| Measure | LakelandFlorida, United States Remove Lakeland | SarasotaFlorida, United States Remove Sarasota |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.9 | 6.0 |
| Connector Score | 9.0 | 8.0 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 5.4 |
| Affordability | 6.7 | 5.5 |
| Transportation | 9.0 | 8.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 7.0 | 5.0 |
| Walkability | 7.1 | 4.2 |
| Things to do | 6.2 | 6.1 |
| Food & dining | 5.5 | 4.8 |
| Places to stay | 5.8 | 5.4 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 7.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.3 | 7.3 |
| Family friendliness | 5.4 | 7.6 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 6.3 | 4.8 |
| Nightlife | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.7 | 5.3 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 8.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $103 | $170 |
| Mid-range | $153 | $285 |
| Luxury | $263 | $611 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 98 | 110 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,375 | $1,750 |
| Median home price | $315,000 | $520,000 |
| Population | 126K | 58K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Lakeland | — | 1 h 30 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel, History | Families, Beaches |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Pro sports, Shopping | Beaches, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Wineries & breweries, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring training and Sun 'n Fun | Peak: Roughly January through April |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.