Is Lake Wales, FL a Good Place to Live?
Lake Wales is a small city of 16,455 in Florida, with a median household income of $55,833 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 99 (US average = 100), which is 1% below the national average.
Strengths: Lake Wales stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lake Wales is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lake Wales city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 99.2Lake Wales's overall cost of living index is 99.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake Wales costs roughly 1% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Lake Wales, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $208,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,000 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $55,833 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageLake Wales's violent crime rate is 243.9 per 100,000 residents — 36% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lake Wales is served primarily by LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.8:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lake Wales, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lake Wales sees average highs of 74.7°F in January and 93.2°F in July, with 52.8 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Lake Wales, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 74.7°F |
| Average High — July | 93.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Lake Wales, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,455 | — |
| Median Age | 43.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 27.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 58.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 19.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 26.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Lake Wales
Lake Wales, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code: