Lakeland vs Pasadena
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $209,600 in Pasadena and $249,400 in Lakeland.
- Lakeland has the warmer winter: January highs of 74°F vs 64°F.
- Lakeland is growing faster: +11.5% since 2020 vs -2.2%.
- Commutes are shorter in Lakeland (23 vs 27 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Pasadena, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 125,520 | 148,539 |
| Growth since 2020 | +11.5% | -2.2% |
| People per square mile | 1,885 | 3,400 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 33.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 16% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $64,185 | $64,927 |
| Median home value | $249,400 | $209,600 |
| Home value to income | 3.9× | 3.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,395 | $1,213 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.1 | 98.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 95.9 | 104.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,900 | $74,000 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 55% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.1 | 26.6 |
| Work from home | 14% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.5% | 8.6% |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 18.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 74° / 51° | 64° / 46° |
| July high / low | 92° / 74° | 93° / 77° |
| Precipitation per year | 57 in | 56 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 119 | 100 |
| Nights below freezing | 3 | 4 |
| Comfortable months | 7 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.5 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 95% | 10% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.4% | +3.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.9% | +32.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Lakeland: October to April. Pasadena: November to April.
Full monthly tables: Lakeland weather by month and Pasadena weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $72,900 in Lakeland and $74,000 in Pasadena. Moving from Lakeland to Pasadena, you would need about $76,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Lakeland and Pasadena
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Lakeland and Pasadena.
Which would you pick?
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