Lakeland Highlands is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Polk County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, Lakeland Highlands had a population of 12,187. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is an affluent residential community located south of the Lakeland city limits, and north of the Mulberry city limits. Lakeland Highlands neighbors Medulla, and together the two communities make up much of what is known as South Lakeland (unincorporated).
The area is addressed to Lakeland, with zip codes 33807, 33812, and 33813. Its schools include, George W. Jenkins Senior High School (named after the founder of Publix Super Markets, based in Lakeland), Scott Lake Elementary, Lakeland Highlands Middle School and Valleyview Elementary. This area has been experiencing high growth for over two decades with new subdivisions being developed every year. Considered part of the Tampa Bay Area, it is becoming a bedroom community of Tampa.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (9.25%) is water.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Lakeland Highlands had a population of 12,187. The median age was 46.3 years. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.0 males age 18 and over.
There were 4,677 households in Lakeland Highlands, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 63.6% were married-couple households, 10.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 9,865 || 80.9%
|-
| Black or African American || 449 || 3.7%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 22 || 0.2%
|-
| Asian || 317 || 2.6%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 2 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 267 || 2.2%
|-
| Two or more races || 1,265 || 10.4%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 1,423 || 11.7%
|}
2000 census
As of the census