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Aerial view of Western Florence, South CarolinaPhoto: Florence Conventions and Visitors Bureau · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Florence

Florence spent more per resident in 2022 than 88% of similar cities

Florence’s city government spent $75.5 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2023, about $1,888 per resident. That is its newest year reported to the Census Bureau. Water and other utilities ($8.9 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Tomorrow

General election in South Carolina.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2023
$75.5M
year to June 30, 2023
Per resident, 2023
$1,888
In 2022: $1,715, more than 88% of 26 similar cities
Long-term debt
$200.0M
end of FY2023, reported
City staff, 2025
517
full-time · 57 part-time · March payroll $2.5M
Typical tax bill
$860
0.41% of home value · SC 0.48%

What stands out about how Florence is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,715 per resident, more than 88% of 26 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer26% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2023).A shared school districtShares Florence School District 1 with 2 other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Florence’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2023 budget

About $1,888 per resident a year, or $5.17 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 18%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 26%Utility sales 20%Sales taxes 15%Other taxes & licenses 12%Interest, fines & other 8%From other local governments 8%Property taxes 7%From the state 3%From the federal government 2%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $16.6 million; interest on debt $5.5 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $108.2 million.
About “Other”.33% of Florence’s day-to-day spending ($24.9 million) is filed by the Census Bureau outside the named functions above, so the receipt can’t say what it buys.
Compared with similar places

$1,715 per resident in 2022: more than 88% of them

Florence’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,715 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 26 South Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,122, and the middle half spent $798–$1,400. Florence spent more than 88% of them.

Middle half of the group, $798–$1,400Median $1,122Florence

Includes sewer and trash ($20.8 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
26

South Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Florence itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 14% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Florence reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$66 million
2023$75.5 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,715 · 2023: $1,888.

City staff
517

full-time in March 2025, up from 476 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $860 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.41% of the home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

South Carolina$1,251
Florence$860
Quinby$694
$860
typical bill a year
0.41%
effective rate
$211,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Florence’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Florence’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Florence →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Florence

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityofflorence.com for Florence’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Florence yet.cityofflorence.com ↗
Who works for Florence

One full-time city employee for every 77 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2023 finance file (39,958).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Fire110
Sewer & trash98
Police91 + 13 pt
Water & other utilities73
Parks & libraries42 + 33 pt
Administration & buildings35 + 1 pt
Roads & transportation27
Housing & development13 + 2 pt
Courts, inspections & corrections9 + 5 pt
Health & welfare5 + 3 pt
Other14
517
full-time
57
part-time
$2.5M
payroll for March 2025
$29.7M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$56,300
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
80
sworn police officers
108
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Florence had 12.4 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 21 of the 26 South Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 10.4: Florence had more than 67% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Florence School District 1

Florence’s K–12 school district, shared with Quinby, Timmonsville. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Florence →
$14,216
per pupil · SC $15,090
15,910
students
$41.5 million
long-term debt

Of the $14,216 per pupil, $7,862 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 36%State 52%Federal 12%

South Carolina districts overall: 45% local, 43% state, 13% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Florence’s votes are counted by county

South Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Florence alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Florence County’s results.

President · Florence County’s results61,140 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican53.3%32,615 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat45.3%27,706 votes

Others: 1.3% (819 votes).

Most votes in Florence County: Donald J Trump

South Carolina: Trump 58.2%, Harris 40.4%

The county’s page

100% of Florence lies in Florence County. Every 2024 race in Florence County is on the county’s page.

Florence County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Florence

From town hall to Washington

Florence sends 4 representatives to the South Carolina House alone.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofflorence.com ↗
  2. 2
    South Carolina HouseFlorence is split between 4 districts
    Jay JordanTerry AlexanderPhillip LoweJackie Hayes
  3. 3
    South Carolina SenateState senator
    Mike ReichenbachKent Williams
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Henry McMaster
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Russell Fry
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of South Carolina
    Tim ScottDarline Graham
Find your state legislators by address ↗

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Florence compares with the towns next door

Florence spent $1,715 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $438. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Quinby: $438 per resident (2022)QuinbyFlorence
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Quinby$438$694
Florence$1,715$860

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Florence’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofflorence.com ↗

Questions about Florence’s government

How much does Florence spend per resident?

About $1,888 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2023, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,715 was more than 88% of 26 South Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Florence?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $860 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.41% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofflorence.com.

Who runs Florence’s government?

See cityofflorence.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Florence yet.

How did Florence vote in 2024?

South Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Florence alone. Florence County, where 100% of Florence lies, voted Trump 53.3%, Harris 45.3% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Florence?

517 full-time and 57 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $2.5M (about $29.7M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Florence in the state legislature?

Florence is split among 4 State House districts and 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The South Carolina Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Florence?

The next posted meeting is Design Review Board on Wednesday, November 4, at 2:00 pm in City Council Chambers, 324 W Evans St, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Florence’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →