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Living in
Lake Wales.
About
Life in Lake Wales
If you're thinking about moving to Lake Wales, understand you're choosing a quieter, affordable corner of Central Florida that's genuinely small-town in character—about 16,400 people—but integrated into the larger Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area. The cost of living here is genuinely accessible: median home values hover around $239,000 and median household income sits at nearly $56,000, which means you're not fighting the real estate wars you'd face closer to Tampa or Orlando, yet you're still within reasonable driving distance if you need those job markets. The job market itself is modest but stable with a 4.8% unemployment rate, and you'll find a handful of colleges here (Warner University and Webber International) that anchor some local employment, though many residents commute 20-30 minutes to larger employment hubs—a real trade-off worth considering if your work isn't local.
Lake Wales at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
22.4%
Foreign-Born
10.4%
Broadband Internet
85.6%
of households
Population Growth
+16.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Lake Wales: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lake Wales, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (26.7%), and 22.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.2%
of residents
65 and Older
26.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.7%
of households
Married Couples
44.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.37
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 33% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Lake Wales
In Lake Wales, rent runs 33% below the FL average, and home values are 33% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
59.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
36.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,171
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $239,669 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Lake Wales
Unemployment in Polk County, which includes Lake Wales, is 0.9 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Lake Wales: Polk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Polk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Lake Wales is about 2% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Lake Wales Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.9 min avg
How Lake Wales residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lake Wales, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 mi
Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL)
Regional airport · few flights91k passengers boarded in 2025
- 40 mi
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Major hub28.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lake Wales is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
318.7
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,186.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lake Wales Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2024
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Polk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Polk County, which includes Lake Wales, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2024.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | Tornado | $80,000 |
| 2023 | 6 | Hail | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Hail | $50.0M |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $43,000 |
| 2020 | 6 | Tropical Storm | $275,000 |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.1M |
| 2018 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Polk County, county-wide
Lake Wales is about 2% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, which includes Lake Wales, is typically good — 339 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
339
per year
Moderate Days
16
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Polk County, county-wide
Lake Wales is about 2% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate93°F summers, 52°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lake Wales has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and warm winters (avg low 52°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
86°/61°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
128
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
4
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
99
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°F | 50°F | 2.64" |
| Feb | 78°F | 53°F | 2.19" |
| Mar | 82°F | 56°F | 2.76" |
| Apr | 86°F | 61°F | 2.42" |
| May | 90°F | 66°F | 3.56" |
| Jun | 92°F | 71°F | 8.92" |
| Jul | 93°F | 73°F | 7.81" |
| Aug | 93°F | 73°F | 8.06" |
| Sep | 91°F | 72°F | 6.89" |
| Oct | 86°F | 66°F | 3.25" |
| Nov | 80°F | 58°F | 1.82" |
| Dec | 76°F | 53°F | 2.45" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lake Wales
Lake Wales has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Adventhealth Lake Wales
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Winter Haven Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.9 mi away · Winter Haven
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lake Wales
Lake Wales's student/teacher ratio is 17.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 20.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Lake Wales (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 7,180 students · in-state tuition $2,694 · 35% graduate · median earnings $44,710 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: De Soto National Memorial, 70 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lake Wales
Lake Wales has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being De Soto National Memorial (70 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
70 mi awayCanaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lake Wales
Lake Wales Public Library
290 Cypress Garden Lane, Lake Wales
Cities Near Lake Wales
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lake Wales?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lake Wales FAQ
Is Lake Wales, Florida affordable?⌄
Lake Wales's median rent is $1,110/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,347/year. Median home value is $239,300.
Is Lake Wales, Florida safe?⌄
Lake Wales's violent crime rate was 319 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1187 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lake Wales, Florida?⌄
Polk County, which includes Lake Wales, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lake Wales, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Lake Wales is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,110/month and median household income is $56,347/year. The median home value is $239,300. About 60% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lake Wales, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Lake Wales is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from