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CITY

Lakeland

Florida · 125,520 residents (2025 est.) · 66.561 sq mi
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#233Largest by populationof 4,896125,520
The short version

Lakeland has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $64,185. The city has grown rapidly, with population up 53% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $249,400.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 91%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
119,961
+53%since 2000
from 78,452 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,802 / sq mi
+31%since 2009
from 1,377 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
38.9
−2%since 2000
from 39.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:125,520 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
66K80K95K110K125K1990201020202024Lakeland
2024120K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(6,134)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(6,140)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.5%(6,586)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.4%(8,892)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.4%(10,068)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.6%(16,288)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.6%(13,861)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.8%(13,015)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411%(13,184)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.7%(12,825)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.3%(8,753)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.5%(4,215)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$64,185
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,119 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,902
+82%since 2000
from $19,760 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
41.2%
+21.1 ptssince 2009
from 20.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
13.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.467
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.467 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services8.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance7.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration6.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade5.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade5.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$249,400
+91%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,395
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $528 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
56.4%
−3.9 ptssince 2000
from 60.3% in 2000
43.6% rent
Vacancy rate
12.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 13.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
22.6%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 27.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
47.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.9
+14%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
60
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lakeland on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic69.5%(54,555)
Black21%(16,500)
Hispanic / Latino6.4%(5,032)
Asian1.3%(1,040)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic54.9%(65,813)
Black17.9%(21,447)
Hispanic / Latino20.5%(24,562)
Asian2.5%(3,046)
Other4.2%(5,093)
Diversity Score
78
+19%since 2009
from 65 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican8.7%(10,394)
Mexican3%(3,585)
Cuban2.9%(3,512)
South American2.1%(2,498)
Central American1.3%(1,509)
Dominican1.2%(1,477)
Colombian1%(1,166)
Venezuelan0.5%(550)
Salvadoran0.4%(447)
Guatemalan0.3%(370)
Nicaraguan0.3%(342)
Chilean0.3%(330)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0.2%(216)
Spaniard0.2%(207)
Ecuadorian0.1%(140)
Peruvian0.1%(133)
Bolivian0.1%(123)
Costa Rican0.1%(80)
Uruguayan0%(34)
Argentine0%(22)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.6%(779)
Filipino0.5%(643)
Chinese0.4%(459)
Korean0.1%(116)
Vietnamese0.1%(92)
Thai0.1%(80)
Japanese0.1%(79)
Pakistani0.1%(65)
Taiwanese0%(38)
Cambodian0%(26)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(31)
Ancestry
English9.3%(11,208)
German9.3%(11,204)
American8.7%(10,416)
Irish7.5%(8,987)
Italian4%(4,765)
West Indian2.7%(3,282)
Scottish1.6%(1,938)
French1.6%(1,885)
Polish1.5%(1,771)
Jamaican1.2%(1,391)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(1,374)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Haitian1.1%(1,348)
British0.8%(1,000)
Dutch0.8%(943)
Swedish0.6%(674)
Welsh0.6%(663)
Portuguese0.5%(570)
Greek0.4%(505)
Canadian0.4%(444)
Hungarian0.3%(346)
Norwegian0.3%(323)
Arab0.2%(293)
Russian0.2%(290)
Czech0.2%(255)
Nigerian0.2%(193)
Brazilian0.1%(128)
Swiss0.1%(125)
Austrian0.1%(113)
Ukrainian0.1%(103)
Danish0.1%(101)
Lithuanian0.1%(94)
Finnish0.1%(91)
Iranian0.1%(87)
Belgian0.1%(84)
Lebanese0.1%(83)
Turkish0.1%(82)
Cape Verdean0.1%(70)
Slovak0%(56)
Croatian0%(54)
Romanian0%(53)
Slovene0%(52)
Moroccan0%(48)
Guyanese0%(45)
Armenian0%(44)
Ethiopian0%(44)
Latvian0%(29)
Egyptian0%(19)
Barbadian0%(14)
Syrian0%(10)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.4%
+8.6 ptssince 2000
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.5%
+12.3 ptssince 2000
from 79.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.0%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 7.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.1 min
+61%since 2000
from 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
70.4%
−9.0 ptssince 2009
from 79.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.0%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.4%
+11.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.5%
−7.3 ptssince 2011
from 11.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
57.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2011
from 57.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.2%
−25.7 ptssince 2009
from 65.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
Female
51.3%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 53.3% in 2009
Foreign born
10.8%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.1%
−37.0 ptssince 2009
from 45.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.4%
Unchangedsince 2012
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.6%
−73.9 ptssince 2013
from 84.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.6%
+22.8 ptssince 2017
from 66.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
79.2%
−6.0 ptssince 2016
from 85.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
16.0%
+5.3 ptssince 2016
from 10.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.9%(18,354)
Married46.5%(22,501)
Widowed3.9%(1,909)
Divorced11.7%(5,645)
Women 15+
Never married33.4%(17,607)
Married40.1%(21,108)
Widowed11.7%(6,152)
Divorced14.9%(7,825)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Lakeland to nearby cities

LAKELAND VS
Lakeland Highlands
Income$108,263+69%
Home value$385,000+54%
Population12,102−90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKELAND VS
Medulla
Income$70,802+10%
Home value$319,800+28%
Population10,985−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKELAND VS
Highland City
Income$90,947+42%
Home value$347,100+39%
Population13,276−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKELAND VS
Fuller Heights
Income$82,006+28%
Home value$278,000+11%
Population10,083−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lakeland, Florida?

Lakeland, Florida has about 119,961 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lakeland, Florida?

The typical household in Lakeland, Florida earns about $64,185 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lakeland, Florida expensive?

In Lakeland, Florida, the median home is worth about $249,400, and the typical rent is about $1,395 a month.

How educated are people in Lakeland, Florida?

About 29.4% of adults age 25 and over in Lakeland, Florida hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lakeland, Florida?

About 13.2% of people in Lakeland, Florida live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lakeland, Florida grown since 1990?

Yes, Lakeland, Florida has grown since 1990. The population has added about 49,385 residents, a change of about 70 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →