Tallahassee 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
Tallahassee
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 26%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
70 · Top 18%
vs67 · Top 24%
Climate
79 · Top 6%
vs76 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 8%
vs42 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 15%
vs75 · Bottom 16%
Access
93 · Top 18%
vs98 · Top 7%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 29%
vs41 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Lakeland-Winter Haven | Tallahassee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 790,694 | 391,730 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,978 | $65,261 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,249 | $37,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 440/sq mi | 164/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $276,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,363 | $1,252 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 57.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 41.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6,845 | 2,498 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 6.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.7% | -3.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 58.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 34.8 | 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.
Tallahassee
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-Winter Haven
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Tallahassee
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL Metro Area · Tallahassee, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology