Winter Haven today
| Typical value | Typical rent | Gross yield | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single family house | $277,000 | $1,920 | 8.3% |
| Condo or townhome (apartment rent) | $132,000 | $1,450 | 13.2% |
What this means
Values in Winter Haven are down 2.4% over the past year, now 9.8% below the Sep 2022 peak.
House gross yield today: 8.3% (close to Florida houses at 8.1%). The specific deal (price, condition, HOA) decides cash flow.
A specific house can rent above or below these figures, so pull rental comps for the address. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Winter Haven | vs Polk County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 62,313 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 23.9% | +3.2 pts | +15.0 pts |
| Median home value | $269,800 | 1% higher | 25% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,246 | 9% lower | 25% lower |
| Median household income | $59,648 | 10% lower | 20% lower |
| Gross rent yield | 5.54% | −0.6 pts | same |
| Owner occupied homes | 63.7% | −6.8 pts | −3.9 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 19.3% | −0.2 pts | −2.0 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 28 | 7% lower | 1% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 23.6% | +5.7 pts | +9.4 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,247 | 16% higher | 18% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Winter Haven
Polk County city about 47 miles southwest of Orlando, the Chain of Lakes City, incorporated in 1923.
Winter Haven is a city with its own government, located in Polk County.
Known for: Chain of Lakes; Legoland Florida; first Publix (1930)
Getting around and growth: US 17, State Road 540 and an Amtrak station serve the city.
Against the Polk County averages, fewer homes are owner occupied (63.7% vs 70.5%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (16.4% vs 9.3%); housing is newer (23.6% built since 2010 vs 17.9%) and rent runs lower ($1,246 vs $1,363 countywide).
Ranked against 150 Florida cities: number 140 by home value, 73 by gross rent yield, 135 by income.
If you like the numbers here, also look at Titusville ($266,600, $1,334), Haines City ($288,900, $1,224), Fort Pierce ($250,800, $1,217).
Growth and housing
The Census estimates 62,313 residents in 2025, up from 50,288 in 2020: 23.9% growth.
| 2025 building permits | Winter Haven |
|---|---|
| Single family | 744 |
| 5 or more units | 260 |
| Total units | 1,036 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 16.6 |
23.6% of homes are 2010 or newer, so HOA dues and CDD assessments are common. CDD fees
Half the homes are older than 1990. Most housing is single family (65.6%). Average household size is 2.67.
Each year about 4.6% of residents arrive from other states.
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,767 a year |
33.8% of homes predate 1980: expect four point inspections. Inspections
Flood, storms and jobs
Flood premiums in Winter Haven get a 10% discount in high risk zones because the city holds CRS class 8. Insured homes in the city filed 48 flood claims since 2000, with $310,080 paid. The Polk County guide covers storms, flood claims and employers; 3.9% of county homes are in high risk flood zones.
Buying a home in Winter Haven
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $269,800 |
Homes cost 4.5 times median household income here (Polk County 4.0, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: $271,487 of room between the median home and the FHA limit.
Sample FHA payment at $269,800
| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Principal and interest (7.32%, 3.5% down) | $1,820 |
| Property tax (0.83%) | $187 |
| Insurance (county average) | $231 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $121 |
| Total before HOA or CDD | $2,358 |
| Income needed at a 45% debt ratio | $62,890 a year |
Example, not a quote. Assumptions. Down payment help: Florida Housing.
Investing in Winter Haven
| Rental math at the median | Value |
|---|---|
| Price / rent | $269,800 / $1,246 |
| Estimated net cap rate | 2.4% to 3.1% |
| DSCR at 25% down | 0.69 |
| Down payment for DSCR 1.0 | 56% down |
| Down payment for DSCR 1.25 | 69% down |
Long term rentals
| Winter Haven | vs Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 36.3% | +6.8 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 3.7% | −1.4 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 36.2% | +3.9 pts |
Short term rentals
6.2% of homes are held for seasonal or vacation use (Polk County 8.5%).
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 5% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Get the zoning and HOA answer in writing before you count on nightly income. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 65.6% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 16.4% |
| Manufactured homes | 6.2% |
Nearby
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). checked October 2026.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes and apartments, smoothed. September 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.