Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Lakeland grades D overall, 193rd of 258 graded towns in Georgia, mostly because of health and incomes. On CDC health estimates it is near the bottom nationally. The median household income is $31K, and 44% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 83% of U.S. towns. 44% of residents live below the poverty line in Lakeland, above both Georgia’s towns (15%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Lakeland's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 88% of U.S. towns. Lanier County Auditorium and Grammar School is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Lakeland beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Lanier County Auditorium and Grammar School| Widest gap | Lakeland | GA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 29% | 14.5% |
3,366 counted in 2010 and 2,875 in 2020; an estimated 3,062 in 2025.
The decline has turned around: up 7% since 2020, after a 14.6% drop 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 Georgia), ordered by how far Lakeland is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,247 in 1910, a low of 860 in 1920, 2,875 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1968 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
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 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Lakeland.
Lakeland is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has poverty well above the Georgia rate and has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
Against the 692 U.S. towns with household incomes like Lakeland’s, it is less healthy than 79%, so its D− isn’t only a matter of income.
Lakeland beats the Georgia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 22. 23% of Lakeland adults smoke cigarettes.
| Lakeland | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 23% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Lakeland | GA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 29% | 14.5% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 18.1% | 9.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 32.6% | 17.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Lanier County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Lanier County High School, with 478 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lanier County Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 850 | B+ |
| Lanier County High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 478 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
The typical Lakeland home is worth about $181,000, up 4.3% in a year, 45% below the Georgia typical home. 48% of households own their home in Lakeland.
| Lakeland | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 48% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $879 a month | $1,160 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Lakeland has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Lakeland is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Jobs based here fell from 1,075 in 2013 to 706. The average commute for its 856 working residents takes 17.8 minutes, against 28.3 across Georgia.
Among 263 Georgia towns, just 6 have a lower median household income than Lakeland. Lakeland’s average trip to work is 18 minutes. Jobs based in Lakeland fell to 706 in 2023, 369 fewer than in 2013.
| Lakeland | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $31,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Lakeland's reported crime rate is well above Georgia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 8 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Lakeland | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 23.5 per 1,000 residents | 14.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Lakeland; the nearest are
About 7 of every 100 Lakeland residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Georgia.
City in Georgia, United States
Lakeland is a city and the county seat of Lanier County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Lanier County. It is part of the Valdosta metropolitan area. The population was 2,875 at the 2020 census. Originally called Alapaha and then Milltown or Mill Town, Lakeland received its current name in 1925 in honor of its proximity to Grand Bay Lake, Lake Irma, and Banks Lake. For many years, Lakeland owned and operated its own railroad.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Lakeland grades D overall, better than 12% of U.S. towns and #193 of 258 in Georgia. It grades D− for health and B for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($57,085 across the Valdosta, GA 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+.