Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Lake Wales, FL has a Safety Score of 48/100 — higher crime than 52% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,772.4 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,552 of 2,957 US cities and #28 of 68 in Florida.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Lake Wales, FL?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Lake Wales, Florida Safe?
Lake Wales, home to Bok Tower Gardens, sits in Polk County, Florida. This city in the geographic center of the state has a population of around 17,000.
Lake Wales has a safety score of 48/100 (Higher Crime Than Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,772.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Lake Wales ranks #28 out of 68 cities in Florida and #1552 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 48th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 52% of US cities.
All major crime categories in Lake Wales are below the national average, with murder particularly low at 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Lake Wales's total crime rate decreased by 35.8%, with violent crime declining 39.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Lake Wales Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 41 | 243.9 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 4 | 23.8 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 3 | 17.8 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 34 | 202.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 257 | 1,528.6 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 32 | 190.3 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 200 | 1,189.6 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 25 | 148.7 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Lake Wales vs Florida Average
How does Lake Wales's crime rate compare to the Florida state average?
| Metric | Lake Wales | Florida Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 243.9 | 376.7 | -35.3% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,528.6 | 1,870.5 | -18.3% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 5.3 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,772.4 | 2,247.2 | -21.1% |
Lake Wales Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Lake Wales, Florida.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16,813 | 1,772.4 | 243.9 | 1,528.6 |
| 2023 | 16,878 | 2,761.0 | 402.9 | 2,358.1 |
| 2022 | 16,793 | 3,179.9 | 601.4 | 2,578.5 |
| 2020 | 17,075 | 1,721.8 | 251.8 | 1,470.0 |
| 2019 | 16,901 | 2,443.6 | 325.4 | 2,118.2 |
Lake Wales Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Lake Wales and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Florida crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake Wales, Florida safe?
Lake Wales has a safety score of 48/100, meaning it has less crime than about 48% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,772.4 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Lake Wales is higher-crime than most US cities.
What is the crime rate in Lake Wales, Florida?
According to FBI data for 2024, Lake Wales has a violent crime rate of 243.9 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,528.6 per 100,000 residents.
How does Lake Wales compare to the national average?
Lake Wales's total crime rate of 1,772.4 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 16,813 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Lake Wales?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Lake Wales are larceny-theft (200 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (34 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 6.3x in the city.
Is Lake Wales safe to visit?
Like any city, Lake Wales has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 48/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.