01 · the cities
Naples
Naples brings wealthy retirees to the Gulf coast for genuinely some of the prettiest beaches in Florida, and the sunsets at the pier are a community ritual (everyone gathers, no one talks). The downtown along Fifth Avenue is pastel and breezy. Mercato has the upscale restaurants. The Everglades' western edge starts just south of town. Affluent, sunny, and quieter than the east-coast Florida cities.
full dispatch→Lakeland
Lakeland has the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world, on the Florida Southern College campus (designed in the 1940s, all skylights and copper). The city sits between Tampa and Orlando, with actual swans patrolling its namesake downtown lake (the city even has a swan management program). Publix is headquartered here, which Floridians treat as a point of pride.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,719/mo
$1,834/mo
$885/mo less than Naples (48%)
Median home price
Median home price
$679k
$301k
$378k less than Naples
State income tax
State income tax
0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,614/mo
$6,499/mo
Lakeland has $885/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
261 days
206 days
55 fewer than Naples
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
13 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Lakeland has 13 more days above 95°F each year than Naples.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
58 / 100
48 / 100
10.0 pts behind Naples
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
34 routes
68 routes
34 more direct routes than Naples
Metro size
Metro size
404k metro
818k metro
the verdict
3
Naples
categories won
4
Lakeland
categories won
Lakeland wins on money. Naples has the edge on weather.
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