With 23,396 people, Athens is a city in Ohio. This skews young, with a median age of 21.6. 33% of homes are owner-occupied. 50% were living in the same home a year earlier. This is an unusually credentialed place: 64% of adults have a four-year degree. The poverty rate is 40.0%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $38,204, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 21.6
US median: 38.9
More educated
64% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Athens
What changed most since 1990
White share88.3% → 81.6%(−6.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree57.2% → 64.1%(+6.9 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Athens's population equals 38% of Athens County's. Its number of residents 65 and older equals 16% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 70% of the county's.
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)52.3%(351)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)9.7%(65)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.9%(194)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(26)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II4.5%(30)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 671 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
Athens population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
21,265
$34,441
$163,685
57.2%
27.0
2000
21,342
$31,190
$202,750
63.8%
26.9
2010
23,832
$31,267
$236,645
62.6%
34.4
2020
23,849
$38,368
$237,802
63.8%
46.9
2024
23,396
$38,204
$247,000
64.1%
40.7
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.
