Athens vs Madison
Athens, Alabama versus Madison, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Madison edges out Athens on overall objective livability (53 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Athens | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $118k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $45k |
| Home Value | $224k | $327k |
| Monthly Rent | $766 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.34% | 0.51% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.41% | 9.47% |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.1 in | 58.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.3 in | 2.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 72 days | 72 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 70.0 | 65.0 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 51.8 | 45.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1435/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 2486/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 26,179 | 56,967 |
| Median Age | 41.3 | 39.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+43 | R+50 |
| White (%) | 68.8% | 67.7% |
| Black (%) | 17.4% | 14.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.5% | 6.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 7.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 9.1/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 84 mi | 79 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.3% | 94.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.59 | 30.02 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Athens or Madison more affordable?
- Madison has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Athens's $49k and Madison's $45k. Median rent is $766 in Athens versus $1k in Madison.
- Is Athens or Madison safer?
- Madison has the lower violent crime rate. Athens reports 1435/100k and Madison reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Athens or Madison?
- The median home value is $224k in Athens and $327k in Madison, so homes are more affordable in Athens.