A growing small-town city along the Tennessee River
Florence is a small city along the Tennessee River with a rich music history and southern charm. Its rolling hills were the birthplace of the Father of the Blues, W.C. Handy, and his legacy lives on in the city’s music scene today. “We’re proud to say you can find live music somewhere in the city every night of the week,” says Rob Carnegie, CEO at Visit the Shoals. Carnegie says Florence is the largest of the four cities in the Shoals region, and “we’re only getting bigger.” With an expanding Industrial Park and new economic incentive programs, the Northwest Alabama city has a steadily increasing population of about 42,000. “We’re starting to focus more on the tourism industry too,” Carnegie says, “adding new parks and rec facilities and holding more events that will draw people in.” Despite the recent growth and developments, he adds, “Florence still has that slow, quiet, southern pace of life.”
Boat lovers can cast off on the Tennessee River all year round in Florence.
Flobama in downtown Florence offers live music and dining throughout the week.
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Historic Queen Annes and midcentury ranch-style homes
The median home sale price is around $240,000 in Florence. This falls far below the national median, but about 10% above the state’s median. Craftsman bungalows, American Foursquares and Queen Annes from the early 1900s cluster around the downtown district. Midcentury ranch-style homes and split levels are found throughout the city in neighborhoods like Edgemont and Creekwood. Larger ranch-style houses in Hickory Hills can range up to $650,000.
Large Queen Anne homes have beautiful ornamentation and are well kept in Florence.
The bungalow was a popular home to build in the 1920s in Downtown Florence.
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Annual music festivals and the Alabama Renaissance Faire
Annual festivals and events showcase the city’s rich music history and arts scene. Each summer, the W.C. Handy Music Festival celebrates the legacy of W.C. Handy, a Florence native and the ‘Father of the Blues.’ The Alabama Renaissance Faire draws about 35,000 attendees to Downtown Florence each October.
WC Handy was born in Florence and is known as the Father of the Blues.
Wilson Park is home to many events throughout the year in Florence.
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Riverside parks, a community sportsplex and a public golf course
Florence’s parks provide plenty of space for folks to explore the Tennessee Valley. Boat ramps and fishing piers lead straight into the Tennessee River from McFarland Park. As the city’s largest green space, it hosts some major events including the annual 4th of July Spirit of Freedom Celebration and Shoals Fest. The city received over $400,000 to improve campsites and picnic areas around the park in 2024. That same year, a splash pad, amphitheater and accessible playground opened at River Heritage Park. More fishing spots and a farm-themed playscape are on the northside of Florence, at Deibert Park. From here, Blackberry Trail Golf Course is just 2 miles up the road. The Florence-Lauderdale Farmers Market takes place each summer at Cox Creek Park. While the University of North Alabama’s softball team practices here, local youth sports leagues compete across the city at the Florence Sportsplex.
Blackberry Trail Golf Course has gorgeous greens to play 18-holes with friends in Florence.
Fisherman can cast their reel at McFarland Park on the Tennessee River in Florence.
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Small businesses along Court Street, national retailers on Cox Creek Parkway
Court Street in Downtown Florence is the city’s main shopping and dining district. Barbeque joints, old-school ice cream parlors and a couple of cafes occupy the storefronts along this walkable strip. Dive bars and rustic taverns host live music performances every night of the week. A handful of boutiques and knick-knack shops are sprinkled between more local restaurants further down the road. Along the east side of Florence, Cox Creek Parkway is the city’s main commercial corridor with big box stores, national retailers and chain eateries.
Banqet Patisserie serves freshly made daily pastries and coffee in Downtown Florence.
Court Street in Downtown Florence is very walkable for families.
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Cox Creek Parkway connects the City of Florence
Cox Creek Parkway forms a large loop around Florence, making it easy to drive anywhere in the city. It links to the city’s two main highways, Alabama State Road 157 and U.S. Highway 72. From SR 157, folks can easily access the North Alabama Medical Center or head across the Tennessee River to visit all the music venues in Muscle Shoals. The Northwest Alabama Regional Airport is also right across the river, offering daily flights to Charlotte, NC. U.S. 72 is a direct throughway to Huntsville, which sits about 75 miles east.
Florence City Schools earn an A on Niche
The Florence City School System earns an overall A on Niche and serves approximately 4,600 students. In 2024, the district changed its K-fourth grade elementary schools and intermediate school model to a K-sixth grade model. Today, there are five elementary schools, one middle school, a freshman center and one high school. The University of North Alabama stands at the end of Court Street in Downtown Florence.
Florence Middle School enrolls over 600 students every year in Florence.
The University of North Alabama has a 130 acre campus near Downtown Florence.
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Climate and Crime in Florence
Florence has a year-round climate typical for the South, with hot, muggy summers and short, mild winters.
Recent crime data is not readily available. According to the Florence Police Department, the city experienced 189 violent crimes and 1,703 property crimes in 2017. That same year, the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office reported 244 violent crimes and 2,001 property crimes.
On average, homes in Florence, AL sell after 34 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Florence, AL over the last 12 months is $240,000, up 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Sid Pugh has been servicing the Huntsville and Madison real estate market for over forty years and is the team leader for The Pugh Group at RE/MAX Alliance. The Pugh Group is a full-service real estate team consisting of six Realtor Partners and three full-time support team members. They offer property management services, a new home division, and marketing and sales for residential and commercial properties.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
