Lake City 73 Excellent
Lake City Livability #303 ranked city in Florida#4,742 ranked city in the USARanks better than 83% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in Lake City

PROS
  • Cost Of Living

    Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.

  • Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety

    Earning a high health and safety score depends on factors such as good air quality and the availability of essential health facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors, and fire stations.

  • Schools

    A high score in the schools category could be the result of elements like top-notch test scores, high education levels and the convenient location of elementary and high schools in this area.

CONS
  • Commute

    Commuters in this area may experience longer-than-average work commute times due to limited public transportation access.

  • Employment

    The combination of low income levels and high unemployment rates contributes to a low score in the employment category, which could make it challenging to secure well-paying jobs.

  • Ratings

    Polls and surveys done by AreaVibes among area residents did not yield positive feedback when it came to the walkability of amenities, safety, nearby parks and the overall sense of community.

New Real Estate Listings in Lake City Area
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What's it like Living in Lake City?

Lake City is a medium-sized city located in the state of Florida. The city has a population of 12,166 inhabitants. Lake City is mostly populated by White (57%) and Black or African American (34%) ethnic groups. Lake City is very likely to be a great place to live for singles as only 47%, of the population (over fifteen) are classified as married. If you are not a fan of long commutes, you will enjoy living in Lake City. With an average one way commute time of only 21 minutes, getting to and from work is a breeze compared to the national average of 26 minutes.

Whether you’re relocating to a new area to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Lake City could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Florida if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like crime, health & safety, education, housing, you can easily compare the best places to live in Lake City and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Lake City to Florida and the national average.

The livability score in Lake City is 65 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 62nd percentile of all cities across America. Based on the rankings for each individual category, Lake City has received high marks for education (B+) and housing (A-). There is at least one category that did not score well in Lake City. The following was graded with a concerning score: crime (F) and employment (F).

For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their Lake City apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.

Being close to public transit, grocery stores, parks and other conveniences are all important when weighing your options for a new home in Lake City. Before you determine if any of these amenities are available in the area, you will also want to know if the real estate prices in Lake City are affordable. The median home price for Lake City homes is $117,300, which is 29.7% lower than the Florida average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Lake City, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 2.9, which is 14.7% lower than the Florida average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Lake City

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Lake City?

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Compare Lake City, FL Livability

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      Lake City transportation information

      Statistic Lake City Florida National
      Average one way commute21min27min26min
      Workers who drive to work80.0%79.5%76.4%
      Workers who carpool15.1%9.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.0%2.1%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle1.1%0.7%0.6%
      Workers who walk0.5%1.5%2.8%
      Working from home3.3%5.4%4.6%
      Source: The Lake City, FL data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).