Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 5,451.
Crystal Lake earns a D−, 579th among Florida's 634 graded towns, mostly because of health and schools. Residents are less healthy than 93% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its schools rank behind 88% of the state's. In its favor, it is more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Crystal Lake, above both the Florida town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 49 of Florida’s 779 towns score lower on the outdoors.
Where Crystal Lake beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Crystal Lake is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 3,172 in 1960, 5,514 in 2010. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2022 and 4 maps from 1944 on.
Explore the history →Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Crystal Lake. Close and well known come first.
Big draw32 mi Theme parkWalt Disney World Resort
Big draw40 mi Theme parkUniversal Studios Florida9.5M visitors a year
Big draw37 mi Stadium & arenaRaymond James Stadium
Big draw39 mi Theme parkUniversal Epic Universe
Big draw40 mi Theme parkUniversal's Islands of Adventure9.5M visitors a year
37 mi Theme parkSeaWorld Orlando4.3M visitors a yearWalt Disney World Resort: Anthony Quintano from Westminster, United States, CC BY 2.0 · Universal Studios Florida: Radiobroadcastcenter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Raymond James Stadium: NASA, Public domain · Universal Epic Universe: Martin Lewison, CC BY 2.0 · Universal's Islands of Adventure: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 2.5 · SeaWorld Orlando: SeaWorld, CC BY 2.0
Crystal Lake is unincorporated, so Polk County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Crystal Lake.
Crystal Lake has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has property taxes about half the Florida norm, but it has poverty well above the Florida rate.
44% of adults have obesity in Crystal Lake. Crystal Lake beats the Florida average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 22% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Crystal Lake.
| Crystal Lake | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 37% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 14% | 8.1% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 32% | 35% |
| What stands out | Crystal Lake | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7% | 9.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.9% | 12.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Polk school district. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 753 | D |
| Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)Largest public high schoolGrades 4–12 | Grades 4–12 | 215 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
The Bartow 1se weather station, 11 miles away, records that about 121 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. January nights average 49.4°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 92°.
Crystal Lake has warm winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Crystal Lake’s January low is 49°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Crystal Lake | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 49°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Jobs based here grew from 1,665 in 2013 to 2,724.
Most working residents leave Crystal Lake for work: only 2% work in town. The median household income in Crystal Lake is $49,000. Jobs based in Crystal Lake grew to 2,724 in 2023, 1,059 more than in 2013.
| Crystal Lake | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.9% | 5% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 2004, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Crystal Lake.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The median property tax bill is $1,284, against $2,730 across Florida, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
46% of Crystal Lake households own their home.
| Crystal Lake | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 46% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,181 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
4 within 15 miles of the center of Crystal Lake
About 4 of every 100 Crystal Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
Census-designated place in Florida, United States
Crystal Lake is a census-designated place (CDP) in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,341 at the 2000 census, an increase from 5,300 in 1990. The 2010 Census reported a population of 5,514. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Crystal Lake.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake | #579 | D− | C+ | — | D | D |
| Lakeland | #567 | D | C− | C− | D | C |
Crystal Lake reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Crystal Lake with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Crystal Lake grades D− overall, better than 5% of U.S. towns and #579 of 634 in Florida. It grades D for health and D for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
The typical home is worth about $206,000, 45% below the Florida typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
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