Boaz receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Boaz
Athens
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs85 · Top 43%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 18%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Boaz | Athens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,814 | 14,471 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,846 | $53,929 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,915 | $31,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 743/sq mi | 930/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,200 | $225,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $663 | $846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.7% | 59.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 23.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.4% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 24 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.0% | 58.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.6" | 60.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.4 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 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
Boaz
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Athens
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Boaz, AL · Athens, TN · How this is calculated: methodology