Jobs, pay and daily life in Athens, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Athens is a city in Alabama with 29,002 residents. The median household earns $69,922 a year and the median rent is $899 a month, which is 15.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Huntsville, AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 266,650 jobs.
How Athens compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Athens is #21 by population, #24 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #32 for college degrees (#1 = most), #49 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Limestone County, is #7 of 67 counties for average pay ($62,717).
Athens has 29,002 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Alabama. It covers 42 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 693 people per square mile. The median age is 40.9, 4% older than the state median (40.9 against 39.3).
The median gross rent is $899 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% below the state median ($899 against $1,007). Over a year that is 15.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $270,000, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($69,922); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 64.0% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (64.0% against 70.2%).
The Huntsville, AL metropolitan area has 266,650 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,740 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,740 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (25,350 jobs, median $48,200); office and administrative support (23,050 jobs, median $44,100); food preparation and serving related (21,530 jobs, median $28,850). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (4.4 times) and computer and mathematical (2.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($131,530) and architecture and engineering ($120,720). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Limestone County was 3.0%. 59.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Limestone County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 82.3% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.8% walk, 8.2% work from home. 12.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 18% below the state average (12.0% against 14.7%).
31.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 11% above the state share (31.4% against 28.4%). 5.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 44% above the state share (5.8% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 12.2%, 22% below the state rate (12.2% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.3°C). About 1,380 mm (54 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (145 mm) and Sep the driest (96 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Madison (12 miles, rent 62% higher); Decatur (14 miles, similar rent); Huntsville (17 miles, rent 30% higher); Meridianville (22 miles, rent 50% higher). Rent differences are against Athens; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideLimestone CountyAlabama rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Alabama (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Alabama →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 7,570 | 3.14 | $46,390 | $32,040 | $48,200 | +4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,030 | 1.05 | $33,120 | $23,570 | $47,340 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 7,030 | 2.43 | $128,080 | $79,630 | $175,460 | -6% |
| Registered Nurses | 6,800 | 1.17 | $77,090 | $51,760 | $98,260 | -21% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,330 | 1.10 | $34,620 | $29,740 | $47,270 | -7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,030 | 0.76 | $27,180 | $22,160 | $34,270 | -13% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,880 | 42.03 | $131,090 | $78,890 | $195,190 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 4,700 | 1.61 | $46,090 | $31,370 | $61,680 | -3% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,370 | 0.86 | $39,500 | $31,070 | $49,250 | -2% |
| Cashiers | 4,320 | 0.82 | $29,860 | $22,710 | $35,740 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,050 | 0.67 | $136,340 | $61,340 | $282,970 | +29% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,340 | 0.75 | $38,400 | $30,760 | $57,210 | -14% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,290 | 0.85 | $27,990 | $16,950 | $37,300 | -21% |
| Engineers, All Other | 3,110 | 11.77 | $155,630 | $93,890 | $195,190 | +27% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 3,100 | 1.66 | $124,950 | $77,000 | $183,040 | +50% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 3,010 | 1.21 | $79,220 | $53,920 | $134,360 | -5% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 2,950 | 2.68 | $29,310 | $23,650 | $35,100 | -5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,850 | 0.75 | $33,600 | $23,870 | $42,810 | -9% |
| Logisticians | 2,780 | 6.46 | $117,060 | $72,310 | $151,240 | +42% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 2,740 | 3.26 | $94,990 | $57,700 | $149,070 | +22% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,630 | 4.33 | $168,380 | $111,780 | $232,010 | -2% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,250 | 1.96 | $164,060 | $99,680 | $219,550 | -6% |
| Financial Managers | 890 | 0.61 | $158,620 | $98,570 | $258,330 | -5% |
| Engineers, All Other | 3,110 | 11.77 | $155,630 | $93,890 | $195,190 | +27% |
| Managers, All Other | 570 | 0.54 | $153,920 | $120,720 | $212,290 | +8% |
| Purchasing Managers | 520 | 3.60 | $146,970 | $98,070 | $193,420 | -1% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 560 | 4.27 | $142,670 | $83,820 | $195,190 | -12% |
| Pharmacists | 600 | 1.08 | $136,840 | $102,620 | $163,070 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,050 | 0.67 | $136,340 | $61,340 | $282,970 | +29% |
| Sales Managers | 660 | 0.61 | $134,690 | $74,690 | $260,470 | -9% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 890 | 5.38 | $133,330 | $81,970 | $195,190 | +2% |
| Lawyers | 730 | 0.56 | $133,220 | $62,470 | $229,170 | -17% |
| Computer Network Architects | 1,660 | 5.40 | $132,410 | $77,900 | $204,150 | -1% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,880 | 42.03 | $131,090 | $78,890 | $195,190 | -3% |
| Information Security Analysts | 1,840 | 5.63 | $130,330 | $75,940 | $176,510 | +1% |
| Electrical Engineers | 2,190 | 6.42 | $130,330 | $85,420 | $208,130 | +8% |
| Software Developers | 7,030 | 2.43 | $128,080 | $79,630 | $175,460 | -6% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 3,100 | 1.66 | $124,950 | $77,000 | $183,040 | +50% |
| Management Analysts | 1,710 | 1.11 | $121,970 | $79,890 | $168,810 | +20% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 890 | 1.19 | $120,450 | $58,200 | $168,580 | +3% |
These figures are for the whole Huntsville, AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,740 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.0% |
| Manufacturing | 19.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.8% |
| Retail trade | 9.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.6% |
| Construction | 6.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.3% |
| Public administration | 5.1% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Information | 0.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Athens lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limestone County | 111,233 | $6,971 million | $62,669 | 34,080 | 2,050 | $62,717 | +4.9% | 3.0% | 59,309 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,312 | 32.7% | $65,952 | 2.97 |
| Retail trade | 4,681 | 18.4% | $41,900 | 1.38 |
| Construction | 2,658 | 10.5% | $75,597 | 1.49 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,263 | 8.9% | $23,010 | 0.73 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,109 | 8.3% | $66,600 | 1.46 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,819 | 7.2% | $55,063 | 0.37 |
| Professional and technical services | 848 | 3.3% | $82,925 | 0.36 |
| Administrative and waste services | 746 | 2.9% | $45,182 | 0.37 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 579 | 2.3% | $50,787 | 0.56 |
| Finance and insurance | 533 | 2.1% | $84,705 | 0.39 |
| Educational services | 266 | 1.0% | $44,687 | 0.38 |
| Real estate and rental | 264 | 1.0% | $55,399 | 0.50 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 151 | 0.6% | $22,410 | 0.26 |
| Management of companies | 112 | 0.4% | $70,450 | 0.19 |
| Information | 86 | 0.3% | $67,904 | 0.13 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 82.3% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 8.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,922 |
| Income per person | $42,717 |
| Median gross rent per month | $899 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.4% |
| Median home value | $270,000 |
| Homeowners | 64.0% |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $51,740 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 31.4% |
| Born abroad | 5.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.3 | 38 | 114 |
| Feb | 5.4 | 42 | 134 |
| Mar | 10.3 | 51 | 121 |
| Apr | 15.3 | 60 | 123 |
| May | 20.0 | 68 | 117 |
| Jun | 24.5 | 76 | 105 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 122 |
| Aug | 26.3 | 79 | 103 |
| Sep | 22.9 | 73 | 96 |
| Oct | 16.3 | 61 | 96 |
| Nov | 9.7 | 49 | 104 |
| Dec | 5.3 | 42 | 145 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | AL | 12 mi | 60,106 | $134,655 | $1,453 |
| Decatur | AL | 14 mi | 57,361 | $61,563 | $896 |
| Huntsville | AL | 17 mi | 222,791 | $74,714 | $1,171 |
| Meridianville | AL | 22 mi | 11,150 | $97,434 | $1,348 |
| Hartselle | AL | 23 mi | 15,847 | $76,290 | $804 |
| Pulaski | TN | 29 mi | 8,285 | $48,538 | $835 |
| Muscle Shoals | AL | 39 mi | 16,951 | $75,894 | $1,029 |
| Lawrenceburg | TN | 39 mi | 11,844 | $42,343 | $775 |
| Florence | AL | 41 mi | 41,701 | $52,174 | $820 |
| Cullman | AL | 42 mi | 19,319 | $61,224 | $925 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
29,002 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$899 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.4% of the median household income.
$69,922 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.0% (BLS county, Limestone County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.