Skip to main content
Clear icon
49º

Watch out! These are the most gator-infested lakes in Florida

Lake George, Lake Jesup listed in top 5

No description found

With over 1 million alligators estimated to live in Florida, it’s not a surprise to find one living in a body of water near you.

However, some lakes carry more alligators than others.

Recommended Videos



Earlier this year, A-Z Animals released its list of the most alligator-infested lakes in Florida.

The top lake on the list was Lake Okeechobee, which makes sense, as it’s the largest lake in the state with a surface area of over 700 square miles.

According to the ranking, it’s large enough that researchers performing the alligator census have to break it up into different regions.

While Lake Okeechobee takes the top spot, there are still plenty of others to be wary of. The full ranking is as follows:

RankLakeCounty/CountiesNo. of Gators
1Lake OkeechobeeGlades/Hendry/Martin/
Okeechobee/Palm Beach
9,308
2Orange LakeAlachua2,732
3Lake GeorgeVolusia2,660
4Lake JesupSeminole2,414
5Lake KissimmeeOsceola2,065
6Lake IstokpogaHighland1,321
7Lake HatchinehaPolk1,287
8Kenansville LakeIndian River1,188
9Lake RousseauLevy708
10Newnan’s LakeAlachua657
11Lake ApopkaOrange634
12Lake PanasoffkeeSumter576
13Lake HancockPolk559
14Lake GriffinLake534
15Blue Cypress LakeIndian River499
16Lake MiccosukeeJefferson472
17Lochloosa LakeAlachua338
18Lake PiercePolk314
19Lake MarionOsceola275
20Lake SeminolePinellas238
21Crescent LakePutnam214
22Lake WeohyakapkaPolk168
23Lake ArbucklePolk168
24Lake DexterPolk166
25Lake LamoniaLeon144
26Lake MonroeVolusia138
27Johns LakeOrange124
28Lake WimicoGulf113
29Lake HicpocheeGulf109
--Alligator Lake
(Honorable Mention)
Osceola47

As a reminder: it’s against state law to kill or harass an alligator without a permit, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission generally suggests that people try to leave the animals alone if they’re able.

For more information on how to avoid alligator attacks or keep safe during encounters, click here.

Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: