What is the rental vacancy rate in Lake Wales, FL?

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

The rental vacancy rate in Lake Wales, FL is 4.1% (±3.2 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.6% (±1.8 points).

1,299 (±300) homes, 15.8% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Lake Wales, the rental vacancy rate went from 4.9% in 2015–2019 to 4.1% in 2020–2024 (−0.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 4.1% (±3.2 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.6% (±1.8 points)
Vacant homes: 1,299 (±300)

Vacancy in Lake Wales against Polk County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Lake Wales	Polk County	Florida	United States
Rental vacancy rate	4.1% (±3.2 points)	5.1% (±0.7 points)	7.6% (±0.2 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.6% (±1.8 points)	1.5% (±0.2 points)	1.4% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	1,299 (±300)	51,323 (±1,585)	1,503,660 (±20,826)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In Lake Wales, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Polk County (5.1%).

It is also lower than in Florida (7.6%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near Lake Wales

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Lake Wales
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Lake Wales	—	4.1% (±3.2 points)	—
Highland Park	4.5 mi	50.0% (±50.0 points)	Not measurably different
Crooked Lake Park	6.3 mi	0.0% (±16.6 points)	Not measurably different
Dundee	6.7 mi	0.0% (±7.8 points)	Not measurably different
Alturas	7.4 mi	13.9% (±20.8 points)	Not measurably different
Babson Park	7.4 mi	0.0% (±100.0 points)	Not measurably different
Hillcrest Heights	7.7 mi	0.0% (±100.0 points)	Not measurably different
Cypress Gardens	8.0 mi	9.6% (±10.5 points)	Not measurably different
Wahneta	8.3 mi	0.0% (±11.2 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.

Rental vacancy rate across Polk County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
10	Crystal Lake	7.5% (±7.1 points)
11	Lakeland	6.9% (±1.5 points)
12	Inwood	5.4% (±9.1 points)
13 (tie)	Bartow	5.2% (±3.9 points)
13 (tie)	Fort Meade	5.2% (±5.4 points)
15	Combee Settlement	5.1% (±8.8 points)
16	Lake Wales	4.1% (±3.2 points)
17	Medulla	4.0% (±3.9 points)
18	Poinciana	3.9% (±3.0 points)
19	Willow Oak	3.8% (±5.9 points)
20	Winter Haven	3.7% (±2.1 points)
21	Auburndale	3.5% (±2.9 points)
22	Highland City	3.2% (±5.5 points)

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

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Lake Wales

Is it hard to find a rental in Lake Wales?

The rental vacancy rate in Lake Wales, FL is 4.1% (±3.2 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in Lake Wales tighter than it was?

In Lake Wales, the rental vacancy rate went from 4.9% in 2015–2019 to 4.1% in 2020–2024 (−0.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How many homes are vacant in Lake Wales?

An estimated 1,299 (±300) housing units, 15.8% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

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 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

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.