33801 and 33542 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
33801
33542
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 12%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs86 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 14%
vs18 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs76 · Bottom 44%
Schools
29 · Bottom 22%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs23 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | 33801 | 33542 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,394 | 23,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,061 | $49,316 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,905 | $28,859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,870/sq mi | 2,263/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $166,800 | $154,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,167 | $1,141 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.7% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 411 | 61 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.6% | -77.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 51.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.0 | 53.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.22 | 18.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.0% | 35.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.2% | 31.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.0% | 55.8% | 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
33801
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
33542
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 33801 — Lakeland, FL · 33542 — Zephyrhills, FL · How this is calculated: methodology