Signals
Athens
Palestine
Growth
49 · Top 50%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Climate
70 · Top 39%
vs74 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 23%
vs72 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
94 · Bottom 49%
vs95 · Top 48%
Access
88 · Top 28%
vs81 · Top 42%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 15%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Athens | Palestine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 84,862 | 58,439 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,179 | $62,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,448 | $27,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 97/sq mi | 55/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $211,300 | $185,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $1,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.8% | 72.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 160 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.7% | 23.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 46.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 38 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.8 | 39.7 | 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.
Full profiles: Athens, TX Micro Area · Palestine, TX Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology