Signals
Cullman
Athens
Growth
68 · Top 22%
vs74 · Top 14%
Climate
78 · Top 7%
vs76 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 36%
vs96 · Top 45%
Access
78 · Top 46%
vs68 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 34%
vs38 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Cullman | Athens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 90,566 | 68,227 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,656 | $61,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,019 | $32,322 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 123/sq mi | 109/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,100 | $205,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $908 | $822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 76.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 13.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 239 | 198 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 30.6% | 44.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 58.7" | 60.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 46 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 42.9 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cullman
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, heat wave.
Athens
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Cullman, AL Micro Area · Athens, TN Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology