Lake Wales is a city located in Polk County Florida. Lake Wales has a 2024 population of 16,811. Lake Wales is currently growing at a rate of 0.78% annually and its population has increased by 3.19% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 16,291 in 2020.
The average household income in Lake Wales is $62,927 with a poverty rate of 20.32%. The median age in Lake Wales is 43.1 years: 37.9 years for males, and 49.2 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Lake Wales was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 9,681 | 58.83% |
| Black or African American | 3,226 | 19.6% |
| Two or more races | 2,176 | 13.22% |
| Other race | 1,273 | 7.74% |
| Native American | 76 | 0.46% |
| Asian | 14 | 0.09% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 9 | 0.05% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 6,734 | 2.38 | 59.8 | 40.2 |
| Married | 3,081 | 2.9 | 74.7 | 25.3 |
| Non Family | 2,558 | 1.24 | 48.7 | 51.3 |
| Female | 1,013 | 3.53 | 42.9 | 57.1 |
| Male | 82 | 4.28 | 47.6 | 52.4 |
2.98
Average Family Size
2.38
Average Household Size
59.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 968 | 8.1% |
| Associates Degree | 941 | 7.87% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,849 | 15.47% |
| Graduate Degree | 931 | 7.79% |
| High School Graduate | 3,767 | 31.52% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 701 | 5.87% |
| Some College | 2,795 | 23.39% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 6,711 | 5,975 | 1,892 |
| Hispanic | 2,810 | 2,134 | 435 |
| Black | 2,160 | 1,909 | 410 |
| 2+ Races | 1,274 | 1,109 | 336 |
| Other Race | 765 | 546 | 101 |
| Native American | 59 | 38 | 0 |
| Asian | 14 | 8 | 0 |
| Islander | 9 | 9 | 9 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $46,188 | $36,646 | $52,625 |
| Graduate Degree | $46,728 | $0 | $53,603 |
| High School Graduate | $34,875 | $45,457 | $23,577 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $25,089 | $26,652 | $22,917 |
| Overall | $35,231 | $38,112 | $32,833 |
| Some College | $33,193 | $37,750 | $29,973 |
$35,231
Average Earnings
$38,112
Average Male
$32,833
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
77.48% of Lake Wales residents speak only English, while 22.52% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 20.94% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 3,188 | 1,273 | 39.93% |
| Hispanic | 4,492 | 1,003 | 22.33% |
| White | 7,901 | 959 | 12.14% |
| Multiple | 2,176 | 284 | 13.05% |
| Other | 1,273 | 194 | 15.24% |
20.32%
Overall Poverty Rate
19.69%
Male Poverty Rate
20.92%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Lake Wales is Black, with 39.93% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Lake Wales is White, with 12.14% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.3%. Among those working part-time, it was 25.33%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.62%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 35.19% |
| Some College | 18.78% |
| High School | 16.34% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 9.3% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 36.52% |
| Male Unemployed | 15.34% |
| Male Employed | 12.87% |
| Female Employed | 8.82% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $69,323 | $74,233 |
| Households | $55,833 | $62,927 |
| Married Families | $72,360 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $27,177 | $39,881 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
47.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
51.5%
Male Marriage Rate
44.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,359
Number of Veterans
1,293
Male Veterans
66
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 723 |
| First Gulf War | 122 |
| Korea | 113 |
| Second Gulf War | 104 |
| World War II | 68 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 535 |
| 75+ | 450 |
| 55 to 64 | 218 |
| 35 to 54 | 95 |
| 18 to 34 | 61 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,076 | 13.07% |
| Black | 151 | 5.93% |
| Other Race | 94 | 10.57% |
| Hispanic | 91 | 2.99% |
| 2+ Races | 24 | 1.77% |
| Native American | 14 | 23.73% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
6.67%
Veteran Poverty Rate
33.65%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
48%
Labor Force Participation
45.3%
Employment Rate
5.7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
38.97%
Born in Lake Wales
89.78%
Native Born
10.22%
Foreign Born
5.89%
Non Citizen
4.32%
Naturalized
89.78% of Lake Wales residents were born in the United States, with 38.97% having been born in Florida. 5.89% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 17,461 | 130 | 0.75% |
| 2028 | 17,331 | 130 | 0.76% |
| 2027 | 17,201 | 130 | 0.76% |
| 2026 | 17,071 | 130 | 0.77% |
| 2025 | 16,941 | 130 | 0.77% |
| 2024 | 16,811 | 130 | 0.78% |
| 2023 | 16,681 | 161 | 0.97% |
| 2022 | 16,520 | 104 | 0.63% |
| 2021 | 16,416 | 125 | 0.77% |
| 2020 | 16,291 | -475 | -2.83% |
| 2019 | 16,766 | 266 | 1.61% |
| 2018 | 16,500 | 516 | 3.23% |
| 2017 | 15,984 | 350 | 2.24% |
| 2016 | 15,634 | 320 | 2.09% |
| 2015 | 15,314 | 348 | 2.33% |
| 2014 | 14,966 | 246 | 1.67% |
| 2013 | 14,720 | 135 | 0.93% |
| 2012 | 14,585 | 276 | 1.93% |
| 2011 | 14,309 | 140 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | 14,169 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 10,194 | 524 | 5.42% |
| 1990 | 9,670 | 1,204 | 14.22% |
| 1980 | 8,466 | 226 | 2.74% |
| 1970 | 8,240 | -106 | -1.27% |
| 1960 | 8,346 | 1,525 | 22.36% |
| 1950 | 6,821 | 1,797 | 35.77% |
| 1940 | 5,024 | 1,623 | 47.72% |
| 1930 | 3,401 | -14,060 | -80.52% |