City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Athens, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Athens - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

27,474
Residents
$65,000
Median income
$253,700
Median home
$1,310
Median rent (state)

Athens - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Athens lands in the 43rd percentile for household income and the 26th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

43rd
percentile, household income
56th
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
26th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Athens, AL

Alabama's Athens is a small city, with 27,474 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Athens households earn a median of $65,000 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.7%. Athens's housing stock carries a median value of $253,700, and the median resident age is 41.6 years. 30.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 56.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 492 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 78% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2312.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.6°F with 59.1 inches of precipitation per year and 1.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Alabama scores 88.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,310 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). Workers in Athens report an average commute of 23.1 minutes, with 82.5% driving alone and 6.5% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 80.0 out of 100 (High).

Population

27,474 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$65,000 /yr

Poverty 9.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Athens compare to other US cities?

Where Athens sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 43% higher than other cities
Home value 56% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities
Safety 26% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Alabama and the picture shifts: Athens ranks #138 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Athens's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

43rdIncome percentile
26thSafety percentile

43rd percentile nationally for median household income · 26th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Athens's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Athens's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Athens's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Athens's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$253,700 44th percentile more affordable than 44% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Athens $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Athens, AL Athens, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Athens, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Athens, AL median $65,000/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Athens, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Athens, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
27,474
Median Income
$65,000
Median Home Value
$253,700
Median Age
41.6
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Labor force participation
56.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2312.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
243.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2069.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.6°F
Annual Precipitation
59.1"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,000 residents25,000 residents30,000 residents35,000 residents40,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 25,719 residents 34,209 residents ▲ +33.0%
Athens's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
492
housing units authorized
Single-Family
492
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 276
2020 417
2021 624
2022 844
2023 487
2024 492

Permit volume increased 78% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.1 minutes
Drive Alone
82.5%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
6.5%
Other
1.5%

Based on 12,613 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Athens sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,310/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Homewood
27,697 people
Daphne
28,673 people
Trussville
26,182 people
Enterprise
28,990 people
Bessemer
25,655 people
Pelham
24,510 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's 27,474 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lemon Grove, CA
27,489 people
Pearl, MS
27,458 people
Bristol, TN
27,490 people
Marshalltown, IA
27,491 people
New Lenox, IL
27,456 people
Mililani, HI
27,495 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's $65,000 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Graeagle, CA
$65,000 median income
Pensacola Station, FL
$65,000 median income
Carnesville, GA
$65,000 median income
Honalo, HI
$65,000 median income
Mud Lake, ID
$65,000 median income
Martinsville, IL
$65,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Athens, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Athens, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 70.0% 17.6% 6.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.7% White 70.0% Black or African American 17.6% Asian 1.1% American Indian 1.7% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 6.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Athens compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Athens (this city) 27,474 $65,000
Homewood 27,697 $108,386
Daphne 28,673 $86,479
Trussville 26,182 $120,794
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Athens, AL?

What is the population of Athens, AL? +

Athens, AL has a population of 27,474 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Athens, AL? +

Athens households earn a median of $65,000 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Athens? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Athens; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Athens, AL safe? +

Athens has a total crime rate of 2312.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Athens, AL? +

Athens's median home value sits at $253,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Athens? +

Climate normals put Athens's yearly average temperature at 62.6°F, 59.1 inches of precipitation, and 1.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.