Lakeland really takes “Central Florida” to the next level with its almost equidistant location from Tampa to Orlando, not to be confused with Kermit Weeks’ Orlampa. Bookended by two major cities, plus other smaller towns and neighborhoods, Lakeland is home to its fair share of commuters, both entering + leaving the city limits.

Let’s break it down. 

In terms of commute time, Lakelanders fare better than the national average coming in at an estimated 21-minute one-way commute, vs. the US’s average of 26 minutes. To no one’s surprise, 81% of Lakelanders commute by car, with the rest carpooling, working from home, or utilizing mass transit.

And, don’t get us wrong, commuters in this sense aren’t just people commuting out of Lakeland, but commuting into Lakeland as well. With local heavy hitters like Publix + Saddle Creek Logistics, Lakeland made Obrella’s list as the No. 35 best commuter city in the state, beating out Winter Haven by two points. 

Interestingly enough, Polk County tends to house more “super commuters” than neighboring counties like Hillsborough + Orange. In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, super commuters are residents that work in metropolitan areas, but reside outside its boundaries, typically commuting longer distances. 

What did you have to say about your commute?

We took to social media to ask our followers what their commute looks like. Here’s some of what they said:

“Live in North Lakeland & drive to Plant City… I GPS every morning to see the fastest route because I-4 traffic has been horrible lately.” — @sherr_love
“Lakeland to Orlando – always stuck in traffic no matter what time of day!” — @the_original_lindsay_b
“Winter Haven to South Lakeland at 3:30 a.m., piece of cake!” — @dkennedy5299

Are you a commuter to or from Lakeland? Share your experiences with us + read 11 more responses here.

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