Lakeland-Winter Haven receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lakeland-Winter Haven
Punta Gorda
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 26%
vs41 · Bottom 21%
Growth
70 · Top 18%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
79 · Top 6%
vs80 · Top 6%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 8%
vs3 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 15%
vs65 · Bottom 8%
Access
93 · Top 18%
vs87 · Top 31%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 29%
vs39 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Lakeland-Winter Haven | Punta Gorda | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 790,694 | 201,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,978 | $69,952 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,249 | $42,592 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 440/sq mi | 295/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $328,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,363 | $1,464 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 83.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 9.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6,845 | 3,186 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 15.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.7% | -10.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 53.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 59.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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-Winter Haven
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Punta Gorda
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lakeland-Winter Haven
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Punta Gorda
56
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL Metro Area · Punta Gorda, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology