ZIP Code · FL

ZIP 33853

Part of Lake Wales, FL

Pop. 12,674·Polk County·609th most expensive ZIP in Florida

Median rent (all units)

$1,512/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

-1.6%

vs US Median

-$420

Reported rents

Falling (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 33853 · $1,512

More affordable than 72% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,000

1 BR

$1,000

2 BR

$1,220

3 BR

$1,650

4 BR+

$2,050

Research median

$1,220/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($44,474) is $1,112 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,000); a 2-bedroom is $1,220.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 33853. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$18,144/yr

At $1,512/mo median

Location

CityLake Wales

StateFL

CountyPolk County

Rent Market Meter

Renter's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are softening (down 0.0% YoY), so renters have negotiating leverage.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, -1.6% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 33853 (Lake Wales, FL) is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 16.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

12,674

Median income

$44,474

Median age

37.6

Renters

47%

Age distribution

22.8%

21.7%

24.2%

13.5%

17.8%

Under 1822.8%

18–3421.7%

35–5424.2%

55–6413.5%

65+17.8%

Gender

45.6%

54.4%

Male45.6%

Female54.4%

Race & ethnicity

44.7%

22.3%

37.2%

White44.7%

Black22.3%

Hispanic37.2%

Asian1%

Education (25+)

15.2%

36.5%

32%

16.3%

No HS diploma15.2%

HS diploma36.5%

Some college32%

Bachelor's+16.3%

Housing tenure

53%

47%

Owner53%

Renter47%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 33853 in Lake Wales, FL has changed in 5 years

Income

$40,423 → $44,474

up 10.0%

Population

11,530 → 12,674

up 9.9%

Renter share

46.9% → 47%

+0.1 pts

Bachelor's+

18% → 16.3%

-1.7 pts

Median age

39.8 → 37.6

-2.2 yrs

On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 33853 in Lake Wales, FL now reports about $44,474, up from $40,423 in 2021. The population has grown by 9.9% since 2021, moving from about 11,530 residents to roughly 12,674.

Community

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Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 33853

About renting in ZIP 33853

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 33853 covers Lake Wales, FL. The median rent here is $1,512/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,000/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,220/mo.

At 41% of local median household income ($44,474/yr), ZIP 33853 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 33853?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $60,000/year (about $29/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,512/mo in ZIP 33853. The local median household income is $44,474/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.