Lake Hamilton ACL Depot, c. 1900
Lake Hamilton’s story
112 years in pictures
Census counts: 399 in 1930, 1,537 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
- 1914Lake Hamilton is settled
Photo: DanTD · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,007
2025 Census estimate · +94.8% since 2020
Typical home
$290K
−2% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
41.5
years
Jobs based here
647
Balanced
TownGrade
D−
#616 of 634 in FL
Is Lake Hamilton a good place to live?
Lake Hamilton grades D− overall, 616th of 634 graded towns in Florida, mostly because of health and schools. Residents are less healthy than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its public schools trail 88% of Florida towns on state tests and graduation. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Lake Hamilton, above both the Florida town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%).
A growing town
Lake Hamilton has grown 143% since 2010
1,231 counted in 2010 and 1,537 in 2020; an estimated 3,007 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 94.8% since 2020, after 24.9% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Lake Hamilton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Lake Hamilton is from typical.
HealthWinter Haven Hospital 6.6 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsDOpen →Jobs & income$60K median household incomeC−Open →Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →SafetyC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.5 of 20; 0.8% of households have no car; 2.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
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.
ClimateMild winters, 92° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market94 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.5; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lake Hamilton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake Hamilton, and how to reach them.
PowerDuke Energy18.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Lake Hamilton water system4 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpThursdayTrash dayTown site
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.govWho runs elections herePolk Supervisor of ElectionsPolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP codes33851, 33844, 3388133851 64% · 33844 31% · 33881 4%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 Lake Hamilton.
Lake Hamilton has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and fares better on crime within Florida than nationally, but it has poverty well above the Florida rate.
HealthD
A larger share of adults in Lake Hamilton have obesity than in the typical Florida or U.S. town
44% of adults have obesity in Lake Hamilton. Lake Hamilton beats the Florida average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 23. 16% of adults have diabetes in Lake Hamilton.
5%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Lake Hamilton | 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% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 32% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Florida
1 better7 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Lake Hamilton | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.7% | 9.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.7% | 8.6% |
Winter Haven Hospital
6.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
4th
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
The typical home in Lake Hamilton is valued at about $290K
The typical Lake Hamilton home is worth about $290,000, down 2% in a year, 23% below the Florida typical home. Lake Hamilton’s median rent is $1,180 a month.
$290KZillow home value
| Lake Hamilton | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 79% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,180 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Lake Hamilton$290K
Florida$375K
Market temperature
94
days on market
99.2%
sale-to-list price
−2%
value change, 1 year
14
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsC−
Lake Hamilton has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
Just 0 of its 3,625 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Lake Hamilton itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
1.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
#323for trails in FL
0%
conserved · 0 of 3,625 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bruce Martin Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Lake Hamilton
The Mtn Lake weather station, 8 miles away, records that about 129 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. January nights average 49.8°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 92.3°.
Lake Hamilton has warm winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. The January low in Lake Hamilton is 50°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
92°summer high
| Lake Hamilton | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 50°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°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
High risk in Lake Hamilton, with hurricanes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Lake Hamilton since 2004.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingStrong wind
1
paid flood claims since 2004
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyC+
More crime per resident in Lake Hamilton than in 63% of U.S. towns
At 24.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 51% of Florida’s graded towns.
37%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lake Hamilton3.5
Florida2.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lake Hamilton13.4
Florida10.7
U.S.15.5
37th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
49th
percentile among FL towns
8
violent crimes reported in 2025
31
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Lake Hamilton has 1.3 jobs for every working resident, and 641 people commute in
Most working residents leave Lake Hamilton for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Lake Hamilton has added 458 jobs, to 647 in 2023. The top destinations are Lakeland (9%), Winter Haven (6%) and Haines City (6%).
1%work in town
| Lake Hamilton | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 5% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lake Hamilton1%
Lakeland9%
Winter Haven6%
Haines City6%
Lake Buena Vista4%
28 mi
median commute distance
647
jobs based in Lake Hamilton
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 40% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Nearby attractions
All 88 attractions →Walt Disney World Resort and 45 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lake Hamilton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw23 mi Theme parkWalt Disney World Resort
Big draw31 mi Theme parkUniversal Studios Florida9.5M visitors a year
Big draw29 mi Theme parkUniversal Epic Universe
Big draw31 mi Theme parkUniversal's Islands of Adventure9.5M visitors a year
6 mi Theme parkLegoland Florida
Big draw36 mi Stadium & arenaCamping World StadiumSources: 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 · Universal's Islands of Adventure: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Legoland Florida: Jacob Montgomery, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Camping World Stadium: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake Hamilton
20pages on Lake Hamilton
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 88% of FL districtsSafetyC+3.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than FL on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC$290K typical home · down 2% in a yearWork & commuteC−$60K median household income · 647 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 66% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Lake Hamilton
About 1 of every 100 Lake Hamilton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
About Lake Hamilton
Town in the state of Florida, United States
Lake Hamilton is a town in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,537 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
- 4.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 148 ft
- ZIP code
- 33851
- Area code
- 863
Lake Hamilton’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Lake Hamilton.
Haines CityDundeeLake Hamilton
How the neighbors grade
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Hamilton | #616 | D− | C | C+ | D | D |
| Haines City | #575 | D | D | B+ | D | D |
| Dundee | #630 | D− | C− | — | D | D− |
Dundee reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Lake Hamilton with a neighbor →
Questions about Lake Hamilton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Hamilton, FL a good place to live?
Lake Hamilton grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #616 of 634 in Florida. It grades D for health, C+ for safety and D for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Lake Hamilton, FL expensive?
That is 4.4 years of the area's median household income ($65,978 across the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Lake Hamilton, FL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Rodney Gunter and Sisaundra.