Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakeland, FL
VS
Tyler, TX
🏆 Tyler leads 13 of 23 categories
Lakeland
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,290
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404 ✓ Larger
Tyler
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,056 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
106,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lakeland, FL
Pros
86% less violent crime than Tyler
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 58°F
Cons
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Tyler
Median income trails Tyler by $4,766/yr
Tyler, TX
Pros
Rent averages $104/mo less ($1,113 vs $1,217)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakeland
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.4)
Households earn $4,766 more per year on average
More college-educated — 31.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakeland
Violent Crime
86% lower
56.0 vs 391.2 per 100k
Tyler
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 92.4 vs 100.7 (100 = US avg)
Tyler
Median Income
$4,766
$63,056 vs $58,290/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakeland, FL | Tyler, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.7⚠ High | 92.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $207,800 | $205,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,217 | $1,113 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,290 | $63,056 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min | 20.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.4% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 15 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 15 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B (97) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 31.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.1% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | POLK | TYLER ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer | 57.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.1°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3" | 47.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,404 ✓ Larger | 106,440 |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% | 54.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.7% ✓ More | 16.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakeland's cost of living index is 100.7 vs Tyler's 92.4 (US average = 100).
Tyler is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tyler leads 13 of 23 categories. Lakeland wins 10 and Tyler wins 13. 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 Tyler or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($207,800 vs $205,200 median home), income ($58,290 vs $63,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakeland, FL and Tyler, TX are about 849 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.