Lakeland, Florida | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Lakeland | |
 Flag | |
| Nickname: Swan City[1] | |
 Location in Polk County and the state of Florida | |
| Coordinates: 28°03′20″N 81°57′16″W / 28.05556°N 81.95444°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Settled | c. 1870s[2] |
| Incorporated | January 1, 1885 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Commission-Manager |
| • Mayor | Bill Mutz |
| • City Manager | Shawn Sherrouse |
| Area | |
| • City | 75.30 sq mi (195.02 km2) |
| • Land | 66.29 sq mi (171.69 km2) |
| • Water | 9.01 sq mi (23.34 km2) 10.9% |
| Elevation | 203 ft (62 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 112,641 |
| • Density | 1,699.27/sq mi (656.09/km2) |
| • Urban | 277,915 (US: 147th)[5] |
| • Urban density | 1,904.4/sq mi (735.3/km2) |
| • Metro | 725,046 (US: 80th)[4] |
| Demonym | Lakelander |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 33801–33815 |
| Area code | 863 |
| FIPS code | 12-38250[7] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404873[6] |
| Website | www.lakelandgov.net |
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Located along I-4 east of Tampa and west of Orlando, it is the most populous city in Polk County. As of the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641.[8] Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lakeland is situated among several lakes including Lake Morton downtown and is sometimes locally referred to by the nickname "Swan City" due to its sizeable population of swans, all of whom are descendants of two mute swans given to Lakeland by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Lakeland is home to several colleges and universities. Lakeland Linder International Airport is in Lakeland as is the corporate headquarters of Publix, a supermarket chain.
European-American settlers arrived in Lakeland from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina in the 1870s. The city expanded in the 1880s with the arrival of rail service, with the first freedmen railway workers settling here in 1883.[2] They and European immigrants also came because of land development opportunities with farming, citrus, cattle and phosphate industry developing. Lakeland is home to the 1,267-acre Circle B Bar Reserve (513 ha).[9]
- ^ Crosby, Kristin (August 30, 2016). "Swan City". Lakelander. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ a b Kimberly C. Moore, "Confederate vets, former slaves form Lakeland’s history", The Ledger, 09 May 2018; accessed 27 June 2018
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2021". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ United States Census Bureau (December 29, 2022). "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications". Federal Register.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lakeland, Florida
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ "Circle B Bar Reserve". Default. Retrieved October 29, 2021.