A new study has confirmed what many Lakeland-area residents already know: Women call a lot of the shots here.
The Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area is the No. 1 “Best U.S. City for Women in the Workforce,” according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by background check service Checkr.
The study found that:
- The number of women in management more than doubled in Polk County between 2018 and 2023.
- Local women’s median salary increased by 38% in that 5-year span, more than any of the other 100 largest U.S. metros.
- Although women here annually earn an average of $5,644 less than their male counterparts, the wage gap has shrunk significantly. Polk County women now earn 89 cents for every dollar men make. That puts us well ahead of the Tampa area at 82.6 cents and the Orlando area at 80.7 cents.
- The number of women in the local workforce has grown by 20.9% and the unemployment rate for women has decreased from 5.8% to 3.7%.
Why Lakeland?
A seat at the table: City Commissioner Stephanie Madden said Lakeland has always had a robust civic landscape, with the Junior League, Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis, churches and many volunteer organizations. That ecosystem gave generations of women a chance to “thrive, really feel good about their gifts and talents, and get recognized for those skills,” she said.
“If you think about what makes Lakeland special and why it would be this way? It’s because of relationships. It’s because people trust you. They have witnessed your work ethic — maybe on a board, on a committee or at church,” she said.
She said many local captains of industry invited women they knew and respected to “have a seat at the table,” not in an effort to diversify their organizations but because they recognized their talents.
“And you know, I think after that happens, then it doesn’t have to necessarily be so intentional. It’s more natural.”
“I believe my Junior League involvement was a tremendous platform and springboard for leadership. It taught me how to be an effective consensus builder and community champion and gave me inspirational women like Alice O’Reilly and Sarah McKay to show me the way.”Commissioner Stephanie Madden
Creating pathways for others: Amy Wiggins, president and CEO of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, agreed, saying both relationships and mentoring are key to Lakeland’s success.
“Lakeland is definitely a community that’s built on relationships, and I would say that’s one of our biggest strengths,” Wiggins said. “When folks have the opportunity to really connect on a different level — through civic clubs and churches and philanthropic events — it certainly opens doors that might not exist in other places.”
Mentorship is also an important ingredient, she said. Early trailblazers made a point of reaching back to help other women. But the business community also recognized the value of women’s experiences and expertise and created systems to help cultivate that in the next generation.
Lakeland has many incubators and training programs to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs. Leadership Lakeland, now in its 41st year, is a program that brings people from different spheres of influence together to create connections.
The Chamber also began an affiliation with Athena International in 2019. It hosts an award ceremony annually to recognize women leaders, young professionals and local businesses that provide development opportunities to women.
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LkldNow’s Insight Polk independent reporting initiative is made possible by the Community Indicators Project with funding by GiveWell Community Foundation & United Way of Central Florida. All editorial decisions are made by LkldNow.
Cindy Glover is a reporter for LkldNow, a nonprofit newsroom providing independent local news for Lakeland. Read at LkldNow.com.
