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Living in
Athens.
About
Life in Athens
Living in Athens means settling into a mid-sized Alabama city that's positioned well geographically but still feels like its own place, not just a Huntsville suburb. Your commute to jobs in the broader metro area will run around 25 minutes on average, and with a 2.4% unemployment rate, the job market is solid. Housing is reasonably priced at a median of $270,000, and rent averages $899 a month, which won't drain your budget.
Athens at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.2%
Foreign-Born
5.8%
Broadband Internet
88.7%
of households
Population Growth
+34.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Athens: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Athens, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (36.7%), and 6.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.2%
of residents
65 and Older
17.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.3%
of households
Married Couples
48.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.52
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% below AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Athens
In Athens, rent runs 11% below the AL average, and home values are 29% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,033
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $308,273 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Athens
Unemployment in Athens is 0.5 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Athens Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.6 min avg
How Athens residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Athens, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Huntsville International Airport (HSV)
Small hub843k passengers boarded in 2025
- 93 mi
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Major hub12.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Athens runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
150.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,671.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Athens Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 31 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Limestone County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Limestone County, which includes Athens, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 31 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2024 | 43 | Heat | $3.0M |
| 2023 | 45 | Thunderstorm Wind | $109,000 |
| 2022 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $110,900 |
| 2021 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,500 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $200 |
| 2019 | 26 | Frost/Freeze | $1,400 |
| 2018 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $51,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Limestone County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Madison County, AL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Athens) is typically good — 263 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
263
per year
Moderate Days
102
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Madison County, AL (23 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Athens has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.8"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"
Hot Days/Year
49
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
63
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
128
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 34°F | 5.52" |
| Feb | 56°F | 37°F | 5.43" |
| Mar | 65°F | 44°F | 5.59" |
| Apr | 73°F | 51°F | 5.40" |
| May | 80°F | 60°F | 4.85" |
| Jun | 87°F | 68°F | 4.76" |
| Jul | 90°F | 72°F | 4.89" |
| Aug | 90°F | 71°F | 3.93" |
| Sep | 85°F | 65°F | 3.77" |
| Oct | 75°F | 53°F | 4.02" |
| Nov | 63°F | 42°F | 4.61" |
| Dec | 54°F | 37°F | 6.29" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Athens
Athens has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Athens Limestone Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Decatur Morgan Hospital - Decatur Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.4 mi away · Decatur
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education19.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Athens
Athens's student/teacher ratio is 19.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 31.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Athens
Public · 4-year · 2,446 students · 58% graduate · median earnings $54,648 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Russell Cave National Monument, 66 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Athens
Athens has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Russell Cave National Monument (66 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Russell Cave National Monument
National Monument
66 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
80 mi awayStones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
81 mi awayShiloh National Military Park
National Military Park
83 mi awayBirmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
88 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
95 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Athens
Athens - Limestone Public Library
603 Jefferson Street, Athens
Cities Near Athens
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Athens?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Athens FAQ
Is Athens, Alabama affordable?⌄
Athens's median rent is $899/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $69,922/year. Median home value is $270,000.
Is Athens, Alabama safe?⌄
Athens's violent crime rate was 150 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1672 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Athens, Alabama?⌄
Athens has an unemployment rate of 2.4%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Athens, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Athens is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $899/month and median household income is $69,922/year. The median home value is $270,000. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Athens, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Athens is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from