Florence Public RecordsSouth Dakota

Florence, Codington County, SD, is primarily car-dependent, with over 90% of commuters driving alone and very limited or no public transit options. Average commute times are short, generally around 20-22 minutes. Vehicle ownership is high, with most households owning two or more vehicles. Transportation infrastructure centers on local roads connecting to US Highway 81 and nearby Watertown, the major employment hub in the region. Biking and walking rates are minimal due to rural layout and limited sidewalks. Carpooling accounts for a small percentage of commutes, typically under 7%.

Florence, Codington County, SD, features a homeownership rate of about 80%, with median home values near $140,000 (2023). Rentals are limited, comprising roughly 20% of housing, and median rents average $800/month. The market has shown stable annual appreciation around 4%. Housing types are predominantly single-family homes, with a few duplexes. Notable neighborhoods include the town center and southern residential blocks. Property taxes average 1.2% of assessed value. Florence offers affordable and steady housing options in a quiet, rural community setting.

Florence, Codington County, SD, is served by Florence School District 14-1, which operates one school (K-12) with about 230 students. The district's average graduation rate is approximately 95%, above state averages. Around 17% of adults in Florence hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. School safety is robust, with zero major incidents reported in recent years. Educational programs emphasize individualized attention and offer some advanced placement and vocational classes, though extracurricular choices are limited due to small enrollment. Academic proficiency scores (2023) were 60% in reading and 45% in math, reflecting the district’s ongoing focus on improvement.

Florence, Codington County, SD, is a small rural community with limited healthcare facilities; there are no hospitals or urgent care clinics within Florence itself. Residents typically travel about 20 miles to Watertown, accessing Prairie Lakes Healthcare System and several clinics. Codington County has a primary care physician rate of about 1 per 1,500 residents. The area’s population is predominantly white and aging, with common health concerns including heart disease and diabetes. Approximately 9% of county residents are uninsured, while the majority are covered via employer-based or public insurance programs (US Census, County Health Rankings 2023).

As of the 2020 Census, Florence, a town in Codington County, SD, had a population of 337. The median age was about 31.7 years, with 27% under age 18 and 13% age 65 or older. Females comprised roughly 51% of the population, and males 49%. The town’s racial makeup was predominantly White (96%), with small percentages identifying as two or more races or Hispanic/Latino (2%). Florence remains a small, close-knit community with limited racial and ethnic diversity.