Woman's Club of Winter Haven · National Register of Historic Places
Winter Haven’s story
142 years in pictures
7 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1884Winter Haven is settled
Winter HavenFL
A city of 55,200, settled in 1884. A typical home worth about $273K.
10 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Connor J. Williams · CC BY 3.0
Population
55,200
+45.3% since 2010
Typical home
$273K
−2.6% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
40.1
years
Jobs based here
26,710
Balanced
What makes Winter Haven stand out
The 3 things Winter Haven does most differently from other towns.
A growing town
Winter Haven has grown 45.3% since 2010
33,874 people in 2010; 55,200 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Winter Haven’s report card
Housing$273K27% below the FL typical homeSchoolsDBeats 14% of FL districtsHealthC−Healthier than 16% of U.S. townsSafetyCLess crime than 34% of U.S. townsClimate92°/50°Summer high · winter lowCommute21 miHalf of commuters travel lessHazards60/100High risk of storm & flood damageOutdoors17 miof trails · 1.5% conserved
Now in Winter Haven
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Winter Haven is #15 of 553 in FL for “Hottest summers”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Winter Haven’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →70°
Clear
H 89° · L 70°
Local news
All →- Winter Haven vs McKeel - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/30/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 30
- George Jenkins vs Winter Haven - Girls Junior Varsity Soccer 01/08/2027 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
- Bowen Yard expansion underway in Winter Haven with new businesses plannedTampa Bay 28 · Sep 26
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Winter Haven. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Winter Haven home is worth about $273K
The typical Winter Haven home is worth about $273,000, down 2.6% in a year, 27% below the Florida typical home.
$273KZillow home value
Typical home value
Winter Haven$273K
Florida$376K
Market temperature
81
days on market
98.3%
sale-to-list price
−2.6%
value change, 1 year
117
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Schools
Winter Haven’s public schools outperform 14% of Florida districts
The public schools Winter Haven’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 86% of Florida’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
DSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain of Lakes Elementary School | PK–5 | 1,007 | A− |
| Fred G. Garner Academy | PK–5 | 817 | C− |
| Jewett School of the Arts | PK–8 | 746 | B− |
| South Pointe Elementary | PK–5 | 689 | Not graded |
| Elbert Elementary School | PK–5 | 549 | C |
| Frank E. Brigham Academy | PK–5 | 547 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduationAll 25 schools →
Health
Healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Winter Haven beats the Florida average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 17.
C−Health Grade
26 measures vs. Florida
0 better9 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Winter Haven | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.2% | 12.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.4% | 7.2% |
| More adults with obesity | 41.5% | 31.9% |
Winter Haven Hospital
1.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
16th
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 34% of U.S. towns
Winter Haven reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 66% report less.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Winter Haven2.7
Florida2.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Winter Haven14.7
Florida10.8
U.S.15.5
34th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
45th
percentile among FL towns
168
violent crimes reported in 2025
918
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Winter Haven has warm winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 50°, and snow is almost unheard of.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter52–74°
Spring61–84°
Summer73–92°
Fall65–85°
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in eight working residents works right in Winter Haven
Most working residents leave Winter Haven for work: only 13% work in town. The top destinations are Lakeland (10%), Bartow (7%) and Orlando (5%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
13%work in town
Where working residents work
In Winter Haven13%
Lakeland10%
Bartow7%
Orlando5%
Lake Buena Vista3%
21 mi
median commute distance
26,710
jobs based in Winter Haven
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
High risk, with hurricanes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingStrong wind
29
paid flood claims since 1979
12
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
1.5% of Winter Haven is conserved land
17 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves.
1.5%conserved
1.5%
conserved · 411 of 26,876 acres
17 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Inman Park | 0.8 mi | 7 |
| 2. South Lake Howard Nature Park | 0.7 mi | 18 |
| 3. Central Park | 0.3 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
College town
Polk State College calls Winter Haven home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Landmarks
7 places in Winter Haven on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Winter Haven
City in Florida, United States
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is located about 51 miles (82 km) east of Tampa and about 47 miles (76 km) southwest of Orlando, with neighboring Lakeland located to its west. The city's population was 49,219 at the 2020 census, making it the second most populous city in Polk County after Lakeland. It is a principal city of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1884
- Population
- 49,219
- Area
- 40 sq mi
- Elevation
- 253 ft
- ZIP code
- 33880, 33881, 33882
- Area code
- 863
Winter Haven’s neighbors
10 towns share a border with Winter Haven.
Cypress GardensInwoodLake AlfredAlturasLake WalesDundeeAuburndaleJan Phyl VillageEagle LakeWahnetaWinter Haven
More about Winter Haven
Still missing for Winter Haven:archive photosupcoming events