Athens is a city located in Limestone County Alabama. Athens has a 2024 population of 32,636. It is also the county seat of Limestone County. Athens is currently growing at a rate of 5.6% annually and its population has increased by 26.95% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 25,707 in 2020.
The average household income in Athens is $86,327 with a poverty rate of 13.45%. The median age in Athens is 41.3 years: 39.9 years for males, and 43 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Athens was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 18,530 | 70.78% |
| Black or African American | 4,692 | 17.92% |
| Other race | 1,200 | 4.58% |
| Two or more races | 1,145 | 4.37% |
| Native American | 352 | 1.34% |
| Asian | 244 | 0.93% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 16 | 0.06% |
White
Black or African American
Other race
Two or more races
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 10,441 | 2.45 | 63.2 | 36.8 |
| Married | 5,119 | 3.13 | 76.8 | 23.2 |
| Non Family | 3,641 | 1.23 | 47.2 | 52.8 |
| Female | 1,403 | 2.97 | 55.4 | 44.6 |
| Male | 278 | 3.27 | 62.9 | 37.1 |
3.07
Average Family Size
2.45
Average Household Size
63.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,270 | 6.78% |
| Associates Degree | 1,845 | 9.85% |
| Bachelors Degree | 3,778 | 20.16% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,841 | 9.82% |
| High School Graduate | 5,002 | 26.69% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 923 | 4.93% |
| Some College | 4,079 | 21.77% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 13,461 | 12,371 | 5,006 |
| Black | 3,539 | 2,875 | 300 |
| Hispanic | 1,117 | 791 | 117 |
| Other Race | 617 | 443 | 0 |
| 2+ Races | 457 | 387 | 166 |
| Native American | 205 | 158 | 5 |
| Asian | 204 | 146 | 82 |
| Islander | 16 | 16 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 40.2%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $52,917 | $80,625 | $42,385 |
| Graduate Degree | $81,939 | $135,268 | $62,887 |
| High School Graduate | $28,585 | $35,690 | $18,469 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $33,570 | $33,480 | $0 |
| Overall | $40,525 | $54,477 | $33,153 |
| Some College | $41,495 | $56,286 | $28,487 |
$40,525
Average Earnings
$54,477
Average Male
$33,153
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
91.91% of Athens residents speak only English, while 8.09% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.93% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 17,656 | 1,681 | 9.52% |
| Black | 4,517 | 837 | 18.53% |
| Hispanic | 2,472 | 695 | 28.11% |
| Multiple | 1,115 | 355 | 31.84% |
| Other | 1,200 | 200 | 16.67% |
| Native | 352 | 69 | 19.6% |
| Islander | 16 | 16 | 100% |
13.45%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.09%
Male Poverty Rate
15.71%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Athens is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Athens is White, with 9.52% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.89%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.99%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 16.84%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 26.5% |
| High School | 14.38% |
| Some College | 6.36% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 3.48% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 73.41% |
| Female Unemployed | 24.29% |
| Female Employed | 8.92% |
| Male Employed | 4.83% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $87,641 | $108,909 |
| Households | $57,444 | $86,327 |
| Married Families | $101,166 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $32,553 | $43,229 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
51.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
52.2%
Male Marriage Rate
50.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,499
Number of Veterans
1,346
Male Veterans
153
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 459 |
| Vietnam | 425 |
| First Gulf War | 415 |
| Korea | 63 |
| World War II | 49 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 55 to 64 | 381 |
| 65 to 74 | 376 |
| 75+ | 357 |
| 35 to 54 | 260 |
| 18 to 34 | 125 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,255 | 8.51% |
| Black | 160 | 3.85% |
| 2+ Races | 84 | 14.51% |
| Hispanic | 83 | 5.44% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
2.45%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.53%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
57.5%
Labor Force Participation
54.8%
Employment Rate
4.3%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
64.92%
Born in Athens
95.48%
Native Born
4.52%
Foreign Born
2.75%
Non Citizen
1.77%
Naturalized
95.48% of Athens residents were born in the United States, with 64.92% having been born in Alabama. 2.75% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 41,298 | 1,733 | 4.38% |
| 2028 | 39,565 | 1,732 | 4.58% |
| 2027 | 37,833 | 1,732 | 4.8% |
| 2026 | 36,101 | 1,733 | 5.04% |
| 2025 | 34,368 | 1,732 | 5.31% |
| 2024 | 32,636 | 1,732 | 5.6% |
| 2023 | 30,904 | 2,262 | 7.9% |
| 2022 | 28,642 | 1,569 | 5.8% |
| 2021 | 27,073 | 1,366 | 5.31% |
| 2020 | 25,707 | -1,693 | -6.18% |
| 2019 | 27,400 | 957 | 3.62% |
| 2018 | 26,443 | 724 | 2.82% |
| 2017 | 25,719 | 443 | 1.75% |
| 2016 | 25,276 | 397 | 1.6% |
| 2015 | 24,879 | 422 | 1.73% |
| 2014 | 24,457 | 616 | 2.58% |
| 2013 | 23,841 | 446 | 1.91% |
| 2012 | 23,395 | 603 | 2.65% |
| 2011 | 22,792 | 799 | 3.63% |
| 2010 | 21,993 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 18,967 | 2,066 | 12.22% |
| 1990 | 16,901 | 2,343 | 16.09% |
| 1980 | 14,558 | 198 | 1.38% |
| 1970 | 14,360 | 5,030 | 53.91% |
| 1960 | 9,330 | 3,021 | 47.88% |
| 1950 | 6,309 | 1,967 | 45.3% |
| 1940 | 4,342 | 104 | 2.45% |
| 1930 | 4,238 | 915 | 27.54% |
| 1920 | 3,323 | -37,975 | -91.95% |