Lakeland vs Springfield
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $245,000 in Springfield and $249,400 in Lakeland.
- Households earn more in Lakeland ($64,185 vs $52,656 median).
- Lakeland has the warmer winter: January highs of 74°F vs 35°F.
- Springfield gets far more snow: 52 inches a year vs 0.
- Lakeland has more scorching days: 119 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 20.
- Lakeland is growing faster: +11.5% since 2020 vs -0.8%.
- Florida has no state income tax on wages; Massachusetts's top rate is 9%.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 125,520 | 154,702 |
| Growth since 2020 | +11.5% | -0.8% |
| People per square mile | 1,885 | 4,854 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 33.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $64,185 | $52,656 |
| Median home value | $249,400 | $245,000 |
| Home value to income | 3.9× | 4.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,395 | $1,144 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.1 | 96.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 95.9 | 75.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,900 | $72,000 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | None | 9% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 6.25% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.1 | 20.2 |
| Work from home | 14% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.5% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 25.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 74° / 51° | 35° / 19° |
| July high / low | 92° / 74° | 85° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 57 in | 47 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 52 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 119 | 20 |
| Nights below freezing | 3 | 126 |
| Comfortable months | 7 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.5 | 92.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 95% | 76% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.4% | +4.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.9% | +44.3% |
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. Springfield: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Lakeland weather by month and Springfield 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 $72,000 in Springfield. Moving from Lakeland to Springfield, you would need about $74,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Lakeland and Springfield
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 Springfield.
Which would you pick?
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