Florence, South Carolina

Florence
Aerial view of the Florence Center
Nicknames: 
Flo-Town, The Magic City
Motto: 
"Full Life. Full Forward."
Location in South Carolina
Coordinates: 34°08′58″N 79°47′20″W / 34.14944°N 79.78889°W / 34.14944; -79.78889
CountryUnited States
StateSouth Carolina
CountyFlorence
IncorporatedDecember 24, 1890
Founded byJerome P. Chase
Named afterFlorence Harllee
Area
 • City
23.49 sq mi (60.83 km2)
 • Land23.39 sq mi (60.59 km2)
 • Water0.093 sq mi (0.24 km2)  0.38%
Elevation
121 ft (37 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City
39,899
 • Density1,705.4/sq mi (658.47/km2)
 • Urban
89,436 (US: 335th)
 • Urban density1,314/sq mi (507.5/km2)
 • Metro
199,630 (US: 233rd)
 • Demonym
Florentine
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
29501–29506
Area codes843, 854
FIPS code45-25810
GNIS feature ID2403621
Websitewww.cityofflorence.com

Florence /ˈflɒrəns/ is a city in and the county seat of Florence County, South Carolina, United States. It lies at the intersection of Interstates 20 and 95 and is the eastern terminus of the former. It is the primary city within the Florence metropolitan area. The area forms the core of the historical Pee Dee region of South Carolina, which includes the eight counties of northeastern South Carolina, along with sections of southeastern North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 39,899, making it the 10th-most populous city in the state.

Florence is one of the major cities in South Carolina. In 1965, Florence was named an All-American City, presented by the National Civic League. The city was founded as a railroad hub and became the junction of three major railroad systems, including the Wilmington and Manchester, the Northeastern, and the Cheraw and Darlington.