Lake Alfred is a city in central Polk County, Florida, within the Lakeland–Winter Haven metropolitan area. It sits along the U.S. 17/92 corridor between Lakeland and Haines City, about five miles north of downtown Winter Haven, in a landscape of flatland and gently rolling hills dotted with lakes. The city lies among the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes, and its waterfront setting is central to its identity, shaping both recreation and the pattern of its residential streets. The community developed with the late-1880s arrival of the railroad between Sanford and Tampa, growing around lumber, turpentine, and later citrus. It incorporated as the City of Fargo in 1913 and adopted the name Lake Alfred in 1915. Citrus became the defining industry, and the city remains home to the University of Florida's Citrus Research and Education Center, a leading institution for citrus science that dates to the early twentieth century and continues to anchor agricultural research in the region. Today Lake Alfred has a population of about 6,400 and functions as a quieter residential community between two larger cities. Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve provides public lakeside recreation with trails, a playground, and a dock on Lake Rochelle, while the chain of lakes supports boating and fishing. Public schools are operated by Polk County Public Schools, including Lake Alfred Elementary and the Discovery Academy campuses. U.S. 17/92 links the city to Lakeland, Winter Haven, and Haines City, and Interstate 4 lies a short drive away, placing both Tampa and Orlando within convenient reach. The combination of lake access, citrus heritage, and central-Florida convenience defines living in Lake Alfred.