States › Alabama › Athens

Is Athens, AL expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 26 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,6039% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$75,411about $6,284/month · 13% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$270,00019% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 52% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.6 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $64,120 a year. That is $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Alabama cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Alabama. It is number 99 of 120 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Athens
$1,603
Daphne
$1,651
Enterprise
$1,429
Homewood
$1,395
Northport
$1,216
Trussville
$1,274
Opelika
$1,399

How much do households earn in Athens?

Under $25k
15.9%
$25k–50k
23.4%
$50k–100k
30.2%
$100k–150k
15.8%
$150k+
10.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 26.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Athens

SizeAthensU.S. average
1 bedroom$732$1,324
2 bedrooms$948$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,079$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,247$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Athens overall?

Everyday prices in Alabama overall are 11% below the U.S. average (index 88.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
62
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
85
Other services
97
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Athens, so the Alabama figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Athens

🏛️ Property tax$1,033a year · 0.38% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$224a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Athens

Commute to work24.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree31.4%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home64%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line12.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Athens?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $270 a month less.

Renting
$1,603
Owning
$1,873

Owning assumes a typical $270,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $27,000 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Athens, AL?

Renting in Athens costs a median of about $1,603 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Alabama median is $1,175.

How much do I need to make to live in Athens?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $64,120 a year, or $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Athens cheap or expensive?

Athens is rated OK: rent takes 25.5% of the typical household income of $75,411. It ranks 99th cheapest of 120 Alabama cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Athens?

The median homeowner in Athens pays $1,033 a year in property taxes, about 0.38% of the median home value.

Is Athens more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Alabama are 11% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Athens?

The median home value in Athens is $270,000, about 3.6 times the typical yearly household income.

29,002 people live in Athens. Numbers are typical (middle) values.