City profile · Florida · Census ACS 2023

Lake Wales, FL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lake Wales - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

16,365
Residents
$55,799
Median income
$225,900
Median home
$1,497
Median rent (state)

Lake Wales - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Lake Wales places in the 29th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

29th
percentile, household income
50th
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lake Wales, FL

Florida's Lake Wales is a small town, with 16,365 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Lake Wales brings in $55,799 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.6%. Typical homes in Lake Wales are valued around $225,900, and the median resident age is 41.1 years. About 22.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 41.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 420 residential building permits were authorized in Lake Wales (Stable), down 3% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Florida carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,497 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Florida run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

16,365 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Florida

Median Household Income

$55,799 /yr

Poverty 19.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.4 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Florida average

How does Lake Wales compare to other US cities?

Where Lake Wales sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 29% higher than other cities
Home value 50% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lake Wales's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Florida, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

29thIncome percentile

29th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lake Wales's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$225,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 50% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lake Wales $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lake Wales, FL Lake Wales, FL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake Wales, FL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lake Wales, FL median $55,799/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lake Wales, FL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lake Wales, FL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 41.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
16,365
Median Income
$55,799
Median Home Value
$225,900
Median Age
41.1
Poverty Rate
19.6%
Labor force participation
41.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.0%

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
16,000 residents17,000 residents18,000 residents19,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 16,285 residents 18,650 residents ▲ +14.5%
Lake Wales's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
420
housing units authorized
Single-Family
409
detached homes
Multifamily
11
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
25.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 431
2020 30
2021 34
2022 69
2023 476
2024 420

Permit volume decreased 3% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.3%
Carpool
11.2%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
6.5%
Other
2.6%

Based on 5,522 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Florida - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$145
avg/month
Natural Gas
$25
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Florida state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Florida state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lake Wales sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.4
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,497/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Florida

Brownsville
16,391 people
Lady Lake
16,337 people
Three Lakes
16,426 people
Palmetto Estates
16,587 people
Azalea Park
16,110 people
Opa-locka
16,097 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Wales's 16,365 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

North Arlington, NJ
16,368 people
Vienna, VA
16,369 people
Chickasha, OK
16,349 people
River Falls, WI
16,349 people
Mastic Beach, NY
16,382 people
Buffalo, MN
16,388 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Wales's $55,799 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dana, NC
$55,801 median income
Kingsland, TX
$55,801 median income
Luray, VA
$55,802 median income
Spring Grove, IN
$55,804 median income
Grand Marais, MI
$55,809 median income
Rincon, NM
$55,785 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake Wales, FL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lake Wales, FL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 55.3% 19.2% 10.1% 14.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 30.7% White 55.3% Black or African American 19.2% Asian 0.7% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 10.1% Two or more races 14.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lake Wales compares to nearby Florida cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lake Wales (this city) 16,365 $55,799
Brownsville 16,391 $38,460
Lady Lake 16,337 $47,260
Three Lakes 16,426 $91,364
Census ACS 5-year FIPS FL NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake Wales, FL?

What is the population of Lake Wales, FL? +

16,365 people live in Lake Wales, FL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lake Wales, FL? +

Lake Wales households earn a median of $55,799 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake Wales? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lake Wales; the closest available measure is the Florida state average, a cost of living index of 103.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Florida vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Lake Wales, FL? +

Lake Wales's median home value sits at $225,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.