Signals
Lakeland Highlands
Lake Wales
Opportunity
58 · Top 45%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs73 · Bottom 38%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs20 · Bottom 11%
Access
100 · Top 1%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
71 · Top 26%
vs21 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Lakeland Highlands | Lake Wales | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,102 | 16,785 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,263 | $56,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,299 | $28,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,489/sq mi | 827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $385,000 | $239,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,704 | $1,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.0% | 59.2% | 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 | 44.6% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.7% | 22.4% | 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 | 5 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.3 | 42.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.95 | 18.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.8% | 40.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.7% | 40.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.6% | 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
Lakeland Highlands
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Lake Wales
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Your best match
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Lakeland Highlands
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
Lake Wales
52
Your Score
49
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lakeland Highlands, FL · Lake Wales, FL · How this is calculated: methodology