Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakeland, FL
VS
South Fulton, GA
🏆 Lakeland leads 16 of 23 categories
Lakeland
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,290
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404 ✓ Larger
South Fulton
Georgia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$77,488 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
107,865
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lakeland, FL
Pros
88% less violent crime than South Fulton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (5.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $244/mo less ($1,217 vs $1,461)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Homes cost $34k less ($207,800 vs $242,200)
Cons
Median income trails South Fulton by $19,198/yr
South Fulton, GA
Pros
Households earn $19,198 more per year on average
More college-educated — 39.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (470.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,461/mo
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 5.4%)
Longer commutes — 32.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakeland
Violent Crime
88% lower
56.0 vs 470.5 per 100k
Lakeland
Median Home Value
$34k less
$207,800 vs $242,200
Lakeland
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.8% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 100.7 on the COL index
South Fulton
Median Income
$19,198
$77,488 vs $58,290/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakeland, FL | South Fulton, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $207,800 ✓ Lower | $242,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,217 ✓ Lower | $1,461⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,290 | $77,488 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter | 32.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.4% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 15 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 15 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C+ (86) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 39.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.1% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | POLK | State Specialty Schools I- Georgia Cyber Academy |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer | 54.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer | 90.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,404 ✓ Larger | 107,865 |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.7% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakeland's cost of living index is 100.7 vs South Fulton's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Lakeland is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lakeland leads 16 of 23 categories. Lakeland wins 16 and South Fulton wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Lakeland to South Fulton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($207,800 vs $242,200 median home), income ($58,290 vs $77,488), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakeland, FL and South Fulton, GA are about 416 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.