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Living in
Winter Haven.
About
Life in Winter Haven
Winter Haven offers a genuinely different Florida experience if you're looking to escape the usual tourist corridor. The 50 lakes within city limits aren't just scenery—they shape daily life, recreation, and the local economy in real ways. Water skiing, bass fishing, and boating are legitimate draws here, not tourist afterthoughts, and the city's deep water sports heritage is authentic.
Winter Haven at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.4%
Foreign-Born
13.3%
Broadband Internet
88.7%
of households
Population Growth
+23.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.3% foreign-born, most often from Haiti
Who lives in Winter Haven: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Winter Haven, the largest foreign-born group is from Haiti (32.1%), and 18.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.4%
of residents
65 and Older
19.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.3%
of households
Married Couples
42.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.67
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 25% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Winter Haven
In Winter Haven, rent runs 25% below the FL average, and home values are 25% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,247
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
13.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $271,922 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Winter Haven
Unemployment in Winter Haven is 1.1 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Winter Haven Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.4 min avg
How Winter Haven residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Winter Haven, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 mi
Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL)
Regional airport · few flights91k passengers boarded in 2025
- 38 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.
Safetyviolent crime 18% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Winter Haven runs 18% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
268.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,475
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Winter Haven 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 Winter Haven, 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
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, which includes Winter Haven, 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
Climate92°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Winter Haven has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
84°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
85°/67°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
75°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
115
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73°F | 52°F | 2.97" |
| Feb | 76°F | 54°F | 2.37" |
| Mar | 79°F | 58°F | 3.19" |
| Apr | 85°F | 63°F | 2.85" |
| May | 89°F | 69°F | 2.47" |
| Jun | 92°F | 73°F | 8.25" |
| Jul | 93°F | 75°F | 8.27" |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 6.26" |
| Sep | 90°F | 74°F | 7.26" |
| Oct | 86°F | 68°F | 3.04" |
| Nov | 79°F | 60°F | 2.07" |
| Dec | 75°F | 54°F | 2.95" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Winter Haven
Winter Haven has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Winter Haven Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Bartow Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.8 mi away · Bartow
Adventhealth Lake Wales
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.5 mi away · Lake Wales
Adventhealth Heart of Florida
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.2 mi away · Davenport
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.
Education20.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Winter Haven
Winter Haven's student/teacher ratio is 20.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 22.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
10
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Winter Haven
Public · 2-year · 7,180 students · in-state tuition $2,694 · 35% graduate · median earnings $44,710 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,813 students · in-state tuition $33,740 · 44% graduate · median earnings $49,323 (10 yrs after entry)
Florida Polytechnic University
13.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 1,689 students · in-state tuition $4,940 · 54% graduate
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, 67 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Winter Haven
Winter Haven has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being De Soto National Memorial (67 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
67 mi awayCanaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Winter Haven
Winter Haven Public Library/Kathryn L. Smith Memorial Librar
325 Avenue A Nw, Winter Haven
Cities Near Winter Haven
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Winter Haven?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Winter Haven FAQ
Is Winter Haven, Florida affordable?⌄
Winter Haven's median rent is $1,246/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $59,648/year. Median home value is $269,800.
Is Winter Haven, Florida safe?⌄
Winter Haven's violent crime rate was 269 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1475 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Winter Haven, Florida?⌄
Winter Haven has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Winter Haven, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Winter Haven is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,246/month and median household income is $59,648/year. The median home value is $269,800. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Winter Haven, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Winter Haven 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