Athens receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Clearlake
Athens
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 2%
vs32 · Bottom 8%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
6 · Bottom 2%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
39 · Bottom 4%
vs39 · Bottom 4%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
18 · Bottom 1%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Clearlake | Athens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,659 | 23,396 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $41,867 | $38,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,287 | $26,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,645/sq mi | 2,352/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $214,200 | $247,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,240 | $1,011 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.5% | 32.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.5% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 17 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -69.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.9" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 59 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 17.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 21.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.16 | 14.24 | 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
Clearlake
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Athens
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Clearlake, CA · Athens, OH · How this is calculated: methodology