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Florence vs Union

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (6.9× in Florence) and home values (2× in Union).

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Florence, KYOne of the healthiest townsKentucky · 32,803 people
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Union, KYHomes around $464KKentucky · 7,642 people
Swap order
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.

FlorenceOne of the healthiest towns
Health53% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#34 most walkable in KY3.7 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 88%of KY districts All about Florence →
UnionHomes around $464K
Housing$464K typical home99% above the KY typical home Schools#6 for schools in KYof 126 towns HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Union →
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.

Jobs per worker6.9×
Florence is more of a job hub
Florence 2.07Union 0.30
Home values2×
Homes cost more in Union
Union $411,500Florence $210,700
Growth since 2010+31.2 pts
Union has grown faster since 2010
Union +37.9%Florence +6.7%
Household income+93%
Households in Union earn more
Union $136,712Florence $71,003
Property tax bill2×
Tax bills are bigger in Union
Union $3,768Florence $1,842
Trails3.4×
Florence has more miles of trail
Florence 3.7 miUnion 1.1 mi
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,070 more a month in Union

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$1,720/mo
Typical home $288K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $1,329/mo · Housing →
Union$2,780/mo
Typical home $464K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.92% · or rent about $1,657/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,070 a month, about $12,800 a year, between Union and Florence.

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

Union places higher on 11 of 20 KY lists

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

Safety
C−FlorenceSafer than 16% of U.S. towns –UnionNot graded
Schools
AFlorenceBetter than 88% of districts in the state AUnionBetter than 88% of districts in the state
Health
B−FlorenceHealthier than 47% of U.S. towns A−UnionHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns
7Florence
11Union

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 126 towns #67#6 Most educatedPeople · 145 towns #69#8 Lowest obesityHealth · 144 towns #88#31 Fastest growingGrowth · 143 towns #60#6 Most affordableCost of living · 143 towns #85#138 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 144 towns #57#4 Most remote workersWork · 144 towns #54#4 Lowest property taxCost of living · 143 towns #90#136

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

Where they are

Florence and Union share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

FlorenceUnionFlorenceUnion
Florence ↔ Union3.5 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
651 Union residents work in Florence (15.5% of its workers)
Work & commute in Union →
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
FlorenceUnion
Snow a year23″23″
January low23°F23°F
July high86°F86°F
Growing season (days)188d188d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)16th37th
Outdoors & history
FlorenceUnion
Trails4 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.6%1.7%
Settled18301838
National Register places65
Archive photos16—
Famous people born here5—
Community
FlorenceUnion
Library hours a week55 hrs—
Colleges in town2—
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.

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.

FlorenceUnion
People
Population 32,803Highest 7,642Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.7%Lowest KY: +3.8% +37.9%Highest KY: +3.8%
Median age 38.9±2.1Lowest about the KY average 39.5±4Highest about the KY average
Union and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.7%±2.2Lowest KY: 22.6% 26%±5.5Highest KY: 22.6%
Union and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.6%±1.9Highest KY: 17.3% 14.9%±3.7Lowest KY: 17.3%
Florence and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.4%Lowest KY: 27.6% 58.9%Highest KY: 27.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±0.9Lowest KY: 5.5% 7.5%±3.7Highest KY: 5.5%
Union and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,003±$4kLowest 11% above KY $136,712±$9kHighest 115% above KY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $210,700±$12kLowest about the KY average $411,500±$27kHighest 100% above KY
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,329±$50Lowest 37% above KY $1,657±$554Highest 71% above KY
Union and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,842Lowest 19% above KY $3,768Highest 144% above KY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.7%±6Lowest KY: 45.4% 41.3%±33.6Highest KY: 45.4%
Union and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.5%Highest KY: 16.1% 2.9%Lowest KY: 16.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.5%Lowest KY: 68.3% 82.5%Highest KY: 68.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Lowest 3 yrs newer than KY 2007Highest 25 yrs newer than KY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest about the KY average 26 minHighest 10% above KY
Work from home 11.4%±2.6Lowest KY: 10.2% 21.8%±7.1Highest KY: 10.2%
Work in townworking residents 17.1%Highest 1.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.8 miLowest 9.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.07Highest 0.30Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Cincinnati (8%)Florence (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Union16% work in Florence
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.6%Lowest 1.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 3.7 miHighest 1.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 mi 0.3 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 9Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 69.1Highest 59.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #67 of 126 in KY#6 of 126 in KY
School district Boone CountyBoone County
High school in town Boone County High SchoolLarry A. Ryle High School
Students per teacherat that high school 14.6Lowest 18.6Highest
Kentucky 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.

Union neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Union’s Town Square.

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Set another town beside Florence and Union

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Bordering Florence

O
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Oakbrook10,211 people · $261K homes
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Erlanger19,875 people · $209K homes

Towns like Florence

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Paducah26,845 people · $165K homes
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Covington41,110 people · $187K homes
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Owensboro60,302 people · $179K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Kentucky towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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