Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Lake Alfred grades C− overall, 476th among Florida's 634 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It has 16 miles of trail and 41% conserved land and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 76% of U.S. towns. On the other side, its schools rank behind 88% of the state's. 41% of the land in Lake Alfred is conserved, against 3% in Florida’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Only 74 of Florida’s 779 towns score higher on history. Lake Alfred's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 90% of U.S. towns.
Where Lake Alfred beats most towns.
5,015 counted in 2010 and 6,374 in 2020; an estimated 10,107 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 54.9% since 2020, after 27.1% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Lake Alfred is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 317 in 1920, 6,374 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1937 and 3 maps from 1959 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lake Alfred. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi Theme parkWalt Disney World Resort
Big draw28 mi Theme parkUniversal Studios Florida9.5M visitors a year
Big draw27 mi Theme parkUniversal Epic Universe
Big draw28 mi Theme parkUniversal's Islands of Adventure9.5M visitors a year
Big draw34 mi Stadium & arenaCamping World Stadium
24 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 · Universal Epic Universe: Martin Lewison, CC BY 2.0 · Universal's Islands of Adventure: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Camping World Stadium: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 · SeaWorld Orlando: SeaWorld, CC BY 2.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake Alfred, and how to reach them.
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 Lake Alfred.
Lake Alfred fares better on crime within Florida than nationally, keeps more of its land conserved than most of Florida and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns.
Its 6,546 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 99% of Florida towns.
16 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Twin Lakes Park, at 129 acres. At 0.7 miles per square mile, Lake Alfred’s trail density is where Florida’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mackay Gardens And Lakeside Preserve | 2.1 mi | 77 |
| 2. Twin Lakes Park | — | 129 |
| 3. Lions Park | — | 21 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Polk school district. Three of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Discovery High School, with 898 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Alfred Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 1,059 | C+ |
| Discovery High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 898 | C |
| Hartridge AcademyTop results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 200 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Lake Alfred for work: only 4% work in town. The average trip to work in Lake Alfred is 32 minutes. Since 2013, Lake Alfred has added 86 jobs, to 1,252 in 2023.
| Lake Alfred | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 5% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Lake Alfred since 2023.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Winter Haven weather station, 9 miles away, records that about 115 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. January nights average 49.5°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 92.3°.
Lake Alfred has warm winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Lake Alfred’s January low is 50°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Lake Alfred | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 50°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
At 13 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 81% of Florida’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 7 reported in 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
76.3% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 60.1% across Florida.
The typical Lake Alfred home is worth about $306,000, down 1.5% in a year, 19% below the Florida typical home.
| Lake Alfred | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,349 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 72% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its C+ for health tops all 3 graded neighbors; Auburndale (C−) comes closest.
Lake Alfred beats the Florida average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 42% of Lake Alfred adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Lake Alfred | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 8.1% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 32% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 23% |
| What stands out | Lake Alfred | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with obesity | 39.4% | 31.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Adults 35 to 64 are 32% of residents (38% statewide); children under 18 are 25% of residents (20% statewide). Lake Alfred has grown 55% since 2020, to 10,107 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 17% of residents are 65 or older in Lake Alfred.
| Lake Alfred | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 31% | 29% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.2 points. Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Lake Alfred | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.5% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.9% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.4% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 20.9% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.1% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.5% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.3% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.4% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 13.4% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 38.6% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.8% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.8% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.2% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.2% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
3 within 15 miles of the center of Lake Alfred
About 5 of every 100 Lake Alfred residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Florida.
40.9% of the town is conserved land, across 7 parks and preserves.
3 notable people were born in Lake Alfred.
City in Florida, United States
Lake Alfred is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was approximately 6,374 at the 2020 US census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with Lake Alfred.
It grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Haines City (D) comes closest.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Alfred | #476 | C− | C− | B+ | D | C+ |
| Winter Haven | #607 | D− | C− | C | D | C− |
| Auburndale | #583 | D− | C | C | D | C− |
| Haines City | #575 | D | D | B+ | D | D |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Lake Alfred grades C− overall, better than 17% of U.S. towns and #476 of 634 in Florida. It grades C+ for health, B+ for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
Lake Alfred was established in 1883 and has 1 place on the National Register of Historic Places. 3 notable people were born here, including Amos Watson and Artavis Pierce.
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