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Florence vs La Junta

89 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.1× in Florence) and street grid (2.7× in La Junta).

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Florence, COKnown for its schoolsColorado · 3,885 people
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La Junta, COHomes around $164KColorado · 7,140 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

FlorenceKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 68%of CO districts Housing$281K typical home47% below the CO typical home SafetySafer than 31%of U.S. towns we grade All about Florence →
La JuntaHomes around $164K
Housing$164K typical home69% below the CO typical home Outdoors#19 most walkable in CO0.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade All about La Junta →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill2.1×
Tax bills are bigger in Florence
Florence $1,179La Junta $562
Street grid2.7×
La Junta has the more walkable street grid
La Junta 120Florence 45.1
Work in town+26.2 pts
More of La Junta’s workers stay in town
La Junta 39.3%Florence 13.1%
Jobs per worker+83%
La Junta is more of a job hub
La Junta 1.06Florence 0.58
Average commute5 min
La Junta has the shorter commute
Florence 28 minLa Junta 22 min
Growth since 2010+5 pts
La Junta has grown faster since 2010
La Junta +3.5%Florence -1.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $680 more a month in Florence

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Florence$1,580/mo
Typical home $281K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.47% · or rent about $754/mo · Housing →
La Junta$900/mo
Typical home $164K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.29% · or rent about $642/mo · Housing →

The difference: $680 a month, about $8,200 a year, between Florence and La Junta.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

La Junta places higher on 11 of 21 CO lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Colorado ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CFlorenceSafer than 31% of U.S. towns DLa JuntaSafer than 5% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+FlorenceBetter than 68% of districts in the state C−La JuntaBetter than 24% of districts in the state
Health
C+FlorenceHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns CLa JuntaHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns
10Florence
11La Junta

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 160 towns #125#19 SafestSafety · 83 towns #38#74 Lowest depressionHealth · 160 towns #138#76 Shortest commuteGetting around · 160 towns #116#55 Highest graduation rateSchools · 142 towns #10#64 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 160 towns #98#157 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 160 towns #102#148 Lowest obesityHealth · 160 towns #108#150

Left end = #1 in Colorado. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Florence’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
FlorenceLa Junta
Snow a year38″34″
January low18°F17°F
July high89°F93°F
Growing season (days)153d171d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)92nd67th
Outdoors & history
FlorenceLa Junta
Trails—1 mi
Conserved land—1.4%
Settled—1881
National Register places49
Archive photos1223
Famous people born here10—
Community
FlorenceLa Junta
Library hours a week35 hrs49 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

89 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FlorenceCOLa JuntaCO
Florence ↔ La Junta89 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

FlorenceLa Junta
People
Population 3,885Lowest 7,140Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.5%Lowest CO: +14.8% +3.5%Highest CO: +14.8%
Median age 37.4±7.2Lowest about the CO average 38.2±3.2Highest about the CO average
La Junta and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.5%±5.7Lowest CO: 21% 24.6%±3.9Highest CO: 21%
La Junta and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.2%±3.9Lowest CO: 15.6% 21.5%±4Highest CO: 15.6%
La Junta and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.1%Lowest CO: 45.7% 18%Highest CO: 45.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.7%±3Lowest CO: 6.4% 7.1%±2Highest CO: 6.4%
La Junta and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $50,262±$7kLowest 47% below CO $52,315±$7kHighest 45% below CO
La Junta and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $249,700±$26kHighest 54% below CO $194,800±$40kLowest 64% below CO
Florence and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $754±$270Highest 57% below CO $642±$202Lowest 64% below CO
Florence and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,179Highest 55% below CO $562Lowest 78% below CO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.7%±23.3Highest CO: 52.9% 45.1%±16.3Lowest CO: 52.9%
Florence and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.2%Lowest CO: 9.4% 27.4%Highest CO: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.9%Highest CO: 66.2% 67%Lowest CO: 66.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 14 yrs older than CO 1960Lowest 28 yrs older than CO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 9% above CO 22 minLowest 12% below CO
Work from home 7.8%±6Highest CO: 21% 7.1%±4.1Lowest CO: 21%
Florence and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 13.1%Lowest 39.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.3 miHighest 5.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.58Lowest 1.06Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Cañon City (20%)Colorado Springs (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in La JuntaFew work in Florence
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.4% 1.4%
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 45.1Lowest 120Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #91 of 142 in CO#125 of 142 in CO
School district Fremont Re-2East Otero School District No. R1
High school in town Florence Jr./Sr. High SchoolLa Junta Jr/Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school 14.5Lowest 15.9Highest
Colorado average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Florence neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Florence’s Town Square.

La Junta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Junta’s Town Square.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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