Census Bureau data for Lake Wales city from the American Community Survey. "Cities" in Census data include incorporated places, towns, villages, and census-designated places (CDPs) — all places where the Census collects community-level estimates.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Lake Wales city
- What is the median household income in Lake Wales city?
- The median household income in Lake Wales city is $55,799 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Lake Wales city?
- The poverty rate in Lake Wales city is 19.6% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Lake Wales city?
- $225,900 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Lake Wales city?
- The median gross rent in Lake Wales city is $1,060 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Lake Wales city residents have a college degree?
- 22.0% of adults in Lake Wales city hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
16,365
Median Income
$55,799
Median Home Value
$225,900
Poverty Rate
19.6%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
6.3%
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$11,613 (+26.3%)
Home Value:
+$58,500 (+34.9%)
Poverty Rate:
+4.5 pp (+29.8%)
Bachelor's+:
+0.6 pp (+2.8%)
Unemployment:
-1.4 pp (-18.2%)
Demographics
Total Population
16,365
Median Age
41.0
Female
52.4%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 30.7%
White (non-Hisp.) 47.6%
Black 19.2%
Asian 0.7%
Two or More 14.2%
Other 10.1%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Chinese
0.3%
Indian
0.2%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Puerto Rican
15.3%
Mexican
8.0%
Cuban
2.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$55,799
±$11,695
-$15,912 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$68,732
Median Family Income
$67,164
Poverty Rate
19.6%
+10.7 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
28.9%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
21.5%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
30.4%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
9.2%
$10–15k
8.8%
$15–25k
13.3%
$25–35k
7.9%
$35–50k
8.4%
$50–75k
15.2%
$75–100k
15.8%
$100–150k
13.6%
$150–200k
5.3%
$200k+
2.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
7,961
Owner-Occupied
61.0%
Renter-Occupied
39.0%
Vacancy Rate
17.6%
Median Home Value
$225,900
-$99,100 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,060
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
23.8%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
58.2%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
4.1%
$50–100k
14.5%
$100–200k
8.3%
$200–300k
36.0%
$300–500k
19.0%
$500k–$1M
5.1%
$1M+
1.5%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
13.8%
$500–1k
30.5%
$1–1.5k
35.5%
$1.5–2k
14.2%
$2–2.5k
3.6%
$2.5–3.5k
0.4%
$3.5k+
2.0%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
9.2%
1 vehicle
46.6%
2 vehicles
32.0%
3+
12.1%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
65.5%
Single-fam. att.
1.7%
2–4 units
5.8%
5–19 units
6.9%
20+ units
4.1%
Mobile home
5.7%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
4.2%
1940–1969
4.7%
1970–1999
14.2%
2000–2009
27.7%
2010+
11.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
87.5%
Bachelor's or Higher
22.0%
-11.2 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
7.6%
Some College / Associate
23.6%
Less Than High School
5.2%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
44.7%
Unemployment Rate
6.3%
+1.5 pp vs. state
Work from Home
6.5%
Self-Employed
7.9%
Government Workers
14.7%
Private For-Profit
77.3%
Industry
Edu/Health
24.0%
Transportation
12.6%
Retail
12.0%
Construction
9.2%
Manufacturing
8.9%
Arts/Entmt.
8.0%
Finance
5.6%
Prof. Services
5.4%
Public Admin
5.0%
Agriculture
1.5%
Wholesale
1.2%
Information
0.2%
Occupation
Management
27.6%
Sales
22.8%
Production
20.9%
Food Prep
20.6%
Construction
8.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
26.4 min
Drove Alone
79.3%
Carpool
11.2%
Public Transit
0.1%
Work from Home
6.5%
Walked
0.3%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
6,560
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
46.6%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
13.9%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
5.9%
5–9
5.9%
10–14
5.4%
15–19
5.8%
20–24
4.2%
25–34
12.5%
35–44
12.5%
45–54
8.2%
55–64
6.5%
65–74
6.1%
75–84
14.9%
85+
9.5%
Under 18: 20.7%
Working age (18–64): 79.3%
65 and over: 27.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
9.7%
Naturalized Citizen
48.1%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
10.1%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
77.5%
Europe
12.7%
Asia
2.8%
Africa
1.1%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
9.5%
With a Disability
17.8%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
91.3%
Uninsured
8.7%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
82.2%
Has a Computer
91.3%
Same House 1 Year Ago
88.9%
Moved from Abroad
0.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023