Florence receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hot Springs
Florence
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 45%
vs49 · Bottom 35%
Growth
65 · Top 26%
vs68 · Top 22%
Climate
66 · Bottom 48%
vs76 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 15%
vs46 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
90 · Bottom 37%
vs93 · Bottom 44%
Access
67 · Bottom 32%
vs65 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
24 · Bottom 15%
vs25 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Hot Springs | Florence | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 100,035 | 199,675 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,181 | $54,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,085 | $32,571 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 148/sq mi | 147/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $194,300 | $170,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $966 | $934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 23.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 315 | 990 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 5.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 208.8% | 22.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.9" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.5 | 39.8 | 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
Hot Springs
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, inland flooding.
Florence
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hot Springs
56
Your Score
56
Area Score
Florence
60
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hot Springs, AR Metro Area · Florence, SC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology