Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakeland, FL
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Lakeland leads 12 of 23 categories
Lakeland
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,290
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404
Wilmington
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933 ✓ Larger
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 Wilmington
Homes cost $111k less ($207,800 vs $318,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 57°F
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 43.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.9%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakeland
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $318,600
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakeland
Violent Crime
88% lower
56.0 vs 482.8 per 100k
Lakeland
Median Home Value
$111k less
$207,800 vs $318,600
Wilmington
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 100.7 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Income
$618
$58,908 vs $58,290/yr
Wilmington
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakeland, FL | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.7⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $207,800 ✓ Lower | $318,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,217 | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,290 | $58,908 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.4% | 14.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 15 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 15 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 43.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.1% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | POLK | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,404 | 116,933 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 21.7% ✓ More | 17.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakeland's cost of living index is 100.7 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lakeland leads 12 of 23 categories. Lakeland wins 12 and Wilmington wins 11. 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($207,800 vs $318,600 median home), income ($58,290 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakeland, FL and Wilmington, NC are about 488 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.