Affordable Florence Storage Units

Moving and storage go hand in hand. Whether traveling across town or the country, moving is an exciting and fresh start. While Storage Rentals of America is here to help you with all your storage needs, we also want to help you get familiar with the area. That's why we put together this resource guide for Florence.

About Florence, South Carolina

The City of Florence is the county seat for Florence County. Florence is 83 miles east of Columbia on the I-20 freeway. It is only 16 miles west of the Great Pee Dee River. The city sprung up in the late 1800s as a major transportation hub because of the proximity to the river and the two national rail lines that met at Florence. Currently, the population of Florence is around 38,000. The median age in the city is 39 years old, the same as the state's average. About half of the young adults are married. Many have children. The city is a nice place to raise kids or to relax in retirement.

What To Do in Florence

The Pee Dee River is very nice for fishing. It has many hydroelectric power dams, so there are wonderfully calm parts of the river for enjoyable fishing trips. The river runs from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the north to Georgetown, South Carolina, to the south, where it flows into Winyah Bay.

Florence has a nice Visitors Information Center located at 3290 W. Radio Drive for people new to the area. A unique collection of about 20 restaurants is part of the SC Pecan Trail. These restaurants all have special dishes and drinks made with pecan. The pecan pie and the pecan martini are delicious local treats.

Francis Marion University, Performing Arts Center, has the Florence Symphony and concerts of major artists on tour, musicals, and dramatic plays at the Florence Little Theater. Race fans will enjoy the event at the Darlington Raceway.

Working in Florence

Florence's unemployment rate is 3.6%, 0.3% lower than the national average of 3.9%. The city's job market has grown 0.4% in the past 12 months. The job growth rate over the next decade is projected at 29.9%, around 4% lower than the national average of 33.5%. The economy of Florence has changed significantly between the 20th and 21st centuries. It used to be a predominantly agricultural and railroad-based economy but to stay on top of the modern economy, the city now specializes in medicine, commerce, and transportation to become a major industrial center.

Florence Neighborhoods

Here are the neighborhoods in Florence with the nicest homes:

• Danwood/Elm: In this neighborhood, the median home price is $155,991
• Back Swamp/Gregg Camp: In this neighborhood, the median home price is $169,579
• Muldrow Mill: In this neighborhood, the median home price is $173,531
• Oakdale: In this neighborhood, the median home price is $183,778
• Ebenezer: In this neighborhood, the median home price is $193,945

Florence School District

Florence Public School District One governs all the public schools in the city. The public school system is composed of 18 schools. 12 are middle schools, and 6 are middle or high schools. There are around 14,500 actively enrolled students in the public school system. The public school system is highly rated and has won several accolades for its accomplishments. In the K-12 sphere, there are also six private schools in the area. Among them are faith-based or Montessori-style schools.

Regarding higher education, residents have access to 10 institutions of higher learning in a 50-mile radius around the city. The most prominent of these institutions are Florence Darlington Technical College and Francis Marion University.

Moving to Florence Resource Guide

Driver's License and Auto Registration: Go to the nearest office of the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles to get a new driver's license, an ID, and to register your vehicles.

Electricity and Natural Gas: Services are provided by South Carolina Electric & Gas.

Water and Sewer Services: Offered by the City of Florence. Download an application for a new account, then go to the office at 324 West Evans Street during business hours.

Garbage Pick-Up and Recycling: Services are provided by the City of Florence Sanitation Department. The telephone number is 843-665-3296.

Telephone Service: Providers are listed at Wirefly.

Internet and Television: Choices are listed at CableTV.com.

Florence Municipal Government and Parks: The City of Florence has its office at 324 West Evans Street. The public parks are taken care of by the Parks & Recreation Department. There are many programs for sports. Timrod Park has tennis courts, playgrounds for children, picnic areas, a theater, and attractive gardens.The Legion Baseball Stadium is great for Little League and intramural games. The Freedom Florence Recreation Complex has fields for softball, football, soccer and plenty of walking/jogging trails around a five-acre lake. The Barnes Street Activity Center has a gym for teens and adults to use.

Florence Housing

Florence, South Carolina households have a median income that matches the state's $49,000. The median price for a house is $155,700, which is about 8% higher than other cities in the state. Many homes are owner-occupied, with only 42% available for a median monthly rent of $755. This rent is 11% lower than the rents found n other cities in South Carolina.

Florence is a great town for families just starting because the rents are modest. Many rent a home for a few years until they can afford to buy one. Those who visit and decide to stay become a part of a thriving community. They enjoy the pace of life in Lawrence and want their kids to grow up in this nice small town.