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 $66,158 with a poverty rate of 24.4%. The median age in Lake Wales is 41.1 years: 37.4 years for males, and 49.3 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Lake Wales was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 9,057 | 55.34% |
| Black or African American | 3,142 | 19.2% |
| Two or more races | 2,325 | 14.21% |
| Other race | 1,656 | 10.12% |
| Asian | 111 | 0.68% |
| Native American | 68 | 0.42% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 6 | 0.04% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 6,560 | 2.44 | 61 | 39 |
| Married | 3,055 | 2.84 | 78.4 | 21.6 |
| Non Family | 2,337 | 1.27 | 48 | 52 |
| Female | 1,046 | 3.64 | 39.3 | 60.7 |
| Male | 122 | 4.4 | 58.2 | 41.8 |
2.97
Average Family Size
2.44
Average Household Size
61.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 875 | 7.35% |
| Associates Degree | 1,077 | 9.04% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,715 | 14.4% |
| Graduate Degree | 907 | 7.62% |
| High School Graduate | 3,907 | 32.81% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 614 | 5.16% |
| Some College | 2,814 | 23.63% |
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 | 6,408 | 5,821 | 1,671 |
| Hispanic | 3,155 | 2,493 | 530 |
| Black | 2,028 | 1,794 | 328 |
| 2+ Races | 1,397 | 1,277 | 439 |
| Other Race | 1,180 | 854 | 135 |
| Asian | 86 | 80 | 25 |
| Native American | 50 | 28 | 0 |
| Islander | 6 | 6 | 6 |
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 | $51,851 | $64,032 | $51,483 |
| Graduate Degree | $48,036 | $37,273 | $49,964 |
| High School Graduate | $34,943 | $43,977 | $22,723 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $31,739 | $35,149 | $30,954 |
| Overall | $36,600 | $40,653 | $33,486 |
| Some College | $34,152 | $38,897 | $32,125 |
$36,600
Average Earnings
$40,653
Average Male
$33,486
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
75.44% of Lake Wales residents speak only English, while 24.56% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 22.43% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 4,970 | 1,395 | 28.07% |
| Black | 3,072 | 1,286 | 41.86% |
| White | 7,499 | 1,181 | 15.75% |
| Multiple | 2,306 | 396 | 17.17% |
| Other | 1,656 | 350 | 21.14% |
24.4%
Overall Poverty Rate
24.12%
Male Poverty Rate
24.66%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Lake Wales is Black, with 41.86% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Lake Wales is White, with 15.75% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.05%. Among those working part-time, it was 35.97%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 30.48%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 44.91% |
| Some College | 22.31% |
| High School | 20.78% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 9.74% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 24.75% |
| Male Employed | 12.94% |
| Male Unemployed | 10.92% |
| Female Employed | 10.8% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $67,164 | $77,049 |
| Households | $55,799 | $66,158 |
| Married Families | $75,887 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $25,838 | $41,735 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
47.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
51.5%
Male Marriage Rate
43.1%
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 Over 65.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,228
Number of Veterans
1,172
Male Veterans
56
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 625 |
| First Gulf War | 176 |
| Second Gulf War | 96 |
| Korea | 86 |
| World War II | 40 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 524 |
| 65 to 74 | 350 |
| 55 to 64 | 184 |
| 35 to 54 | 116 |
| 18 to 34 | 54 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 926 | 12.2% |
| Black | 155 | 6.27% |
| Hispanic | 103 | 3.06% |
| Other Race | 90 | 6.91% |
| 2+ Races | 43 | 2.95% |
| Native American | 14 | 28% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
9.61%
Veteran Poverty Rate
37.8%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
44.7%
Labor Force Participation
41.9%
Employment Rate
6.3%
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
40.84%
Born in Lake Wales
90.29%
Native Born
9.71%
Foreign Born
5.04%
Non Citizen
4.67%
Naturalized
90.29% of Lake Wales residents were born in the United States, with 40.84% having been born in Florida. 5.04% 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% |