Signals
Bartow
Lakeland Highlands
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs58 · Top 45%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs92 · Top 28%
Schools
24 · Bottom 16%
vs60 · Top 39%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs100 · Top 1%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs71 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Bartow | Lakeland Highlands | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,438 | 12,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,178 | $108,263 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,475 | $56,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 440/sq mi | 2,489/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $234,100 | $385,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,142 | $1,704 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.9% | 84.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 44.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.1% | 2.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 45.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.69 | 17.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.7% | 62.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.1% | 57.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.8% | 50.6% | 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
Bartow
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Lakeland Highlands
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bartow
59
Your Score
54
Area Score
Lakeland Highlands
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Bartow, FL · Lakeland Highlands, FL · How this is calculated: methodology