Athens receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Athens
Huntsville
Opportunity
73 · Top 17%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs78 · Top 7%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 48%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 28%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Athens | Huntsville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,002 | 222,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,922 | $74,714 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,717 | $46,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 693/sq mi | 989/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $270,000 | $293,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $899 | $1,171 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.0% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 478 | 2,108 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.5 | 9.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.4% | 87.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 54.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.79 | 17.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.5% | 44.4% | 2024-25 school 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
Athens
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Huntsville
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Athens
75
Your Score
75
Area Score
Huntsville
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Athens, AL · Huntsville, AL · How this is calculated: methodology