Jobs, pay and daily life in Florence, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Florence is a city in Alabama with 41,701 residents. The median household earns $52,174 a year and the median rent is $820 a month, which is 18.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 56,100 jobs.
How Florence compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Florence is #11 by population, #74 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #16 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #18 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Lauderdale County, is #55 of 67 counties for average pay ($46,767).
Florence has 41,701 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Alabama. It covers 27 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,540 people per square mile. The median age is 35.1, 11% younger than the state median (35.1 against 39.3).
The median gross rent is $820 a month (rent plus utilities), 19% below the state median ($820 against $1,007). Over a year that is 18.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $196,300, which is 3.8 times the median household income ($52,174); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 52.1% of households own their home, 26% below the state average (52.1% against 70.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL metropolitan area has 56,100 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $39,740 a year, 22% below the national median ($39,740 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are sales and related (6,200 jobs, median $31,140); food preparation and serving related (6,110 jobs, median $26,520); office and administrative support (5,960 jobs, median $37,520). The area is most specialised in production (1.8 times) and sales and related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($40,770) and office and administrative support ($37,520). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lauderdale County was 4.0%. 59.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lauderdale County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.5% walk, 8.9% work from home. 8.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 40% below the state average (8.8% against 14.7%).
34.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 22% above the state share (34.5% against 28.4%). 4.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 5% above the state share (4.2% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 17.9%, 14% above the state rate (17.9% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.4°C). About 1,394 mm (55 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (141 mm) and Nov the driest (99 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Sheffield (5 miles, similar rent); Muscle Shoals (6 miles, rent 25% higher); Tuscumbia (8 miles, rent 9% lower); Russellville (23 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against Florence; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideLauderdale CountyAlabama rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Alabama (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Alabama →
These figures are for the whole Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $39,740 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.3% |
| Retail trade | 18.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 16.0% |
| Manufacturing | 13.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Construction | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 4.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.8% |
| Other services | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.2% |
| Information | 1.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Florence lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County | 95,830 | $3,929 million | $40,995 | 30,845 | 2,558 | $46,767 | +0.5% | 4.0% | 43,625 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 4,964 | 19.8% | $56,462 | 1.12 |
| Retail trade | 4,946 | 19.8% | $31,722 | 1.61 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,384 | 17.5% | $21,207 | 1.56 |
| Manufacturing | 2,365 | 9.5% | $53,557 | 0.93 |
| Construction | 1,842 | 7.4% | $71,685 | 1.14 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,275 | 5.1% | $67,686 | 1.05 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,064 | 4.3% | $38,155 | 0.59 |
| Finance and insurance | 952 | 3.8% | $72,306 | 0.76 |
| Professional and technical services | 874 | 3.5% | $59,762 | 0.41 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 713 | 2.8% | $40,099 | 0.77 |
| Real estate and rental | 460 | 1.8% | $46,618 | 0.96 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 428 | 1.7% | $16,450 | 0.83 |
| Educational services | 305 | 1.2% | $26,228 | 0.48 |
| Information | 273 | 1.1% | $46,356 | 0.47 |
| Management of companies | 179 | 0.7% | $67,742 | 0.34 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.5% |
| Work from home | 8.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,174 |
| Income per person | $31,735 |
| Median gross rent per month | $820 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.9% |
| Median home value | $196,300 |
| Homeowners | 52.1% |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 84.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $39,740 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 34.5% |
| Born abroad | 4.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.4 | 38 | 112 |
| Feb | 5.4 | 42 | 135 |
| Mar | 10.3 | 51 | 122 |
| Apr | 15.4 | 60 | 124 |
| May | 20.1 | 68 | 123 |
| Jun | 24.4 | 76 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 121 |
| Aug | 26.4 | 80 | 107 |
| Sep | 22.9 | 73 | 100 |
| Oct | 16.3 | 61 | 104 |
| Nov | 9.6 | 49 | 99 |
| Dec | 5.3 | 42 | 141 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield | AL | 5 mi | 9,340 | $39,733 | $829 |
| Muscle Shoals | AL | 6 mi | 16,951 | $75,894 | $1,029 |
| Tuscumbia | AL | 8 mi | 9,115 | $59,143 | $748 |
| Russellville | AL | 23 mi | 10,799 | $58,231 | $685 |
| Lawrenceburg | TN | 34 mi | 11,844 | $42,343 | $775 |
| Athens | AL | 41 mi | 29,002 | $69,922 | $899 |
| Decatur | AL | 42 mi | 57,361 | $61,563 | $896 |
| Pulaski | TN | 44 mi | 8,285 | $48,538 | $835 |
| Corinth | MS | 49 mi | 14,323 | $44,226 | $601 |
| Hartselle | AL | 49 mi | 15,847 | $76,290 | $804 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
41,701 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$820 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.9% of the median household income.
$52,174 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Lauderdale County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.