Signals
Lake Wales
North Fort Myers
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 14%
vs5 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs97 · Top 23%
Economic stability
21 · Bottom 2%
vs22 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Wales | North Fort Myers | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,785 | 44,993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,347 | $56,261 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,384 | $37,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 827/sq mi | 912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $239,300 | $161,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,110 | $1,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 85.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 54°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 57.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 63.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.40 | 20.11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.1% | 52.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.5% | 49.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.6% | 50.2% | 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
Lake Wales
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
North Fort Myers
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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Lake Wales
52
Your Score
49
Area Score
North Fort Myers
54
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Wales, FL · North Fort Myers, FL · How this is calculated: methodology