Athens-Clarke County and Rome receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Athens-Clarke County
Rome
Opportunity
83 · Top 5%
vs73 · Top 19%
Growth
63 · Top 30%
vs77 · Top 9%
Climate
72 · Top 31%
vs71 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 27%
vs55 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 13%
vs95 · Top 48%
Access
57 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 48%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Athens-Clarke County | Rome | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 220,197 | 99,693 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,608 | $65,565 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,279 | $34,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 215/sq mi | 196/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $310,200 | $217,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,201 | $1,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.7% | 63.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 5.0% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.2% | 25.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 924 | 402 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.5% | 31.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.0" | 50.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 73 mi | 62 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 38.2 | 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
Athens-Clarke County
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Rome
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Athens-Clarke County
67
Your Score
71
Area Score
Rome
68
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Athens-Clarke County, GA Metro Area · Rome, GA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology