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Living in
Lakewood Ranch.
Lakewood Ranch is an unincorporated community in Manatee County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch is a solidly affluent suburban community where you'll find well-maintained neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a population that skews older and more established—about 30% of residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 52. The median home price hovers around $678,200 with median household income at $123,471, so this is clearly an upscale area where most people own their homes outright or have manageable mortgages. The trade-offs are real though: it's car-dependent sprawl across 47 square miles, with an average commute of 27 minutes, and the subtropical Florida heat and humidity are relentless most of the year.
Lakewood Ranch at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
53.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Foreign-Born
14.2%
Broadband Internet
96.9%
of households
Median household income
Demographics14.2% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Lakewood Ranch: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lakewood Ranch, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (15.7%), and 6.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.0%
of residents
65 and Older
30.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.3%
of households
Married Couples
68.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.45
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 38% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Lakewood Ranch
In Lakewood Ranch, rent runs 38% above the FL average, and home values are 89% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,908
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
80.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2014
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $589,452 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Lakewood Ranch
Unemployment in Manatee County, which includes Lakewood Ranch, is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Lakewood Ranch: Manatee County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Manatee County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Lakewood Ranch Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.9 min avg
How Lakewood Ranch residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lakewood Ranch, most residents drive alone to work (58%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
Small hub2.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 40 mi
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Major hub12.1M 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.
Safetyviolent crime 12% above national average
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in the area policed by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, which covers Lakewood Ranch, runs 12% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
447.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
1,323.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,955 national, 2020)
Policed by Manatee County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 1 event in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Manatee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Manatee County, which includes Lakewood Ranch, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 1 recorded event in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | $15,000 |
| 2024 | 8 | Lightning | $160,000 |
| 2023 | 2 | Tropical Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 13 | Hail | $1000.4M |
| 2021 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.8M |
| 2019 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2018 | 5 | Wildfire | $330,000 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Manatee County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Manatee County, which includes Lakewood Ranch, is typically good — 332 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
332
per year
Moderate Days
33
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Manatee County, county-wide
Climate92°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lakewood Ranch has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
85°/68°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
74°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
116
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
114
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72°F | 52°F | 2.76" |
| Feb | 75°F | 55°F | 1.99" |
| Mar | 78°F | 58°F | 3.11" |
| Apr | 83°F | 63°F | 2.53" |
| May | 88°F | 69°F | 3.49" |
| Jun | 91°F | 74°F | 9.03" |
| Jul | 92°F | 75°F | 8.91" |
| Aug | 92°F | 76°F | 10.07" |
| Sep | 90°F | 74°F | 7.43" |
| Oct | 85°F | 68°F | 2.88" |
| Nov | 79°F | 60°F | 1.82" |
| Dec | 74°F | 55°F | 2.26" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.5 mi away · Sarasota
Centerstone of Florida
Psychiatric · 10.2 mi away · Bradenton
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.5 mi away · Sarasota
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.
Education17.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch's student/teacher ratio is 17.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 60.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
60.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Lakewood Ranch (within 15 miles)
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota
12.3 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 7,379 students · in-state tuition $2,540 · 35% graduate · median earnings $45,866 (10 yrs after entry)
Ringling College of Art and Design
10.1 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 1,662 students · in-state tuition $60,170 · 74% graduate · median earnings $55,053 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 843 students · in-state tuition $6,916 · 66% graduate · median earnings $53,164 (10 yrs after entry)
Galen Health Institutes-Sarasota
5.8 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 574 students · in-state tuition $18,790 · median earnings $69,188 (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, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being De Soto National Memorial (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
17 mi awayCities Near Lakewood Ranch
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lakewood Ranch?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lakewood Ranch FAQ
Is Lakewood Ranch, Florida affordable?⌄
Lakewood Ranch's median rent is $2,299/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $122,925/year. Median home value is $678,200.
Is Lakewood Ranch, Florida safe?⌄
Lakewood Ranch is policed by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 448 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is close to the national average of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1324 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lakewood Ranch, Florida?⌄
Manatee County, which includes Lakewood Ranch, has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lakewood Ranch, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Lakewood Ranch is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,299/month and median household income is $122,925/year. The median home value is $678,200. About 61% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lakewood Ranch, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Lakewood Ranch is 28 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