Athens is a city of 29,002 people in Alabama. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 10,035 people. The foreign-born share is 6%. Median rent is $899 a month. The typical home is worth $270,000, having roughly tripled since 2000. About 31% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $69,922, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Athens
What changed most since 1990
Population16,790 → 29,002(+73%)US over the same years: +35%
White share81.2% → 69.1%(−12.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Athens's population equals 26% of Limestone County's. Its number of households without a car equals 43% of the county's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 36% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)38.7%(658)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)34.4%(584)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28%(475)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.4%(40)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3.2%(54)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,699 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Athens, decade by decade
Athens population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
16,790
$61,977
$141,364
20.4%
38.8
2000
18,967
$61,900
$166,317
24.7%
50.1
2010
21,897
$60,603
$193,056
25.4%
57.6
2020
25,406
$64,413
$208,349
28.3%
63.2
2024
29,002
$69,922
$270,000
31.4%
60.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
