Lakewood highlight
Classic post-WWII planned suburb
A planned post-war suburban community incorporated in 1954 and pioneering an innovative model of municipal service delivery called the Lakewood Plan.
Lakewood was developed as a comprehensive planned community beginning in the late 1940s. The vision was to create dignified, accessible suburban living through coordinated community development. In 1954, Lakewood incorporated as a city, becoming the nation's first 'contract city,' pioneering a model where the municipality contracts for services rather than providing them directly. The founding emphasized cooperation across cultural and ethnic lines to build a functional suburban municipality.
The Lakewood Plan proved successful and influential, demonstrating that an efficient approach to local governance was possible through contractual service delivery. The model became nationally significant and was adopted by other municipalities seeking to manage growth and maintain fiscal discipline. Today's Lakewood reflects its planned origins: approximately 85 percent of homes are single-family detached houses, with about 36,000 trees lining the streets and parks across the city's 9.5 square miles.
For families who chose Lakewood for its planned communities, good schools, and stable neighborhoods, life insurance plays a practical role. A term policy that covers your mortgage and the years your children are at home means your family can stay in the community you've chosen, regardless of what happens to you. That's what makes comparing actual monthly rates—rather than guessing—so important for your household.