Florence

Approximately 36,000 people call Florence, Alabama, home. It is the home of the University of North Alabama, the state’s oldest four-year public university where about 7,000 students get their education each year. It is also the home to the Northwest-Shoals Community College, one of the largest community colleges in the state of Alabama. The town of Florence draws workers to it from throughout the Shoals region. Many of these people work at the large Sara Lee Meat Group, where the company produces soups, packages sandwiches, and forms sausage patties. Others work at American Wholesale Books, who owns Books A Million locations throughout the United States. Southwire Company, manufacturing insulated copper wire, employs others. Izzy+ also has its manufacturing company here where workers make modular furniture. Other major employers in town include Monarch Ceramic Tile, Thacker Casket Manufacturing Incorporated, and The HON Company.