What it's like to live in Florence
Florence is a small city in Kentucky with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, a growing population, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Florence deals with cold winters and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Florence compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Florence
Based on Florence's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,658
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,160 a year
- 39% of Florence renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,140
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,070
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,329/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,329 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $210,700. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $210,700 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 40% below US
199 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2351/100k · Florence Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 10% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 27% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is William Howard Taft National Historic Site (12 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Florence's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit. A year of median rent ($1,329/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Florence
All Kentucky guides →Moving to Burlington →
5 mi away · pop. 18,008
Rent $1,489/mo · Income $109,308
Compare with Florence →Moving to Independence →
6 mi away · pop. 29,392
Rent $1,250/mo · Income $102,361
Compare with Florence →Not sure Florence is the one?
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