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Living in Lake Wales

The city had 170 schools in 2026. In July 2026, owner occupation was 59.2% and the vacancy rate was 15.8%. The population of Lake Wales, in the United States, was 16,785 in July 2026. There were 1,282 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2026.

Last checked 2026-10-0733 sources

Population18,650people31 Dec 2025Official source · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program
Median gross salary2,681EUR/month31 Dec 2024Community source · Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)
Median rent975.7EUR/month31 Dec 2024Independent source · Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables
Unemployment rate5.94%31 Dec 2024Independent source · Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables
Recorded crime1,505incidents per 100,000country median 1,586 — 5% belowOfficial source · Crime in the United States 2025, Table 8: Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City
PM2.5, annual mean7.81µg/m³31 Dec 2024Independent source · EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024

Which United States-wide rules apply when you move to Lake Wales?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in United StatesNational rates and thresholds that apply in Lake Wales.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median gross rent was US$1,110 per month, while the median home value was US$239,300 in July 2026. 67.3% of renter households spent at least 30% of income on housing in July 2026.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Lake Wales recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€60
Mobile plan, 10 GB€22
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited60.38 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Verizon 300 Mbps home internet20Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB21.57 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Visible unlimited mobile plan21Official · national market
Median gross rent$1,110/month4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Households spending over 30% of income on rent67.29 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Housing vacancy rate (legacy series)15.8 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Property crime per 100,000 residents2,118 per 100,000 people1 Jul 2026FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)1,083 EUR/month31 Dec 2020ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent)3Official
Median monthly rent975.7 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables24Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Is Lake Wales a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker51%strong on work, weak on legal route · range 42–60%
Skilled employee57%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–66%
Student55%strong on education, weak on work · range 45–65%
Family67%strong on family, weak on cost · range 58–76%
Retirement52%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 41–63%

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

9.4% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 1,754 of 18,650 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Uses a supplemental estimate, so treat it as indicative.

Work and income

Median household income was US$56,347 a year in July 2026.

Unemployment across cities in United StatesUnemployment in Lake Wales is 5.9%. Of 2,153 cities with data, 1,250 have unemployment of 0 to under 5%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median household income56,347 USD/year4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Households with cable, fibre or DSL broadband66.57 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Households with a broadband subscription85.56 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Households with internet but no subscription4.36 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Households without internet9.95 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Households with satellite internet3.57 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Median gross salary2,681 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)23Community estimate · Supplemental context
Median gross salary (regional)3,409 EUR/month31 Dec 2025www.bls.gov22Official
Unemployment rate5.94 %31 Dec 2024Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables24Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

What does a salary buy in Lake Wales?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €3,409 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025-12-31).
Left over each month€1,520of €2,685 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€2,685
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) · 2020-12-31− €1,083
Internet€60 · official · Verizon 300 Mbps home internet · 2026-09-30− €60
Mobile plan€22 · official · Visible unlimited mobile plan · 2026-09-30− €22
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€1,520
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Lake Wales Salary needed to live in Lake Wales

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Lake Wales. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

American Job Centers — Public employment service

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration

Job Search
Open official service
Open the United States service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Lake Wales. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents with high school education or higher87.49 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Schools170 schools30 Jun 2026NCES CCD public school count14Official
School enrolment, share of residents19.78 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Mental health provider ratio22 ratio30 Jun 2026HRSA mental health provider ratio13Official
Primary care doctors per 100,000 residents1,282 per 100,000 people30 Jun 2026HRSA mental health provider ratio13Official
Preventable hospitalizations4,081 per 100,000 people30 Jun 2026HRSA mental health provider ratio13Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Lake Wales when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

Recorded crime across major citiesLake Wales highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Lake Wales highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Philadelphia5,457
Houston5,442
San Antonio5,218
Chicago4,012
Dallas4,010
Austin3,709
Fort Worth3,158
Phoenix3,125
New York City3,039
Los Angeles2,212
San Diego2,082
Lake Wales1,505
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents1,505 incidents per 100,000country median 1,58631 Dec 2025Crime in the United States 2025, Table 8: Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City10Official
Violent crime per 100,000 residents325.4 per 100,000 people1 Jul 2026FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average commute time23.91 minutes4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Workers commuting by bicycle0.02 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Workers commuting by public transport0.11 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Workers walking to work0.6 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Nearest airportBOW3 Aug 2026OurAirports18Official
Distance to nearest airport20 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports18Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Lake Wales. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Adult Education and English Language Acquisition (AEFLA) — State Language Course

U.S. Department of Education

For adult learners, adult English-language learners.

EnglishIn Person, Online, HybridCost varies
Open official information

USCIS English and citizenship class finder — Civic Orientation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

For immigrants, future citizens.

EnglishIn Person, OnlineCost varies
Open official information
Open the full United States section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Lake Wales.

Find courses near Lake Wales

Climate and air quality

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in United StatesAnnual PM2.5 in Lake Wales is 7.8 µg/m³. Of 968 cities with data, 261 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean7.81 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 202433Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Average daytime high by monthJan 22.72 · Feb 24.39 · Mar 26.5 · Apr 29 · May 31.5 · Jun 32.72 · Jul 33.28 · Aug 33.17 · Sep 32.06 · Oct 29.56 · Nov 26.11 · Dec 23.72 °C1991–2020NOAA U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020 — station USC00080478 (BARTOW 1SE)16Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 10 · Feb 11.56 · Mar 13.28 · Apr 16 · May 19.11 · Jun 21.72 · Jul 22.5 · Aug 22.78 · Sep 22 · Oct 18.72 · Nov 14.28 · Dec 11.72 °C1991–2020NOAA U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020 — station USC00085973 (MTN LAKE)17Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 16.89 · Feb 18.56 · Mar 20.44 · Apr 23.06 · May 25.78 · Jun 27.67 · Jul 28.28 · Aug 28.39 · Sep 27.44 · Oct 24.39 · Nov 20.5 · Dec 18.11 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information17Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 67.06 · Feb 55.63 · Mar 70.1 · Apr 61.47 · May 90.42 · Jun 226.6 · Jul 198.4 · Aug 204.7 · Sep 175 · Oct 82.55 · Nov 46.23 · Dec 62.23 mm1991–2020NOAA U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020 — station USC00085973 (MTN LAKE)17Official · nearest-station reading
PM2.5, highest monitored reading23.3 µg/m³1 Jul 2026EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county
PM2.5, annual mean6.57 µg/m³1 Jul 2026EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county
PM2.5 monitoring sites2 monitors1 Jul 2026EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county
Annual precipitation1,095 mm30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals15Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation
Maximum July temperature29.69 °C30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals15Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation
Average annual temperature23.68 °C30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals15Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation
Minimum January temperature16.52 °C30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals15Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation

Similar climate. In United States: Spring Hill ±0.6 °C. Elsewhere: Chikushino-shi (Japan) ±5.6 °C, Chikushino (Japan) ±5.6 °C, Itoshima (Japan) ±5.6 °C, Kasuga (Japan) ±5.6 °C, Ōnojō (Japan) ±5.6 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 1,754 is not 5.8% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Foreign-resident share5.83 %31 Dec 2020Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)8Official
Foreign residents1,754 people31 Dec 2024Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables24Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Population density354.8 people/km²31 Dec 2025Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau9Official
Population18,650 people31 Dec 2025U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program19Official

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median home value239,300 USD4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Owner-occupied homes59.2 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Labour force participation rate44.94 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Residents born abroad10.45 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Naturalized citizens, share of residents4.62 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Non-citizens, share of residents5.83 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Flu vaccination coverage55.7 %30 Jun 2026CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage6Official
Mammography screening coverage72.6 %30 Jun 2026CDC mammography screening rate7Official
Residents without health insurance8.61 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Residents with a bachelor's degree or higher20.83 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Crime reporting agencies1 agencies1 Jul 2026FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official
Households with a vehicle available90.08 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent4Official
Public transport agencies in the National Transit Database0 agencies4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Workers aged 16 and over5,710 workers4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Workers mainly working from home8.7 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official
Households using cellular data plans80.59 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population5Official

Alternatives for people set on Lake Wales

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Haines City as a Lake Wales alternative in the same region

23 km away, better on 5 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

  • Foreign residents: 13.0% Haines City vs 5.8% Lake Wales+124%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 635 Haines City vs 1,505 Lake Wales−58%
  • Residents: 45,973 Haines City vs 18,650 Lake Wales+147%
  • Unemployment: 3.9% Haines City vs 5.9% Lake Wales−34%
  • Annual PM2.5: 6.2 µg/m³ Haines City vs 7.8 µg/m³ Lake Wales−21%
  • Nearest airport: 14.0 km Haines City vs 20.0 km Lake Wales−30%
  • Median gross pay, city: €2,742 Haines City vs €2,681 Lake Walessame level
Full comparisonMore about Haines City

Plainfield as a Lake Wales alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 1639 km, better on 5 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Median gross pay, city: €4,830 Plainfield vs €2,681 Lake Wales+80%
  • Residents: 50,043 Plainfield vs 18,650 Lake Wales+168%
  • Unemployment: 3.8% Plainfield vs 5.9% Lake Wales−37%
  • Median gross pay, region: €4,043 Plainfield vs €3,409 Lake Wales+19%
  • Nearest airport: 9.0 km Plainfield vs 20.0 km Lake Wales−55%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 741 (2024) Plainfield vs 1,505 (2025) Lake Walesno percentage
  • Foreign residents: 6.1% Plainfield vs 5.8% Lake Wales+5%
Full comparisonMore about Plainfield

Cities near Lake Wales

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Cypress Gardens 15.1 km away
Rent
1,265 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary
3,646 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
Wahneta 15.2 km away
Rent
1,028 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary
2,046 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
Inwood 23.2 km away
Rent
1,136 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary
2,634 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Alternative cities in United States

Other cities in United States to compare with Lake Wales, nearest in population first.

All United States cities
Wisconsin Rapids18,654 residentsNorth Amityville18,643 residentsWahiawā18,658 residentsBrownwood18,635 residentsPinecrest18,635 residentsThomasville18,667 residents

How does Lake Wales compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Lake Wales's.

Open the full comparison

Put Lake Wales's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

What is the typical salary around Lake Wales?

The median gross salary is 3,409 EUR/month. Source: www.bls.gov.

What is the unemployment rate in Lake Wales?

The unemployment rate is 5.94 %. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables.

Is the air quality good in Lake Wales?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7.81 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is above the WHO guideline but within the EU limit. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024.

How safe is Lake Wales?

Police recorded 1,505 incidents per 100,000. This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Crime in the United States 2025, Table 8: Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City.

How many people live in Lake Wales?

The published population is 18,650 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program.

How many foreign residents live in Lake Wales?

1,754 residents hold a foreign nationality. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables.

Is Lake Wales a good place to live?

Lake Wales may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Lake Wales?

Dundee, Cypress Gardens, Wahneta, Eagle Lake, Winter Haven are near Lake Wales. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Lake Wales, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version fccb808412ceac6c48a57223a97be776]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/lake-wales/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_lake-wales-united-states-population-rent-salary-jobs_88b7708728f9,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Lake Wales, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {fccb808412ceac6c48a57223a97be776},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/lake-wales/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Lake Wales, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/lake-wales/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version fccb808412ceac6c48a57223a97be776; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. 2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables api.census.gov · checked 2026-10-04
  2. ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
  3. ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
  4. ACS median gross rent api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
  5. ACS total population api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
  6. CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  7. CDC mammography screening rate data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  8. Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
  9. Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
  10. Crime in the United States 2025, Table 8: Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-10-04
Show 23 more sources
  1. EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-01
  2. FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-07-01
  3. HRSA mental health provider ratio data.hrsa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  4. NCES CCD public school count nces.ed.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  5. NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  6. NOAA U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020 — station USC00080478 (BARTOW 1SE) NOAA U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  7. NOAA U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020 — station USC00085973 (MTN LAKE) NOAA U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  8. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program www2.census.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  10. Verizon 300 Mbps home internet verizon.com · checked 2026-09-15
  11. Visible unlimited mobile plan visible.com · checked 2026-09-15
  12. www.bls.gov bls.gov · checked 2026-08-27
  13. Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-09-11
  14. Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-26
  15. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  16. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  17. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  18. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  19. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  20. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  21. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  22. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  23. EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024 aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-26

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.