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
Kilgore
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
60 · Top 33%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
70 · Bottom 47%
vs70 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs99 · Top 10%
Schools
48 · Bottom 45%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 22%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Athens | Kilgore | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,200 | 13,470 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,984 | $66,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,150 | $27,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 740/sq mi | 724/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,800 | $171,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,112 | $1,010 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.7% | 71.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 31 | 31 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 34.8% | 93.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.2 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.38 | 14.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.0% | 35.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.9% | 41.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.5% | 69.4% | 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.
Full profiles: Athens, TX · Kilgore, TX · How this is calculated: methodology