Retirement Communities in Lakeland, Florida

CaringScore for Lakeland, FL

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for retirement communities in Lakeland was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose retirement communities in Lakeland.

A CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 5, Lakeland is on par with the national average for those seeking retirement communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Lakeland. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Lakeland, FL

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Lakeland, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for retirement communities. The HealthScore for Lakeland is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 4.5, Lakeland is on par with the national average for those seeking retirement communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults. At just 143.8 physicians per capita, Lakeland trails the national average by 34.8 percent. Lakeland trails the national average in geriatricians per capita by 46.2 percent, with 0.7, and scores 29.2 percent below the national average in specialists per capita, with 13.8. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Lakeland is 77.2 years -- 0.9 percent lower than most of the country. Air quality in Lakeland -- one factor in gauging the healthfulness of a region -- is 14.5 percent below average, and water quality -- another key measure of Lakeland's environmental health -- trails the national average by 16.4 percent.

Doctors Per Capita	Lakeland, FL	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	143.8	220.5
Geriatricians	0.7	1.3
Cardiologists	5.8	7.7
Oncologists	3	3.5
Orthopedists	4.3	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Lakeland, FL

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Lakeland, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for retirement communities. The CostScore for Lakeland is based on data such as the average monthly cost of retirement communities in the region, cost of living indices such as housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 6, the costs associated with retirement communities in Lakeland are generally less expensive than the national average.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at retirement communities, no average monthly cost data is available for Lakeland. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of retirement communities in Lakeland to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Lakeland indexes at 5.0 percent lower than the national average. Average healthcare costs are 3.0 percent cheaper than the national average, and the cost of housing is 29.0 percent less expensive than average.

Cost of Living	Lakeland, FL
Aggregate Index	95
Healthcare Index	97
Housing Index	71
Food Index	100
Utilities Index	109
Transportation Index	100

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for Lakeland, FL

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Lakeland. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for retirement communities. The LivabilityScore for Lakeland is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 4.3, Lakeland rates below average for retirement communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for retirement communities. The sun shines an average of 240 days each year in Lakeland, 17.1 percent more sunny days than the rest of the U.S. sees. With an average temperature of 51°F in January, winters tend to be milder in Lakeland than in other parts of the country, and summers are often hotter than other places, averaging 92°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate in Lakeland is 50.0 percent higher than the national average, and the property crime rate is 75.0 percent higher than average. At $40,228 per year, the population of Lakeland earns a lower than average median household income. Lakeland has an unemployment rate of 10.90 percent, roughly 19.8 percent higher than the national average. And about 18.64 percent of the population in Lakeland is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which exceeds the national average by 41.6 percent.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Lakeland	Nat'l Avg
Parks	1.2	136.1
Libraries	3	18.8
Places of Worship	97.1	220.5
Public Transit	192.6	110.4
Grocery Stores	234.5	97.7
Pharmacies	43.8	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65