Signals
Florence
Merriam
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs57 · Top 48%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs66 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs91 · Top 30%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs77 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Florence | Merriam | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,803 | 11,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,003 | $73,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,622 | $44,272 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,935/sq mi | 2,568/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,700 | $263,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,329 | $1,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.5% | 60.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.4% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 6.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.3" | 38.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Merriam
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Florence, KY · Merriam, KS · How this is calculated: methodology