Athens receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lawrenceburg
Athens
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 27%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 46%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 42%
vs85 · Top 43%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Lawrenceburg | Athens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,844 | 14,471 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,343 | $53,929 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,538 | $31,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 935/sq mi | 930/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $184,600 | $225,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $775 | $846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.7% | 59.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 23.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.5% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 25 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -24.2% | 58.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.2% | 39.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.1% | 29.3% | 2019-20 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
Lawrenceburg
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Athens
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lawrenceburg
56
Your Score
56
Area Score
Athens
59
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lawrenceburg, TN · Athens, TN · How this is calculated: methodology