Athens, Alabama
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 46% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 24% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 25% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 73% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 17% of US places
- top 4% for property tax rate
- top 15% for air quality
- bottom 8% for sales tax
Athens is a mid-size city in Alabama with about 26,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include property tax rate, air quality, and walkability. It rates lower on property crime and sales tax.
Official websiteathensal.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cold
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comf.
warm
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comf.
cool
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75%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.7 in4.1 in
muggy 91%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$57k41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 37% of US places
Home Value$224k66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$766better than 71% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 48% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.34%better than 96% of US places
Income Tax5.00%better than 47% of US places
Sales Tax9.29%better than 8% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.41%better than 56% of US places
Unemployment4.3%better than 46% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation59.1 in95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.3 inbetter than 77% of US places
Sunny Days229 daysbetter than 44% of US places
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 16% of US places
Comfortable Days72 daysbetter than 26% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk70.0better than 43% of US places
Air Quality36 AQIbetter than 85% of US places
School Quality51.8better than 39% of US places
Violent Crime1435/100kbetter than 18% of US places
Property Crime2486/100kbetter than 12% of US places
Community
Population26,17995th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.352nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4680th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9850th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4370th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.8%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)17.4%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.5%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.9%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 59% of US places
Walkability9.1/20better than 82% of US places
Airport Distance84 mibetter than 46% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.3%better than 46% of US places
Amenities Nearby25.59better than 25% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 22% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Athens an affordable place to live?
- Athens is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 37% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Athens?
- The median home value in Athens is $224k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Athens?
- Median household income in Athens is $57k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Athens?
- Median gross rent in Athens is $766 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Athens safe?
- Athens is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1435/100k (better than 18%). Property crime is 2486/100k.
- What is the weather like in Athens?
- Athens averages 80°F in July and 42°F in January, with 59.1 in of annual precipitation and about 229 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Athens?
- Public-school quality in Athens is below average, scoring better than 39% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Athens?
- The average one-way commute in Athens is 25 min.
Places near Athens
Compare Athens
Explore Alabama
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)