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Florence vs Iuka

214 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.8× in Florence) and home values (+85% in Florence).

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Florence, MSKnown for its schoolsMississippi · 4,696 people
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Iuka, MSA history townMississippi · 3,110 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
Schools#15 for schools in MSof 92 towns Housing$255K typical home29% above the MS typical home Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Florence →
IukaA history town
History18 archive photos & papers13 places on the National Register Housing$202K typical home2% above the MS typical home Work1,856 jobsbased in Iuka, a regional job hub All about Iuka →
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 bill2.8×
Tax bills are bigger in Florence
Florence $1,523Iuka $540
Home values+85%
Homes cost more in Florence
Florence $230,800Iuka $124,700
Age 65++15 pts
Iuka has more people 65 and up
Iuka 25.7%Florence 10.7%
Typical home built30 yrs
Iuka’s homes are older
Florence 1999Iuka 1969
Average commute9 min
Iuka has the shorter commute
Florence 32 minIuka 23 min
Work in town+16 pts
More of Iuka’s workers stay in town
Iuka 21.1%Florence 5.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 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$1,470/mo
Typical home $255K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $923/mo · Housing →
Iuka$1,130/mo
Typical home $202K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.43% · or rent about $664/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,100 a year, between Florence and Iuka.

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

Florence places higher on 10 of 19 MS lists

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

Safety
–FlorenceNot graded B−IukaSafer than 48% of U.S. towns
Schools
A+FlorenceBetter than 95% of districts in the state B+IukaBetter than 72% of districts in the state
Health
C+FlorenceHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns C−IukaHealthier than 17% of U.S. towns
10Florence
8Iuka

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest property taxCost of living · 102 towns #77#2 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 104 towns #98#27 Cheapest rentCost of living · 99 towns #55#9 Highest incomeIncome · 102 towns #9#56 Most affordableCost of living · 102 towns #84#37 Highest graduation rateSchools · 93 towns #6#42 Shortest commuteGetting around · 104 towns #94#55 Best schoolsSchools · 92 towns #15#37

Left end = #1 in Mississippi. 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
FlorenceIuka
Snow a year1″1″
January low37°F30°F
July high92°F90°F
Growing season (days)245d213d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)69th57th
Outdoors & history
FlorenceIuka
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.9%0%
National Register places—13
Archive photos618
Famous people born here4—
Community
FlorenceIuka
Library hours a week42 hrs52 hrs
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

214 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FlorenceMSIukaMS
Florence ↔ Iuka214 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.

FlorenceIuka
People
Population 4,696Highest 3,110Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.4%Highest +3.7%Lowest
Median age 35.4±5.4Lowest 8% below MS 36.9±6.2Highest 4% below MS
Iuka and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.7%±9.4Highest MS: 23.3% 25%±6.3Lowest MS: 23.3%
Florence and Iuka are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.7%±4Lowest MS: 17.2% 25.7%±7Highest MS: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.8%Highest MS: 25.1% 17%Lowest MS: 25.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±3.2Highest MS: 6.1% 3.4%±2.6Lowest MS: 6.1%
Florence and Iuka are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $86,308±$17kHighest 53% above MS $49,290±$23kLowest 13% below MS
Florence and Iuka are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $230,800±$14kHighest 36% above MS $124,700±$23kLowest 27% below MS
Rentmedian gross, monthly $923±$592Highest 3% below MS $664±$255Lowest 30% below MS
Florence and Iuka are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,523Highest 25% above MS $540Lowest 56% below MS
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 58.9%±52.3Highest MS: 51.3% 43.3%±20.1Lowest MS: 51.3%
Florence and Iuka are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.7%Lowest MS: 18.9% 19.6%Highest MS: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.7%Highest MS: 70% 69.3%Lowest MS: 70%
Typical home builtmedian year 1999Highest 13 yrs newer than MS 1969Lowest 17 yrs older than MS
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 23% above MS 23 minLowest 11% below MS
Work from home 4.2%±3.5Lowest MS: 5.9% 4.8%±5Highest MS: 5.9%
Iuka and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.1%Lowest 21.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 20.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.44Lowest 1.55Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Jackson (25%)Corinth (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in IukaFew work in Florence
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 23.8Lowest 27.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #15 of 92 in MS#37 of 92 in MS
School district Rankin County School DistrictTishomingo County School District
High school in town Florence High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 13.4 —
Mississippi 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.

Iuka neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Iuka’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Florence and Iuka

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Florence

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Cleary2,295 people · $166K homes
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Richland7,346 people · $126K homes

Towns like Florence

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Petal11,294 people · $175K homes

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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