How long do people stay in their homes in Lake Wales, FL?

Name: How long people stay in Lake Wales, FL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

23.1% (±4.5 points) of households in Lake Wales, FL moved into their current home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

5.8% have lived in it since before 2000.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Moved in 2020 or later: 23.1% (±4.5 points)
Since before 2000: 5.8%

When households in Lake Wales moved in

Occupied housing units by year the householder moved in, 2020–2024
Moved in	Lake Wales	Polk County	Florida	United States
2023 or later	4.2% (±1.9 points)	4.8%	5.3%	4.6%
2020 to 2022	18.9% (±4.1 points)	24.1%	23.0%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	56.3% (±4.4 points)	44.3%	42.7%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	14.7% (±3.0 points)	14.6%	15.5%	16.4%
1990 to 1999	3.1% (±1.1 points)	7.0%	8.1%	9.6%
1989 or earlier	2.7% (±1.3 points)	5.2%	5.5%	9.5%

A high share of recent movers usually means more renting households and more turnover; a high share of long-time residents usually means more owners who have stayed.

In Lake Wales, the share of households that moved in since 2020 is lower than in Polk County (28.9%).

It is also lower than in Florida (28.3%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (24.8%).

Households that moved in since 2020 in places near Lake Wales

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Lake Wales
Place	Distance	Households that moved in since 2020	Compared with this place
Lake Wales	—	23.1% (±4.5 points)	—
Highland Park	4.5 mi	17.9% (±12.4 points)	Not measurably different
Crooked Lake Park	6.3 mi	33.8% (±11.8 points)	Not measurably different
Dundee	6.7 mi	29.1% (±8.1 points)	Not measurably different
Alturas	7.4 mi	20.8% (±8.5 points)	Not measurably different
Babson Park	7.4 mi	6.4% (±16.8 points)	Not measurably different
Hillcrest Heights	7.7 mi	13.6% (±33.5 points)	Not measurably different
Cypress Gardens	8.0 mi	23.4% (±6.0 points)	Not measurably different
Wahneta	8.3 mi	18.4% (±13.9 points)	Not measurably different

None of the nearby places differs measurably from this one on this figure.

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that moved in since 2020 across Polk County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that moved in since 2020
23	Lake Hamilton	26.4% (±10.8 points)
24	Inwood	26.2% (±8.9 points)
25	Poinciana	26.0% (±2.8 points)
26	Medulla	24.1% (±4.9 points)
27	Cypress Gardens	23.4% (±6.0 points)
28	Bartow	23.3% (±4.7 points)
29	Lake Wales	23.1% (±4.5 points)
30	Lakeland Highlands	22.4% (±4.4 points)
31	Alturas	20.8% (±8.5 points)
32	Fort Meade	19.8% (±5.4 points)
33	Wahneta	18.4% (±13.9 points)
34	Highland Park	17.9% (±12.4 points)
35	Hillcrest Heights	13.6% (±33.5 points)

Showing 13 of 36 places in Polk County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Lake Wales

How often do people move in Lake Wales?

23.1% of households in Lake Wales, FL moved into their home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many long-time residents does Lake Wales have?

5.8% of households in Lake Wales have lived in their home since 1999 or earlier.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Wales city, Florida

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Lake Wales city, Florida (place:38950, in state:12).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0051PE, DP04_0051PM, DP04_0052PE, DP04_0052PM, DP04_0053PE, DP04_0053PM, DP04_0054PE, DP04_0054PM, DP04_0055PE, DP04_0055PM, DP04_0056PE, DP04_0056PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.