Jobs, pay and daily life in Winter Haven, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Winter Haven is a city in Florida with 55,200 residents. The median household earns $59,648 a year and the median rent is $1,246 a month, which is 25.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 265,280 jobs.
Federal jobs in Florida (1,228) →State guide: FloridaCountry guide
There are 1,228 federal postings open in Florida (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Florida →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 9,400 | 1.94 | $39,690 | $30,760 | $57,190 | +6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 8,440 | 1.68 | $42,800 | $30,760 | $48,190 | +6% |
| Retail Salespersons | 8,220 | 1.24 | $31,820 | $27,400 | $44,340 | -10% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 7,820 | 2.22 | $57,090 | $39,560 | $80,990 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 7,380 | 1.12 | $28,050 | $27,060 | $34,630 | -10% |
| Registered Nurses | 6,140 | 1.07 | $84,030 | $64,610 | $102,070 | -14% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 6,000 | 1.35 | $38,750 | $31,790 | $57,090 | -13% |
| Cashiers | 5,540 | 1.05 | $29,900 | $27,110 | $35,600 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,150 | 0.86 | $96,220 | $47,830 | $211,760 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,430 | 1.05 | $43,300 | $30,470 | $63,070 | -4% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 4,370 | 3.30 | $48,290 | $37,800 | $59,770 | +4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,730 | 0.96 | $35,270 | $27,050 | $60,030 | +0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,520 | 0.93 | $32,510 | $28,350 | $44,090 | -12% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,280 | 1.38 | $50,420 | $50,130 | $57,500 | -21% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 3,090 | 1.18 | $45,850 | $33,540 | $75,700 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,960 | 1.20 | $36,000 | $33,940 | $39,720 | -15% |
| Construction Laborers | 2,690 | 1.44 | $39,470 | $30,100 | $55,960 | -16% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 2,650 | 1.58 | $46,010 | $29,540 | $73,060 | +3% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 2,510 | 1.19 | $62,960 | $37,580 | $122,530 | -13% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 2,470 | 1.51 | $39,520 | $34,890 | $48,200 | -14% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 570 | 1.63 | $179,360 | $60,880 | $480,280 | -16% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 550 | 0.48 | $161,180 | $95,200 | $218,740 | -8% |
| Financial Managers | 1,200 | 0.84 | $151,440 | $74,440 | $271,740 | -9% |
| Sales Managers | 960 | 0.88 | $126,890 | $64,110 | $229,990 | -14% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 570 | 1.03 | $125,720 | $100,970 | $154,560 | -5% |
| Lawyers | 730 | 0.56 | $122,870 | $74,090 | $233,770 | -23% |
| Software Developers | 990 | 0.34 | $122,200 | $76,790 | $162,230 | -10% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 930 | 0.92 | $107,300 | $63,490 | $216,450 | -13% |
| Managers, All Other | 680 | 0.64 | $106,440 | $48,160 | $202,740 | -25% |
| Construction Managers | 630 | 0.97 | $106,140 | $60,840 | $176,860 | -8% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,150 | 0.86 | $96,220 | $47,830 | $211,760 | -9% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,150 | 0.63 | $94,720 | $56,300 | $152,300 | -7% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 570 | 0.65 | $85,820 | $61,180 | $127,390 | -19% |
| Registered Nurses | 6,140 | 1.07 | $84,030 | $64,610 | $102,070 | -14% |
| Management Analysts | 950 | 0.62 | $79,990 | $50,240 | $130,490 | -21% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 590 | 1.05 | $78,050 | $63,290 | $119,130 | -26% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,740 | 0.70 | $76,820 | $49,450 | $124,780 | -8% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 1,050 | 0.69 | $76,630 | $43,390 | $125,820 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 1,200 | 1.14 | $75,440 | $47,680 | $114,580 | -6% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 1,170 | 1.43 | $74,810 | $41,600 | $193,920 | +20% |
These figures are for the whole Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,140 (US $50,980); unemployment 5.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.2% |
| Retail trade | 15.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.2% |
| Construction | 6.5% |
| Manufacturing | 5.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 5.0% |
| Other services | 3.8% |
| Information | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Winter Haven lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 790,694 | $44,304 million | $56,032 | 260,590 | 17,281 | $55,697 | +0.7% | 5.2% | 364,459 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 34,979 | 15.1% | $61,302 | 0.94 |
| Retail trade | 31,939 | 13.8% | $38,548 | 1.23 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 28,758 | 12.4% | $53,959 | 2.61 |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,705 | 9.4% | $25,533 | 0.92 |
| Manufacturing | 19,343 | 8.4% | $72,412 | 0.90 |
| Administrative and waste services | 18,421 | 8.0% | $43,732 | 1.20 |
| Construction | 15,465 | 6.7% | $66,274 | 1.13 |
| Wholesale trade | 10,555 | 4.6% | $78,466 | 1.03 |
| Finance and insurance | 10,048 | 4.3% | $78,512 | 0.95 |
| Professional and technical services | 8,364 | 3.6% | $73,919 | 0.46 |
| Management of companies | 6,712 | 2.9% | $96,582 | 1.53 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6,141 | 2.7% | $49,214 | 0.78 |
| Educational services | 5,237 | 2.3% | $46,507 | 0.97 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 4,436 | 1.9% | $35,834 | 1.01 |
| Real estate and rental | 3,936 | 1.7% | $51,135 | 0.97 |
| Information | 2,059 | 0.9% | $62,184 | 0.42 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 1,682 | 0.7% | $45,503 | 0.80 |
| Utilities | 678 | 0.3% | $129,090 | 0.68 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 669 | 0.3% | $98,663 | 0.68 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.2% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 9.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 19.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,648 |
| Income per person | $30,632 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,246 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.1% |
| Median home value | $269,800 |
| Homeowners | 63.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 97.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,140 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.0% |
| Born abroad | 13.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15.0 | 59 | 56 |
| Feb | 17.3 | 63 | 51 |
| Mar | 19.8 | 68 | 64 |
| Apr | 23.0 | 73 | 57 |
| May | 25.9 | 79 | 91 |
| Jun | 27.1 | 81 | 216 |
| Jul | 27.2 | 81 | 198 |
| Aug | 27.2 | 81 | 204 |
| Sep | 25.9 | 79 | 166 |
| Oct | 23.1 | 74 | 67 |
| Nov | 19.3 | 67 | 40 |
| Dec | 17.1 | 63 | 56 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | FL | 14 mi | 119,961 | $64,185 | $1,395 |
| Poinciana | FL | 16 mi | 75,068 | $68,015 | $1,965 |
| Four Corners | FL | 21 mi | 65,048 | $72,879 | $1,847 |
| Plant City | FL | 24 mi | 40,887 | $67,439 | $1,409 |
| Kissimmee | FL | 26 mi | 81,479 | $53,758 | $1,647 |
| Horizon West | FL | 28 mi | 67,416 | $127,335 | $2,464 |
| St. Cloud | FL | 30 mi | 65,130 | $83,174 | $1,683 |
| Valrico | FL | 32 mi | 40,239 | $104,839 | $1,937 |
| Clermont | FL | 33 mi | 46,853 | $82,306 | $1,828 |
| Meadow Woods | FL | 33 mi | 42,852 | $82,744 | $1,906 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
55,200 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,246 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.1% of the median household income.
$59,648 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.2% (BLS county, Polk County (latest month 2026M09)).
Florida. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.