Florence, SC

Census place 4525810 · pop 40,408

D−47/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in SC
📍 South Carolina ranks #21 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.41% · top 4%
🚽 Inequality0.50 · bottom 11%
Taxes
0.41% property · US 0.99%7.49% sales · US 7.00%up to 6.00% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.5011

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult obesity40.9%15

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

40.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access86.3%17

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

86.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Poverty rate18.9%20

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

18.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Median household income$56,14322

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$56,143 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Physical inactivity30.3%24

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

30.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.2%30

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults12.0%31

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

12.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Homeownership58.4%34

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

58.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult smoking14.7%36

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level93/10038

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

93/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level44 AQI44

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

44 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poor mental health17.3%48

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

17.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Bachelor's degree or higher30.4%51

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

30.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population growth (5yr)+5.0%63

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+5.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Housing cost$211,40068

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$211,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,368/mo77

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,368/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Commute time19 min83

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.41%96

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.41% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Not measured for Florence: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Florence, SC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Florence scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is income inequality. South Carolina overall ranks #21 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Florence, SC expensive to live in?
Florence has a median home value of $211,400 and typical rent around $1,368/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Florence, SC?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.50) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Florence, SC best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.41%) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.