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
Winter Haven
Lake Wales
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 29%
vs73 · Bottom 38%
Schools
25 · Bottom 17%
vs20 · Bottom 11%
Access
95 · Top 37%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs21 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Winter Haven | Lake Wales | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,200 | 16,785 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,648 | $56,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,632 | $28,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,661/sq mi | 827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $269,800 | $239,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,246 | $1,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.7% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 948 | 329 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 17.2 | 19.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.5% | -30.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 18 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 42.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.05 | 18.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.9% | 40.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.5% | 40.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 67.6% | 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
Winter Haven
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Lake Wales
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Winter Haven
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Lake Wales
52
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Winter Haven, FL · Lake Wales, FL · How this is calculated: methodology