Florence receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Florence
Cleveland
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
73 · Top 13%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 47%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs44 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Florence | Cleveland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,701 | 48,829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,174 | $58,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,735 | $32,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,540/sq mi | 1,570/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $196,300 | $272,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $820 | $1,034 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.1% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 30.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 261 | 433 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 39.6% | -33.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.6" | 55.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 66 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Florence
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Cleveland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Florence, AL · Cleveland, TN · How this is calculated: methodology