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Florida›Polk County

Cypress GardensFL

It is a town of 10,077 residents in Florida.

Is Cypress Gardens a good place to live?

Cypress Gardens’s lowest grade is for schools — its public schools trail 88% of Florida towns on state tests and graduation. With a D overall, Cypress Gardens is better than just over a tenth of U.S. towns. The ranking puts it 539th of 634 in Florida. A typical home there costs about $287K, 4.4 years of the Lakeland metro’s $66K median household income. Where it does best is incomes — the median household earns $75K. Cypress Gardens’ January low is 50°F, close to Florida’s towns (51°F) and above U.S. towns (22°F). Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 77% of U.S. towns.

Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · NOAA normals, 1991–2020.

A growing town

Cypress Gardens has grown 14% from 2010 to 2020

8,917 counted in 2010 and 10,169 in 2020.

8,9172010
10,1692020

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts

How Cypress Gardens grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Cypress Gardens is from typical.

How grading works
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

How TownRatings grades towns →

Joan Turbett at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida
Joan Turbett at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida, 1951
Cypress Gardens’s story

Cypress Gardens in pictures

Census counts: 3,757 in 1970, 10,169 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1951 and 2 maps from 1959 on.

Explore the history →
Nearby attractions

Walt Disney World Resort and 34 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cypress Gardens. Close and well known come first.

All 89 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Walt Disney World Resort: Anthony Quintano from Westminster, United States, CC BY 2.0 · Universal Studios Florida: Radiobroadcastcenter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Universal Epic Universe: Martin Lewison, CC BY 2.0 · Legoland Florida: Jacob Montgomery, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cypress Gardens: Bruchey at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Universal's Islands of Adventure: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 2.5

Getting set up

Moving to Cypress Gardens: who provides what

Cypress Gardens is unincorporated, so Polk County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerDuke Energy18.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWinter Haven Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesPolk CountyPolk County provides services here
SchoolsPolk County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections herePolk Supervisor of ElectionsPolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP codes33884, 3388033884 92% · 33880 8%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Cypress Gardens.

Cypress Gardens has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and sends most of its workers to Winter Haven and beyond.

SchoolsD

Cypress Gardens earns a D for schools

Its public schools are run by the Polk school district. Cypress Gardens’ only public school teaches 652 students.

12%of FL districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Garden Grove Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5652B−

NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+

Cypress Gardens sends most of its workers out of town

Cypress Gardens has 495 jobs for its 4,418 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here fell from 677 in 2013 to 495.

For half of commuters, work is under 18 miles away. Cypress Gardens’ average trip to work comes in at 30 minutes. Commuting out is the norm here: 1% of working residents work locally. Also worth knowing: jobs based locally fell to 495 in 2023, 182 fewer than in 2013.

1%work in town
Cypress GardensFlorida townsU.S. towns
Work from home7.2%14%11%
Average trip to work30 minutes27 minutes25 minutes
Working residents who work in town0.7%5%8%

Where working residents work

In Cypress Gardens1%
Winter Haven17%
Lakeland11%
Bartow9%
Tampa4%
18 mi
median commute distance
495
jobs based in Cypress Gardens
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 23% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Cypress Gardens has mild winters and hot summers

The Winter Haven weather station records that about 115 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. January nights average 49.7°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 92.3°.

In Cypress Gardens, the July high is 92°F. It almost never snows.

92°summer high
Cypress GardensFlorida townsU.S. towns
January low50°F51°F22°F
July high92°F91°F85°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter52–74°
Spring61–84°
Summer73–92°
Fall65–85°
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

Cypress Gardens faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes

Federal disaster aid has reached households in Cypress Gardens after 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. On expected storm and flood damage, Cypress Gardens sits above 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 16 flood insurance claims have been paid out locally. 45% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from hurricanes, followed by inland flooding at 31%.

66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
66High riskLowerHigher
HurricanesInland floodingStrong wind
16
paid flood claims since 1979
5
federal disasters paid out here

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

OutdoorsC

Open space protected for good: 1.5% of Cypress Gardens

In 3 parks and preserves, walkers have 1.0 miles of trail. Cypress Gardens’ trail network density stands at 0.3 miles per square mile.

#342for trails in FL
Cypress GardensFlorida townsU.S. towns
Conserved land1.5%3%4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile0.3 miles per square mile0.40.4
1.5%
conserved · 38 of 2,526 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Lake Summit Park—2
2. Lake Ned Park & public boat ramp—1
3. Lake Roy Park—1

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Who lives here

More adults under 35 in Cypress Gardens than across Florida

Adults 18 to 34 are 26% of residents (21% statewide). Four-year graduates: 36% of adults 25 and older here, 34% across Florida. 19% of Cypress Gardens residents are under 18.

39.3median age · FL 42.6
Cypress GardensFlorida townsU.S. towns
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+36%31%29%
Under 1819%20%22%
Median age39.3 years42.5 years40.5 years
Cypress GardensFloridaUnited States

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma10%
High school28%
Some college18%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate14%

Women and men · all residents

52% women, 48% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.4 points. Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Cypress Gardens
Cypress GardensFLU.S.
Under 1010.2%10.3%11.6%
10 to 178.8%9.2%10.3%
18 to 249.5%8.1%9.1%
25 to 3416.3%12.7%13.7%
35 to 4413.5%12.7%13.2%
45 to 547.5%12.3%12.2%
55 to 6415.9%13.4%12.7%
65 to 7410%11.7%10.2%
75 and older8.3%9.6%7%
No diploma10%10.1%10.4%
High school28.2%27.2%26%
Some college17.7%18.5%19.1%
Associate’s8.7%10.1%8.8%
Bachelor’s22%21.3%21.6%
Graduate13.5%12.9%14.1%

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

HealthB−

On CDC estimates, Cypress Gardens is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns

Among adults in Cypress Gardens, 39% sleep under 7 hours and 36% have obesity. On the CDC’s 31 measures, Cypress Gardens is ahead of Florida on 6 and behind on 3. 20% of adults have been diagnosed with depression locally.

54%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
Cypress GardensFlorida townsU.S. towns
Depression (CDC PLACES)20%18%23%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)39%37%36%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)36%32%35%
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)13%14%8.1%
31 measures vs. Florida
6 better22 too close to call3 worse
What stands outCypress GardensFL
Fewer adults facing food insecurity13.4%16.8%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity11.2%13.9%
More adults who have had cancer10.5%9.1%
Winter Haven Hospital
2.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
48th
percentile among FL towns

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade C

A home in Cypress Gardens sells for about $261K at the median

For Cypress Gardens, the going rate for rent is $1,369 a month. A home in Cypress Gardens typically sold within 56 days of listing. Homes in Cypress Gardens sold for 97.6% of their list price on average.

$261Kmedian sale price
Cypress GardensFlorida townsU.S. towns
Median rent$1,369 a month$1,647 a month$1,185 a month
Households that own their home76%72%73%
Market temperature
Buyer’s marketA balanced marketBuyer’sSeller’s
56
days on market
97.6%
sale-to-list price
13
homes sold in September

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Cypress Gardens

17pages on Cypress Gardens
After high school

Colleges nearby

5 within 15 miles of the center of Cypress Gardens

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Cypress Gardens for work

Where Cypress Gardens’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

17% → Winter Haven Winter Haven 17% 11% → Lakeland Lakeland 11% 9% → Bartow Bartow 9% 4% → Tampa Tampa 4% 3% → Orlando Orlando 3% 2% → Haines City Haines City 2% Cypress Gardens · 1% stay
495jobs based in Cypress Gardens
1%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Cypress Gardens

Census-designated place in Florida, United States

Cypress Gardens is a census-designated place (CDP) in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,169 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
4.2 sq mi
Elevation
167 ft
Area code
863

Cypress Gardens’s neighbors

One town shares a border with Cypress Gardens.

Explore the map →
How the neighbors grade
TownFL rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
Cypress Gardens#539DC—DB−
Winter Haven#607D−C−CDC−

Cypress Gardens reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Cypress Gardens with a neighbor →

Questions about Cypress Gardens

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Cypress Gardens, FL a good place to live?

Cypress Gardens grades D overall, better than 11% of U.S. towns and #539 of 634 in Florida. It grades B− for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Cypress Gardens, FL expensive?

The typical home is worth about $287,000, 24% 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.