What's wrong with Lake Wales?

[TonySinclair]

I’m looking for a new place to live, and I googled “cheapest homes.” There are several sites that list the cities with the cheapest average cost for houses in the US, and most of them are what you would expect – either places with terrible climate like Buffalo, urban blight like Cleveland, or places way out in the sticks. (Apologies if I offended anyone in Buffalo or Cleveland).

But there’s also Lake Wales, Florida, in the top 5 of several lists. It seems to have a good climate (although Wikipedia notes that a few years ago the eyes of three hurricanes went near it in a little over a month), suburban houses at good prices (like a third of what they cost here in the Pacific NW), and it’s just 40 miles from Orlando.

So what’s the deal? Although this may devolve to opinions, I would like to keep it in GQ for as long as possible and have people who know the area give specific, objective reasons why the home prices are so low there. Is there a toxic waste dump? Are there constant swarms of mosquitoes? Is there lead in the water pipes? I’ve noted that it’s in a hurricane zone, but so is pretty much all of Florida, so that by itself wouldn’t explain it.

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Kent_Clark]

Here’s a story about a candidates’ debate from the last local election.

“Lake Wales, whether we want to believe it or not, is a poor community,” Bowlin said.

They bailed out of the county school district and set up local charter schools.

As an LEA with Title I designations, we qualified for several federal programs, including grants to provide resources and funding for economically disadvantaged children, migrant and homeless education programs, professional development, English-language learning and more. In switching to a charter system, Lake Wales Charter Schools was not looking to serve a select student population but rather pursued the option to retain more financial and administrative control.

Zillow shows 668 houses for sale, a pretty large number for a town of 15,000 people.

The median household income is substantially less than the Florida average.

[jasg]

I visited that area of Florida for 50+ years - my grandparent, parents and other family retired there. Lake Wales is not even the least expensive area in central Florida.

It is very crowded In the winter, empty in the summer as all the snowbirds go back north. Very, very hot and humid from April through September.

In the winter, it can seem like a monoculture of seniors. Many of them trying to live on SS alone. Quite politically conservative.

Lots of cheap, substandard housing compared to the PacNW. My folks built a cinder block home that met storm ratings - during hurricane warnings many friends came to stay. They tended to live in manufactured homes or worse (Google ‘park model’ mobile home).

I found it very depressing and prefer being retired in a neighborhood of all ages.

[TonySinclair]

@jasg

Lots of cheap, substandard housing compared to the PacNW. My folks built a cinder block home that met storm ratings - during hurricane warnings many friends came to stay. They tended to live in manufactured homes or worse (Google ‘park model’ mobile home).

Very good info; thank you. So it looks like maybe the substandard housing you’re talking about is what makes the average price so low, even if new homes are more in line with the rest of Florida.

[jasg]

Summer rentals should be easy to come by if you want to test the water. Winter probably a bit harder.

[Xema]

@TonySinclair

Wikipedia notes that a few years ago the eyes of three hurricanes went near it in a little over a month

That was in 2004 - 12 years ago.