Signals
Albemarle
Athens
Growth
69 · Top 20%
vs74 · Top 14%
Climate
76 · Top 15%
vs76 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 39%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
89 · Bottom 34%
vs96 · Top 45%
Access
78 · Top 47%
vs68 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 34%
vs38 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Albemarle | Athens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,651 | 68,227 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,704 | $61,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,661 | $32,322 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 164/sq mi | 109/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $242,400 | $205,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $861 | $822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.5% | 76.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.9% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 13.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 322 | 198 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.0 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.8% | 44.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 60.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 46 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 42.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Albemarle
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Athens
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Albemarle, NC Micro Area · Athens, TN Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology