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
Hot Springs
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs53 · Bottom 45%
Growth
68 · Top 22%
vs65 · Top 26%
Climate
76 · Top 14%
vs66 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 37%
vs26 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 44%
vs90 · Bottom 37%
Access
65 · Bottom 30%
vs67 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 16%
vs24 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Florence | Hot Springs | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 199,675 | 100,035 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,443 | $57,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,571 | $34,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 147/sq mi | 148/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,800 | $194,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $934 | $966 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.3% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 25.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.4% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 990 | 315 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.0 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 22.2% | 208.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.3" | 52.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 60 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 45.5 | 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: hurricane, earthquake.
Hot Springs
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Florence
60
Your Score
62
Area Score
Hot Springs
56
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Florence, SC Metro Area · Hot Springs, AR Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology