vs57 · Bottom 19%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs89 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 5%
vs24 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 32132 | 33853 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,868 | 12,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,181 | $44,474 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,938 | $25,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,120/sq mi | 1,465/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $252,300 | $209,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,166 | $1,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.8% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.3% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 102 | 329 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 19.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.3% | -30.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.3" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 56.8 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.16 | 18.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.5% | 75.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
32132
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
33853
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: 32132 — Edgewater, FL · 33853 — Lake Wales, FL · How this is calculated: methodology