Athens receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dickson
Athens
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 17%
Growth
68 · Top 20%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 46%
vs61 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs90 · Top 31%
Access
76 · Bottom 18%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Dickson | Athens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,424 | 29,002 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,678 | $69,922 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,285 | $42,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 800/sq mi | 693/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $292,600 | $270,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 | $899 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 64.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 31.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 136 | 478 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 16.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.8% | 8.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.1" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 40.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 12 | 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
Dickson
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
Athens
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Dickson, TN · Athens, AL · How this is calculated: methodology