Lake City is a city in Columbia County, Florida, home to about 12,515 people across 12 square miles. Its ZIP code is 32055, and parts of 32024 and 32025 are in Lake City too.
Homes sold for a median of $164 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly Lake City; also Watertown and Five Points
Part is in Lake City
Part is in Lake City, part in Watertown
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Lake City. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Lake City’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Lake City well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)59 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV)42 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Jacksonville, FL59 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Houston, TX763 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Lake City; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Lake City had 12,329 residents in the 2020 census, up 24% since 2000.
It’s the 305th largest of 954 towns in Florida by population.
Columbia County grew from 17,094 residents in 1900 to 69,698 in 2020.
Columbia County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 90°F in summer, and winter lows average 41°F. About 54.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Lake City 2 E, FL weather station (3 miles away).
20,689 jobs at 1,492 businesses in Columbia County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
187 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Lake City.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 23 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 28 |
| Dentists | 8 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 89 |
| Mental health providers | 27 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 8 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 14 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (10 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1821.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Columbia. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont AcademyLake City | Pre-K–12 | 828 | Charter | 10.4 mi |
| Columbia City Elementary SchoolLake City | Pre-K–5 | 585 | Public | 10.3 mi |
| Eastside Elementary SchoolLake City | Pre-K–5 | 655 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Five Points Elementary SchoolLake City | Pre-K–5 | 349 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Melrose Park Elementary SchoolLake City | Pre-K–5 | 635 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Pinemount Elementary SchoolLake City | Pre-K–5 | 448 | Public | 6.9 mi |
| Prek EseLake City | Pre-K | 7 | Special Education | 2.1 mi |
| Summers Elementary SchoolLake City | Pre-K–5 | 492 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| Westside Elementary SchoolLake City | Pre-K–5 | 695 | Public | 5.9 mi |
| Columbia Virtual Instruction ProgramLake City | K–12 | — | Public | 2.1 mi |
| Columbia Virtual FranchiseLake City | 6–12 | — | Public | 2.1 mi |
| Pathways AcademyLake City | 6–12 | 94 | Alternative Education | 2.1 mi |
| Richardson Sixth Grade AcademyLake City | 6 | 455 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Lake City Middle SchoolLake City | 7–8 | 809 | Public | 3.0 mi |
| Columbia High SchoolLake City | 9–12 | 1,711 | Public | 4.9 mi |
| Columbia Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided)Lake City | 9–12 | — | Public | 2.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Learning AcademyLake City | Pre-K–12 | 24 | Nonsectarian | 7.2 mi |
| Cambridge Prep AcademyLake City | Pre-K–12 | 185 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 4.6 mi |
| Kingdom Culture AcademyLake City | Pre-K–6 | 69 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 7.9 mi |
| Lake City Christian AcademyLake City | Pre-K–12 | 231 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 7.8 mi |
| North Florida Arts & Sciences AcademyLake City | Pre-K–11 | 55 | Other religious | 1.7 mi |
| Epiphany Catholic SchoolLake City | K–8 | 128 | Roman Catholic | 3.9 mi |
| Faith AcademyLake City | K–11 | 7 | Nonsectarian | 3.9 mi |
| First AcademyLake City | K–10 | 19 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.4 mi |
| Hart 2 Hart Christian AcademyLake City | K–12 | 190 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 6.5 mi |
| Joy Explosion Christian AcademyLake City | K–7 | 11 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 7.8 mi |
| New Generation SchoolLake City | K–12 | 358 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 4.1 mi |
| Springville Preparatory AcademyLake City | K–12 | 12 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 3.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Lake City? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Watertown and Five Points.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.