Florence receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Athens
Florence
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 21%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 43%
vs89 · Top 33%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Athens | Florence | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,471 | 41,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,929 | $52,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,458 | $31,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 930/sq mi | 1,540/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,000 | $196,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $846 | $820 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.9% | 52.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.0% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 68 | 261 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 6.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 58.1% | 39.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 60.4" | 57.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 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: earthquake.
Florence
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Athens, TN · Florence, AL · How this is calculated: methodology