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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Lakeland Metro

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL · 1 counties · 483,924 residents · 1,798.119 sq mi
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The short version

Lakeland has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $36,036. Population has grown 19% since 1990. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 24%. Median home value is $69,800.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.6
US median: 35.2
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
483,924
+19%since 1990
from 405,382 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
269 / sq mi
+19%since 1990
from 225 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
38.6
+5%since 1990
from 36.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
367K482K598K714K829K1990201020202024Lakeland
2024791K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.4%(31,186)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.9%(33,184)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147%(33,853)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.7%(32,604)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.6%(27,308)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.3%(59,336)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.2%(68,593)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.3%(59,479)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.3%(49,643)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 749.9%(48,122)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 846.5%(31,564)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(9,052)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$36,036
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,216 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,302
+48%since 1990
from $12,392 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
12.9%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 12.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$69,800
−13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $60,700 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$501
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $386 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
73.4%
+2.9 ptssince 1990
from 70.5% in 1990
26.6% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lakeland on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic84.4%(342,316)
Black13.4%(54,318)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(15,192)
Asian0.6%(2,310)
2000
White, non-Hispanic74.7%(361,366)
Black13.3%(64,544)
Hispanic / Latino9.5%(45,933)
Asian0.9%(4,448)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican12.1%(95,449)
Mexican7.4%(58,817)
South American3.3%(25,728)
Cuban2.4%(18,764)
Central American1.7%(13,326)
Venezuelan1.4%(11,036)
Dominican1.3%(10,189)
Colombian1.1%(8,816)
Guatemalan0.5%(3,570)
Honduran0.4%(3,181)
Nicaraguan0.3%(2,482)
Peruvian0.3%(2,335)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.2%(1,720)
Panamanian0.2%(1,657)
Spaniard0.2%(1,634)
Costa Rican0.2%(1,241)
Salvadoran0.2%(1,195)
Chilean0.1%(592)
Argentine0.1%(543)
Uruguayan0%(278)
Bolivian0%(267)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.5%(4,307)
Filipino0.5%(3,608)
Chinese0.2%(1,425)
Vietnamese0.1%(1,059)
Thai0.1%(452)
Japanese0.1%(447)
Korean0%(360)
Pakistani0%(356)
Laotian0%(330)
Burmese0%(319)
Cambodian0%(148)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Taiwanese0%(99)
Hmong0%(85)
Uzbek0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(122)
Chamorro0%(37)
Guamanian0%(24)
Ancestry
American10.6%(84,050)
German8.2%(64,993)
English8%(63,497)
Irish6.8%(53,695)
Italian3.7%(29,578)
West Indian3.1%(24,546)
Haitian1.6%(13,020)
Polish1.5%(12,069)
French1.4%(11,235)
Scottish1.4%(10,678)
Jamaican0.9%(7,341)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.6%(4,516)
Dutch0.5%(4,276)
French Canadian0.5%(3,769)
Swedish0.5%(3,740)
Norwegian0.3%(2,697)
Portuguese0.3%(2,571)
British0.3%(2,500)
Welsh0.3%(2,420)
Canadian0.3%(2,259)
Arab0.3%(2,153)
Greek0.3%(2,114)
Hungarian0.3%(2,096)
Russian0.2%(1,863)
Brazilian0.2%(1,772)
Danish0.2%(1,204)
Guyanese0.1%(1,103)
Czech0.1%(971)
Austrian0.1%(938)
Ukrainian0.1%(935)
Finnish0.1%(874)
Lithuanian0.1%(813)
Barbadian0.1%(665)
Slovak0.1%(582)
Swiss0.1%(576)
Nigerian0.1%(523)
Belgian0.1%(492)
Romanian0.1%(475)
Lebanese0.1%(465)
Armenian0.1%(429)
Egyptian0.1%(420)
Iranian0.1%(409)
Croatian0.1%(398)
Serbian0%(202)
Australian0%(200)
Ghanaian0%(198)
Moroccan0%(191)
Turkish0%(181)
Kenyan0%(101)
Slovene0%(100)
Latvian0%(90)
Syrian0%(60)
Ethiopian0%(45)
Israeli0%(38)
Iraqi0%(24)
Somali0%(23)
Jordanian0%(10)
RANKED:Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.9%
+2.1 ptssince 1990
from 12.9% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
74.8%
+6.8 ptssince 1990
from 68.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
4.9%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 4.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.1 min
−12%since 1990
from 19.6 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married24.3%(45,370)
Married61.5%(114,821)
Widowed3.4%(6,415)
Divorced10.7%(19,950)
Women 15+
Never married17.8%(35,403)
Married57.6%(114,760)
Widowed13%(25,815)
Divorced11.6%(23,193)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
In this metro

Largest cities

LakelandCENTRAL125,520Winter HavenCENTRAL62,313Haines City45,973Bartow23,617Auburndale21,369Lake Wales18,650Davenport18,110Highland City13,276Lakeland Highlands12,102Medulla10,985Lake Alfred10,107Fuller Heights10,083Cypress Gardens10,077Loughman7,591Inwood7,556Willow Oak7,454Kathleen7,201Dundee6,424Eagle Lake6,415Jan Phyl5,708Fussels Corner5,682Crystal Lake5,451Fort Meade5,379Combee Settlement5,242Alturas4,581Mulberry4,573Wahneta3,876Frostproof3,519Polk City3,082Lake Hamilton3,007

The 30 most populous of 39 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

1 component county

Polk CountyCENTRAL874,790
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Lakeland

Columbia
Pop 879,918
Greensboro
Pop 805,945
Baton Rouge
Pop 888,699
Little Rock
Pop 777,607
Places similar to Lakeland
Head to head

Compare Lakeland side by side

LAKELAND VS
Columbia
Income$68,275+89%
Home value$232,186+233%
Population879,918+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKELAND VS
Greensboro
Income$65,866+83%
Home value$237,517+240%
Population805,945−8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKELAND VS
Baton Rouge
Income$70,666+96%
Home value$240,565+245%
Population888,699+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKELAND VS
Little Rock
Income$67,436+87%
Home value$214,329+207%
Population777,607−11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL has about 483,924 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

The typical household in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL earns about $36,036 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL expensive?

In Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL, the median home is worth about $69,800, and the typical rent is about $501 a month.

How educated are people in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

About 14.9% of adults age 25 and over in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

About 12.9% of people in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL grown since 1990?

Yes, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL has grown since 1990. The population has added about 78,542 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →