Lakeland, FL
Census place 1238250 · pop 119,961
Home of Publix supermarkets' headquarters and the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, at Florida Southern College.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
16.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
38.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
378 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
56.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
89.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$64,185 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
27.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1702 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
13.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
29.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,677/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$249,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.73% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
39 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+11.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
Frequently asked
- Is Lakeland, FL a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Lakeland scores 42/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is population growth (5yr) and its weakest is uninsured adults. Florida overall ranks #29 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Lakeland, FL?
- Lakeland reports 378 violent crimes per 100k and 1702 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Lakeland, FL expensive to live in?
- Lakeland has a median home value of $249,400 and typical rent around $1,677/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Lakeland, FL?
- Its weakest measured area is uninsured adults (16.4%) — 14/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Lakeland, FL best at?
- Its strongest measured area is population growth (5yr) (+11.2%) — 83/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Publix supermarkets' headquarters and the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, at Florida Southern College.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.