Moving to Huntsville › Compare cities › Madison vs. Athens
Madison vs. Athens, Alabama: Which Fits You?
A side-by-side look at home prices, schools, commute times, parks, groceries, healthcare, taxes, utilities and what is being built, using MLS sales and official sources, with links to every deeper guide on our site.
The short answer: Homes cost more in Madison: a median sale of $383,000 against $300,000 in Athens over the last 12 months, about 28% more. Per square foot, Madison runs higher ($174 vs. $162), so the same money buys more house in Athens. If you want land, Athens has more of it: 27% of sales were on half an acre or more, compared with 12%. Athens has more new construction: builders handled 33% of its sales, against 23%. Without traffic, Gate 9 at Redstone is about 12 minutes from Madison and 33 from Athens; Research Park is 12 and 31. Sales tax is 9.0% in Madison and 9% in Athens.
How to use this page. These are facts to help you narrow your search, not a ranking of places or of the people who live there. Numbers change, city limits and school zones follow the address and not the mailing city, and every neighborhood is different. Check anything that matters to your decision with the official source linked below.
At a glance
| Madison | Athens | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of place | City | City |
| Population | 56,933 (2020 Census); 67,968 (2025 estimate) | 25,406 (2020 Census); 34,209 (2025 estimate) |
| Median sale price, last 12 months | $383,000 | $300,000 |
| Middle half of sales | $308,000 to $530,000 | $255,000 to $395,000 |
| Median price per sq ft | $174 | $162 |
| Median home size | 2,285 sq ft | 1,933 sq ft |
| Median lot | 0.27 acres | 0.29 acres |
| Sales on half an acre or more | 12% | 27% |
| Sales by builders (new construction) | 23% | 33% |
| Median days, listing to closing | 82 | 108 |
| Months of supply | 4.3 | 5.9 |
| Homes sold, last 12 months | 1,890 | 1,381 |
| Sales tax | 9.0% | 9% |
| Property tax rate | 69.5 mills | Check by address |
| Public schools | Madison City Schools | Athens City and Limestone County schools |
Home figures: Valley MLS sales of single-family homes, townhomes and condos with a Madison or Athens city in the listing, closed in the 12 months before October 26, 2026.
Homes and prices
The live numbers are in each market report, which updates every day. Browse neighborhoods, subdivisions and new construction on each area page.
Madison
Median sale $383,000, $174 per sq ft, 2,285 sq ft typical size.
Athens
Median sale $300,000, $162 per sq ft, 1,933 sq ft typical size.
Looking at new homes? Compare builders on our builder comparison and see current builder incentives.
Schools
The high schools below are the ones most homes sold in each place were zoned for, with their 2025 state report card grade and their rank among 79 high schools in our North Alabama school rankings. Want new listings in one zone? Use school zone alerts.
Madison
| High school | Share of sales | 2025 grade | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Jones High School | 33% | B (86) | Tied for #25 of 79 |
| James Clemens High School | 24% | B (88) | Tied for #15 of 79 |
| Columbia High School | 21% | C (71) | Tied for #74 of 79 |
| Sparkman High School | 11% | B (89) | Tied for #9 of 79 |
The state reports whole-number scores, so schools with the same score share a rank.
Athens
Athens City and Limestone County schools.
| High school | Share of sales | 2025 grade | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens High School | 50% | B (84) | Tied for #34 of 79 |
| East Limestone High School | 30% | A (90) | Tied for #4 of 79 |
| Clements High School | 9% | C (77) | Tied for #64 of 79 |
The state reports whole-number scores, so schools with the same score share a rank.
The mailing-address trap. A "Madison" or "Athens" mailing address does not tell you the city limits or the school district. Many addresses near city lines are zoned for a different system than the town name suggests. Always check the exact address with the district before you make an offer.
Considering other options? See private schools and homeschooling in Alabama.
Commute
Drive times are typical routes without traffic, from the center of each place. Rush hour adds time, especially at the Redstone gates. Try any starting point on our commute times tool.
Madison
| To | Drive |
|---|---|
| Redstone Gate 9 | 12 min (7 mi) |
| Redstone Gate 1 | 23 min (12 mi) |
| Cummings Research Park | 12 min (7 mi) |
| Downtown Huntsville | 17 min (12 mi) |
| Huntsville Hospital | 17 min (12 mi) |
| Huntsville airport | 9 min (5 mi) |
| Mazda Toyota plant | 16 min (8 mi) |
Athens
| To | Drive |
|---|---|
| Redstone Gate 9 | 33 min (23 mi) |
| Redstone Gate 1 | 45 min (28 mi) |
| Cummings Research Park | 31 min (20 mi) |
| Downtown Huntsville | 38 min (25 mi) |
| Huntsville Hospital | 39 min (25 mi) |
| Huntsville airport | 30 min (24 mi) |
| Mazda Toyota plant | 23 min (14 mi) |
Working on the Arsenal? See homes near Redstone Arsenal by gate and the BAH calculator.
Parks and recreation
Madison
- Dublin Memorial Park: Indoor and outdoor pools, soccer fields, tennis, paved walking paths, 9-hole disc golf, Kids Kingdom playground, indoor walking track and basketball.
- Palmer Park: City youth baseball, softball, soccer and football complex; ADA playground; Bradford Creek Greenway trailhead.
- Bradford Creek Greenway: 2.24-mile paved greenway, partnership of City of Madison and Land Trust of North Alabama.
- Mill Creek Greenway and Dog Park: Flat paved path, playground, dog park with small and large dog areas.
- Rainbow Mountain Preserve: 1.5-mile loop trail with rock formations, waterfall and city views.
- Hogan Family YMCA: Indoor pool, outdoor pool with slides, gym, climbing wall.
Athens
- Big Spring Memorial Park: Downtown city park with a duck pond. Three old tennis courts were converted to six pickleball courts and one tennis court.
- Athens Sportsplex: Multi-use park with baseball/softball, soccer, the municipal pool, disc golf, Kid's Dugout playground, a 1.2-mile walking track and an outdoor Fitness Court (opened late 2022)
- Athens Municipal Pool: City pool, typically open from late May, 12-5 p.m.
- Swan Creek Greenway: 2.3-mile National Recreation Trail, part asphalt and part crushed gravel
- Swan Creek Park: 18.35 acres with pavilions, practice field, track, playground, tennis/pickleball and greenway access. Planned upgrades include the accessible Make-A-Way Field and covered pickleball courts.
- Athens Recreation Center: City rec center with rentable rooms and a 1.53-mile walking track
Shopping and groceries
Shopping
Madison
- Town Madison: 500+ acre district with 2.5 miles of I-565 frontage: Toyota Field, hotels, Pro Player Park travel-baseball complex.
- Clift Farm: Mixed-use center with 25+ restaurants (Cooper's Hawk, Melt, Grimaldi's, La Parrilla) and services.
- U.S. Highway 72 W corridor: Big-box corridor: Costco, Target, Kroger, Walmart, Aldi (several 'Madison' addresses here may be in Huntsville city limits).
- Downtown Madison: Historic Main Street area with shops, historic homes and a gazebo on the green.
Athens
- Downtown Athens / Courthouse Square: Historic square with boutiques and restaurants, U.G. White Hardware (90+ years) and the Limestone Drug soda fountain
- US 72 corridor: Main commercial strip: Walmart Supercenter, Publix, Aldi and Lowe's
- MidTown Centre: Redevelopment of the old Kmart site on US 31, anchored by a 48,387 sq ft Publix with about 11,200 sq ft of other retail
- French Mill Crossing (under development): Publix-anchored retail and restaurant center at US 72 and Mooresville Rd; $400K CDBG for turn-lane work, expected to create 100 jobs
Grocery stores
Madison
- Publix, 417 John Henry Way; 8000 Madison Blvd Ste A; 7129 Wall Triana Hwy; 12070 County Line Rd Ste C; 350 Hughes Rd
- Kroger, 4579 Wall Triana Hwy; 8855 Highway 72 W
- Walmart, 7140 Wall Triana Hwy; 8580 Hwy 72 W; 8650 Madison Blvd
- Aldi, 7676 Hwy 72 W; 8455 Madison Blvd
- Costco, 8094 Highway 72 W
- Target, 8207 Highway 72 W
- Food City (under construction), Old Highway 20; 56,000+ sq ft with pharmacy, Starbucks and fuel; broke ground May 15, 2026, opening expected spring 2027
- Madison City Farmers Market, Saturdays; Trinity Baptist Church parking lot off Hughes Rd
Athens
- Walmart Supercenter, 1011 US Hwy 72 E, Athens 35611
- Publix (US 72), 22031 US Highway 72, Athens 35613
- Publix (MidTown Centre), 165 US Hwy 31 N, Athens 35611
- Publix at French Mill Crossing (planned), US 72 at Mooresville Rd, east Athens
- ALDI, 115 US 72, Athens 35611
- Food City (57,000 sq ft, new), W Elm St at Lucas Ferry Rd, west Athens
- Farmers markets, Limestone County Farmers Market, Athens Saturday Market and Isom's Orchard. The city plans to revitalize the farmers market at Doug Gates Park.
- No Kroger, Target, Costco or Sam's Club in Athens, Not listed in the Kroger or Target Alabama store lists
Healthcare
Madison
- Huntsville Hospital and Crestwood Medical Center: Main regional hospitals in nearby Huntsville.
Athens
We could not confirm this yet. Ask us.
Taxes and utilities
Alabama property taxes are low by national standards, and the homestead exemption lowers them on the home you live in. Millage is the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value; homes are assessed at 10% of appraised value. Confirm any address with the county revenue office. See Alabama real estate, explained and, for military buyers, VA loans and military.
Madison
- Water: Madison Utilities (City of Madison) - water
- Sewer: Madison Utilities - wastewater
- Trash: City-contracted residential collection; fee $17.08/month (Madison County side) or $17.35/month (Limestone County side) as of 2026.
- Internet: AT&T Fiber, Xfinity cable (~99%), WOW cable (~99%), Google Fiber low availability (~2%), plus 5G home internet and Starlink.
Athens
- Electric: Athens Utilities (city-owned TVA distributor; also serves much of Limestone County)
- Water: Athens Utilities
- Sewer: Athens Utilities water/sewer department (Athens Water Services), per a 2017 News Courier report
- Natural gas: Athens Utilities
- Trash: City of Athens Sanitation Department (city-supplied cart; bulk, yard waste and seasonal leaf pickup)
- Internet: AT&T Fiber in parts of the city (about 81% coverage estimate), Spectrum cable (about 99%, with fiber in about 22%), WOW! cable (about 93%), plus 5G home internet from T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T Internet Air. Coverage figures are third-party estimates.
Growth and recent news
What has been announced, approved or built lately, newest first.
Madison
- Sep 2026 Clift Farm restaurant openings. Melt, Grimaldi's and La Parrilla opened at Clift Farm in May 2026; The Chop House and Viva Tequila also recently opened in Madison.
- Aug 2026 Russell Branch Elementary opens; new superintendent. $49M school on the Limestone County side of Madison (200 Madison Branch Blvd) opened for 2026-27; Eric Terrell succeeds Dr. Ed Nichols as superintendent.
- Jul 2026 I-565 westbound widening between county line and Wall Triana. Last segment in the corridor not yet six-plus lanes; Bradford Creek and Norfolk Southern bridges being widened; overall completion expected around summer 2027.
- May 2026 Food City breaks ground on Old Highway 20 store. 56,000+ sq ft supermarket with pharmacy, Starbucks and fuel center; opening expected spring 2027.
- Jan 2026 SPX $118M data-center cooling plant near Greenbrier (Huntsville city limits, west of County Line Rd). 460,000 sq ft, 350 jobs - just west of Madison.
- 2026 Madison raises residential trash fee. Monthly fee set at $17.35 (Limestone County residents) and $17.08 (Madison County residents); another 4% increase scheduled for September 2027.
Athens
- Sep 2026 Athens chosen for Appalachian Regional Commission READY Local Governments program. Finishing the program makes the city eligible to apply for $50,000 in no-match economic development funding.
- Jul 2026 Athens Utilities electric customer charge increase approved. $2 per month increase to the residential/small commercial customer charge from Nov 1, 2026 (pending TVA approval), and another $2 on Oct 1, 2027. Billing system change in Oct 2026.
- May 2026 $266,660 ARC grant for road work at the new Food City. Food City is investing $19.5M in a 57,000 sq ft store with 100 jobs at W Elm St and Lucas Ferry Rd. The city adds $322,207.
- Feb 2026 Ground broken on The Grove at South Jefferson. $40M, 120-unit workforce/affordable apartment community (72 two-bedroom, 48 three-bedroom) by The Hall Group with AHFA support
- Dec 2025 Limestone County driver license office moves. New, larger office at 503 S. Jefferson St, Suite A
- Oct 2025 The Shoppes at Piney Creek breaks ground. East Athens retail center, completion targeted for Q1 2026
Library and community
Madison
- Madison Public Library (HMCPL branch): Storytimes, crafts, summer movie nights.
- Madison Street Festival: Annual October festival hosted by Madison Arts Alliance and Madison Historical Society.
- Rocket City Trash Pandas at Toyota Field: Double-A baseball in Town Madison.
- Downtown Madison historic district: Historic Main Street with gazebo on the green.
Athens
- Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention: Annual fiddlers convention at Athens State University; the source says it roughly doubles the town's population
- Athens Storytelling Festival: Annual festival
- Athens Grease Festival: Fried-food festival
- Cars and Bikes on the Square: Monthly in warm months on the courthouse square
Which fits you?
Look at Madison if
- you prefer established neighborhoods to new construction
- a shorter drive to Redstone Arsenal (Gate 9), Research Park, downtown Huntsville and Mazda Toyota matters to you
Look at Athens if
- you want a lower price point (median $300,000)
- you want more square footage for the money
- you want a bigger lot
- you want a new build or builder incentives
- you want more homes to choose from and more room to negotiate
Still deciding? Compare any two places, see ZIP codes side by side, or read our moving to Huntsville guide.
We are a local family brokerage and own property in South Huntsville, Madison, Harvest and downtown. We can show you both in a day. Buyers in Alabama can tour before signing anything. Call or text (256) 808-6861.
Questions
Is Madison or Athens more expensive?
Over the last 12 months the median sale was $383,000 in Madison and $300,000 in Athens, based on Valley MLS sales through October 26, 2026. Prices vary a lot by neighborhood, so compare the specific areas you like.
Which schools serve Madison and Athens?
Madison is served mainly by Madison City Schools, and Athens mainly by Athens City and Limestone County schools. Mailing addresses do not decide school zones, so confirm any address with the school district.
How long is the drive to Redstone Arsenal from Madison and Athens?
Without traffic, Gate 9 is about 12 minutes from Madison and 33 minutes from Athens. Rush hour adds time, especially at the gates and on I-565 and the Parkway.
What is the sales tax in Madison and Athens?
About 9.0% in Madison and 9% in Athens. Rates depend on whether an address is inside city limits, so check a specific address with the Alabama Department of Revenue.
Sources: Valley MLS sales data (pulled October 26, 2026); Alabama State Department of Education 2025 report card; drive times computed with OpenStreetMap routing; U.S. Census Bureau; Alabama Department of Revenue millage tables; and the city, county, utility, store and news pages below. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed, and it changes. Wyze Realty advises buyers but does not verify taxes, utilities or school zones for a specific property; confirm them with the official source. Updated October 2026.
All source links
adeca.alabama.gov/2026/05/27/gov-ivey-announces-grant-to-support-development-bringing-100-
athensalabama.us/148/Departments
athensalabama.us/m/faq?cat=42
athensalabama.us/m/faq?cat=46
broadbandmap.com/internet-providers/athens-al
broadbandmap.com/internet-providers/madison-al
businessalabama.com/spotlight-on-limestone-morgan-counties-health-care/
casite-536932.cloudaccess.net/about
census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/athenscityalabama/PST045223
census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/madisoncityalabama/PST045224
crestwoodmedcenter.com/crestwood-medical-center-to-expand-access-to-emergency-care-with-fr
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens,_Alabama
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison,_Alabama
enewscourier.com/2025/03/22/athens-makes-a-splash-with-groundbreaking-of-sunrise-park/
enewscourier.com/2025/05/31/limestone-county-schools-breaks-ground-on-12-million-expansion
enewscourier.com/2025/10/08/developer-breaks-ground-on-the-shoppes-at-piney-creek-in-east-
enewscourier.com/?p=186264
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enewscourier.com/?p=309391
hsvchamber.org/town-madison-taking-shape-along-interstate-565
huntsvillebusinessjournal.com/news/2026/02/25/state-local-leaders-break-ground-on-affordab
landtrustnal.org/explore-our-lands/preserves-north-alabama/bradford-creek-greenway/
nnpa.org/madison-approves-trash-fee-increase-as-costs-rise-long-term-changes-planned/
storelocators.com/store-lists/aldi/alabama
storelocators.com/store-lists/kroger/alabama
storelocators.com/store-lists/target/alabama
storelocators.com/store-lists/walmart/alabama
stores.aldi.us/al/athens/115-us-72
theshelbyreport.com/2026/05/18/food-city-breaks-ground-on-sixth-huntsville-area-location/
alabama.travel/places-to-go/athens-sportsplex
alea.gov/news/athens-driver-license-office-relocating-larger-facility-december-2025
aol.com/news/second-publix-shopping-center-opening-124100609.html
athensalabama.us/m/newsflash
att.com/local/fiber/alabama/athens
avalara.com/us/en/taxrates/state-rates/alabama/cities/athens.html
avalara.com/us/en/taxrates/state-rates/alabama/cities/madison.html
axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/12/08/madison-sales-tax-revenue-ssuts-huntsville-tuscaloos
huntsville.org/blog/list/post/new-and-coming-soon-restaurants-in-huntsville-and-madison/
huntsvilleal.gov/?p=118688
madeinalabama.com/2025/06/firms-launch-33-million-project-to-build-aviation-facility-at-pr