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Florence vs Sumter

Florence, South Carolina versus Sumter, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Florence

Mixed · objective livability45/100

Sumter

Mixed · objective livability45/100

Florence and Sumter score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorFlorenceSumter
Affordability
Median Household Income$56k$49k
Cost of Living$45k$45k
Home Value$176k$171k
Monthly Rent$868$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$1k
Property Tax Rate0.44%0.63%
Income Tax6.40%6.40%
Sales Tax7.50%7.50%
Estimated total tax burden10.25%11.09%
Unemployment4.8%7.8%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)46°F47°F
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F83°F
Annual Precipitation49.6 in50.9 in
Annual Snowfall0.4 in0.3 in
Sunny Days263 days234 days
Summer Humidity71°F70°F
Comfortable Days83 days82 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk74.369.1
Air Quality50 AQI40 AQI
School Quality57.440.4
Violent Crime3678/100k2908/100k
Property Crime5575/100k3163/100k
Community
Population39,93143,046
Median Age38.033.1
Racial Diversity0.560.60
Male/Female Ratio0.840.96
Political LeaningEvenD+13
White (%)42.6%39.5%
Black (%)50.3%47.1%
Hispanic (%)2.4%7.3%
Asian (%)2.7%2.1%
Other / Multiracial (%)1.9%4.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time19 min19 min
Walkability8.6/207.0/20
Airport Distance89 mi74 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access77.8%82.8%
Amenities Nearby38.5716.03
Park & Nature AccessLimitedExcellent

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Florence or Sumter more affordable?
Sumter has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Florence's $45k and Sumter's $45k. Median rent is $868 in Florence versus $1k in Sumter.
Is Florence or Sumter safer?
Sumter has the lower violent crime rate. Florence reports 3678/100k and Sumter reports 2908/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Florence or Sumter?
The median home value is $176k in Florence and $171k in Sumter, so homes are more affordable in Sumter.
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