Signals
Sumter
Florence
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 45%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs89 · Top 33%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Sumter | Florence | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,053 | 41,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,592 | $52,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,338 | $31,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,299/sq mi | 1,540/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,100 | $196,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,076 | $820 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.2% | 52.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.8" | 57.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.32 | 16.16 | 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
Sumter
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Florence
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Sumter, SC · Florence, AL · How this is calculated: methodology