Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Lakeland grades D overall, 567th of 634 graded towns in Florida, mostly because of schools and safety. Its public schools trail 88% of Florida towns on state tests and graduation. It reports more crime per resident than 76% of U.S. towns, including 471 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. One bright spot: it is more walkable than 90% of U.S. towns. 32% of working residents work locally in Lakeland, where Florida’s towns sit at 5% and U.S. towns at 8%. Lakeland has 19 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Florida Southern College Architectural District and Polk Theatre and Office Building.
Where Lakeland beats most towns.
Florida Southern College Architectural District
Florida Southern College Architectural District is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier.
Census counts: 552 in 1890, 112,641 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 4 maps from 1944 on.
19 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Lakeland is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lakeland. Close and well known come first.
Big draw33 mi Theme parkWalt Disney World Resort
Big draw34 mi Stadium & arenaRaymond James Stadium
31 mi Stadium & arenaBenchmark International Arena
39 mi Theme parkSeaWorld Orlando4.3M visitors a year
29 mi Theme parkBusch Gardens Tampa4.0M visitors a year
17 mi Theme parkLegoland FloridaWalt Disney World Resort: Anthony Quintano from Westminster, United States, CC BY 2.0 · Raymond James Stadium: NASA, Public domain · Benchmark International Arena: Miosotis Jade, CC BY-SA 4.0 · SeaWorld Orlando: SeaWorld, CC BY 2.0 · Busch Gardens Tampa: Wolle8ball, CC BY 3.0 · Legoland Florida: Jacob Montgomery, CC BY-SA 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lakeland, 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 Lakeland.
Lakeland draws workers from Winter Haven and beyond, has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has seen reported crime fall beyond ordinary swings.
102,307 jobs are based in Lakeland, 2.1 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 70,790 in 2013 to 102,307.
About one in 3 of Lakeland’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Lakeland has added 31,517 jobs, to 102,307 in 2023. The average trip to work in Lakeland is 23 minutes.
| Lakeland | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 14% | 14% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Polk school district. Three of its 40 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South McKeel AcademyLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 1,200 | A |
| Lakeland Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,985 | C+ |
| Lakeland Montessori School HouseTop results in townGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 129 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
Reported crimes fell from 2,896 to 2,428 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Lakeland’s violent crime rate is 3.7 per 1,000 residents. Lakeland reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 76% report less. Lakeland’s property crime rate is 15.3 per 1,000 residents.
| Lakeland | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.7 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.3 per 1,000 residents | 12.6 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Lakeland beats the Florida average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 42% of Lakeland adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Lakeland | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 8.1% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 32% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Lakeland | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.1% | 12.7% |
| More adults with obesity | 38.9% | 31.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.4% | 7.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
22 miles of trail in 20 parks and preserves. Holloway Park, at 323 acres with 4.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Lakeland | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 5.2% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Holloway Park | 4.8 mi | 323 |
| 2. Bonnet Springs Park | 1 mi | 124 |
| 3. Westside Park | 0.7 mi | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The Lakeland 2 weather station, 6 miles away, records that about 119 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. January nights average 49.3°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 91.8°.
Lakeland has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Lakeland | 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
The typical Lakeland home is worth about $309,000, down 1.2% in a year, 18% below the Florida typical home. 56% of households own their home in Lakeland.
| Lakeland | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,395 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 51% | 59% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 85 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lakeland.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Adults 18 to 34 are 26% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 33% of residents (38% statewide). Lakeland has grown 11% since 2020, to 125,520 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 29% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
| Lakeland | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 19% | 20% | 22% |
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.1 points). Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 41.1, men 37.4.
| Lakeland | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.2% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.8% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 12.5% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.6% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.8% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.8% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.5% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.5% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.7% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.9% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.4% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
4 within 15 miles of the center of Lakeland
About 9 of every 100 Lakeland residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
3 colleges in town.
19 places in Lakeland on the National Register of Historic Places.
45 notable people were born in Lakeland.
City in Florida, United States
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Located along I-4 east of Tampa and southwest of Orlando, it is the most populous city in Polk County. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area and is often included as part of the Tampa Bay area. Lakeland is situated among several lakes including Lake Morton downtown and is sometimes locally referred to by the nickname "Swan City" due to its sizeable population of swans, all of whom are descendants of two mute swans given to Lakeland by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Lakeland is home to several colleges and universities. La…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Lakeland.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | #567 | D | C− | C− | D | C |
| Crystal Lake | #579 | D− | C+ | — | D | D |
| Combee Settlement | #620 | D− | C+ | — | D | D− |
| Polk City | #591 | D− | C | — | D | C |
| Plant City | #482 | C− | C− | — | C+ | C |
| Lakeland Highlands | #325 | C | C− | — | D | A− |
Crystal Lake, Combee Settlement, Polk City, Plant City and Lakeland Highlands report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Lakeland with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Lakeland grades D overall, better than 7% of U.S. towns and #567 of 634 in Florida. It grades C for health, C− 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−.
45 notable people were born here, including Faith Evans and Dwayne Bacon.
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