CITY
Athens
Georgia · 128,612 residents (2025 est.) · 116 sq mi
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The short version
Athens is a city of 127,345 people in Georgia. This skews young, with a median age of 29.4. 41% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 26.5%, above the 12.5% national rate. People stay put here: 73% were in the same home a year ago. About 47% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $52,974, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 29.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 59%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Athens
Among the 16 cities and towns in the Athens-Clarke County unified government metro
- 11th in household income$52,974
- 4th in share with a bachelor's degree47.3%
- 6th in home value$299,200
- 1st in diversity score78.4
Section 01
Population & growth
127,345
+27%since 2000
from 100,266 in 2000
128,612 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2000 – 2025
Land area
116 sq mi
Population, 2000 – 2024
2024127K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.6%(5,913)
5 to 94.7%(5,964)
10 to 144.6%(5,878)
15 to 1910.6%(13,489)
20 to 2418.2%(23,166)
25 to 3415.6%(19,867)
35 to 4411.5%(14,704)
45 to 549%(11,496)
55 to 648.7%(11,110)
65 to 747.7%(9,783)
75 to 843.6%(4,647)
85 and over1%(1,328)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$52,974
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,118 in 2000
US average: $82,259
2000 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
36.8%
+17.5 ptssince 2009
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.1%
Retail trade8%
Finance & insurance5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
Wholesale trade4.2%
Other services4.1%
Public administration2.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
Construction0.7%
Education & health services0.4%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$299,200
+59%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
2000 – 2024
5.6
+16%since 2009
from 4.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
60
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic61.8%(61,950)
Black27.2%(27,284)
Hispanic / Latino6.4%(6,402)
Asian3.1%(3,147)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic53.8%(68,486)
Black25.7%(32,707)
Hispanic / Latino11.9%(15,148)
Asian4.2%(5,366)
Other4.4%(5,638)
78
+12%since 2009
from 70 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican6.5%(8,227)
Central American2.2%(2,833)
South American1.1%(1,451)
Salvadoran0.9%(1,185)
Guatemalan0.7%(884)
Cuban0.6%(800)
Honduran0.5%(595)
Puerto Rican0.5%(593)
Colombian0.4%(543)
Peruvian0.3%(429)
Dominican0.3%(382)
Spaniard0.2%(202)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.2%(193)
Venezuelan0.1%(128)
Ecuadorian0.1%(119)
Costa Rican0.1%(72)
Nicaraguan0%(54)
Panamanian0%(43)
Chilean0%(31)
Bolivian0%(8)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.3%(1,659)
Chinese1%(1,333)
Korean0.5%(687)
Burmese0.4%(478)
Vietnamese0.2%(257)
Pakistani0.1%(171)
Filipino0.1%(131)
Japanese0.1%(88)
Thai0.1%(73)
Taiwanese0%(45)
Hmong0%(44)
Nepalese0%(36)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Ancestry
English13%(16,512)
German8.8%(11,222)
Irish8.5%(10,792)
American4.1%(5,200)
Italian3.1%(3,924)
Scottish3%(3,758)
Polish1.7%(2,147)
French1.7%(2,117)
Subsaharan African1.5%(1,930)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(1,818)
West Indian1%(1,250)
British0.9%(1,187)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.8%(965)
Norwegian0.6%(781)
Russian0.6%(730)
Welsh0.5%(662)
Arab0.5%(661)
Swedish0.5%(655)
Jamaican0.4%(516)
Nigerian0.3%(368)
Haitian0.3%(351)
French Canadian0.3%(349)
Greek0.3%(337)
Brazilian0.2%(311)
Czech0.2%(300)
Lebanese0.2%(277)
Swiss0.2%(270)
Turkish0.2%(269)
Canadian0.2%(257)
Portuguese0.2%(231)
Hungarian0.2%(227)
Iranian0.2%(225)
Austrian0.2%(213)
Belgian0.2%(203)
Ukrainian0.2%(203)
Danish0.1%(182)
Lithuanian0.1%(165)
Ghanaian0.1%(110)
Israeli0.1%(105)
Croatian0.1%(103)
Egyptian0.1%(89)
Ethiopian0.1%(85)
Romanian0.1%(77)
Syrian0.1%(75)
Palestinian0.1%(73)
Finnish0.1%(70)
Kenyan0%(57)
Armenian0%(43)
Bulgarian0%(35)
Macedonian0%(32)
Barbadian0%(26)
Slovak0%(24)
Australian0%(17)
Serbian0%(13)
Moroccan0%(6)
Guyanese0%(6)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
89.5%
+8.6 ptssince 2000
from 81.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.7%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 71.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
96.8%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 93.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married57.5%(29,544)
Married33.3%(17,085)
Widowed1.6%(824)
Divorced7.6%(3,926)
Women 15+
Never married52.6%(30,617)
Married30.7%(17,869)
Widowed7.2%(4,183)
Divorced9.5%(5,542)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
19.4%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 16.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.1%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 70.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
24.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 25.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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)22.7%(877)
Gulf War (1990s)23.6%(914)
Vietnam era39.7%(1,536)
Korean War3.1%(119)
World War II0.9%(34)
Share of the 3,869 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
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Bachelor's degree+ | Diversity score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 100,266 | $51,221 | $187,630 | 40.0% | 67.4 |
| 2010 | 115,452 | $48,825 | $232,617 | 41.5% | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 127,315 | $48,134 | $225,682 | 45.4% | 76.5 |
| 2024 | 127,345 | $52,974 | $299,200 | 47.3% | 78.4 |
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.
Drill deeper
Places similar to Athens
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Pop 147,384
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Compare Athens to nearby cities
ATHENS VS
Jefferson
Income$109,828+107%
Home value$377,300+26%
Population17,185−87%
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ATHENS VS
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Income$60,961+15%
Home value$239,900−20%
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ATHENS VS
Winder
Income$63,779+20%
Home value$288,500−4%
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ATHENS VS
Monroe
Income$44,656−16%
Home value$259,300−13%
Population16,507−87%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Athens, Georgia?
Athens, Georgia has about 127,345 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Athens, Georgia?
The typical household in Athens, Georgia earns about $52,974 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Athens, Georgia expensive?
In Athens, Georgia, the median home is worth about $299,200, and the typical rent is about $1,219 a month.
How educated are people in Athens, Georgia?
About 47.3% of adults age 25 and over in Athens, Georgia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Athens, Georgia?
About 26.5% of people in Athens, Georgia live below the federal poverty line.
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GeorgiaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024