Lakeland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lakeland
Fort Walton Beach
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs42 · Bottom 35%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 14%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 36%
vs70 · Bottom 34%
Schools
39 · Bottom 34%
vs29 · Bottom 22%
Access
100 · Top 3%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 18%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Lakeland | Fort Walton Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 119,961 | 21,025 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,185 | $68,538 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,902 | $37,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,802/sq mi | 2,752/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $249,400 | $321,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,395 | $1,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.4% | 61.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 29.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 411 | 33 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.6% | 153.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 55.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 41 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.37 | 18.49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.6% | 45.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.9% | 49.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.9% | 59.9% | 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
Lakeland
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Fort Walton Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lakeland
55
Your Score
50
Area Score
Fort Walton Beach
53
Your Score
48
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lakeland, FL · Fort Walton Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology