Town of Florence
Year Incorporated:
1866
2017 Estimated Population: 26,066
Projected 2050 Population:
58,644
Major Industries:
Public Administration, Healthcare & Social
Assistance, and Educational Services
The Town of Florence was founded in 1866 and is the sixth‐oldest non‐Native American
settlement in the State of Arizona. The Town of Florence spans 63 square miles. It is
situated in the central portion of the county and serves as the county seat. Three major
transportation corridors run through Florence, which are: Highway 287, Highway 79, and
Hunt Highway. These roadways provide a degree of connectivity to the region that is
unrivaled by similarly‐sized communities within the state.
The Town of Florence is a full‐service municipality with police and fire departments, a
public library, senior center, several city parks and rodeo grounds, as well as water,
sewer, sanitation and other services. There are three public schools within the Florence
town limits, including two K‐8 schools and one high school. The main campus of Central
Arizona College is 15 miles to the west of Florence, and a satellite campus is in the city
itself.
There are many prominent recreational landmarks and areas of interest in and around
Florence, including the Gila River that runs through historic Florence. The Gila River
served as the northern boundary of the Gadsden Purchase in 1854. In addition,
Box Canyon, Martinez Canyon, old Silverbell Mine, Coke Ovens, and many other sites to
the east of the town provide visitors with fantastic scenic views and opportunities to hike,
use off‐road vehicles, view wildlife, explore, and otherwise enjoy the Sonoran Desert.
Florence has been home to the Country Thunder music festival since 2003. Country
Thunder is a premier 3‐day country music festival that is held annually in April at the
Canyon Moon Ranch. The festival has an average attendance of approximately
30,000 attendees.
Florence is home to several state and federal prison facilities. The Arizona State Prison
Complex – Florence was built by inmates in 1908 to replace the territorial prison in Yuma.
There are six units at the complex with the capacity to house 3,946 inmates. There are
two federal correctional facilities located in Florence, as well. The Central Arizona
Correctional Facility opened in 2006 and houses 1,280 inmates, while the Florence West
correctional facility opened in 1997 and houses 750 inmates.
Background Report
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