United States › Tennessee › Athens CITY
Athens Tennessee · 15,263 residents (2025 est.) · 15.6 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Athens is a city of 14,471 people in Tennessee. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 23% of adults. The foreign-born share is 4%. The typical home is worth $225,000, having roughly tripled since 2000. Households here earn about 23% less than in Tennessee as a whole. Median rent is $846 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 65%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 13,220 in 2000
15,263 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 905 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 13K 13K 14K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Athens Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,929
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,277 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,877 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.438 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Education & health services 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$225,000
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $74,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$846
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $422 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 60.9% in 2000
40.1% rent
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.37 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 85.1%(11,247)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 76.9%(11,126)
Hispanic / Latino 7.7%(1,108)
from 36 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 16.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 71.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 59.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 78.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.5%(1,989)
Women 15+
Never married 33.4%(2,160)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.6% 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) 25.1%(171)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.3%(179)
Share of the 681 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Athens Head to head
Compare Athens to nearby cities ATHENS VS
Cleveland
Income $58,559 +9%
Home value $272,200 +21%
Population 51,172 +235%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ATHENS VS
Lenoir City
Income $67,259 +25%
Home value $252,400 +12%
Population 12,530 −18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ATHENS VS
Soddy-Daisy
Income $75,113 +39%
Home value $256,600 +14%
Population 13,474 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ATHENS VS
Collegedale
Income $70,246 +30%
Home value $365,100 +62%
Population 11,499 −25%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Athens, Tennessee? Athens, Tennessee has about 14,471 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Athens, Tennessee? The typical household in Athens, Tennessee earns about $53,929 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Athens, Tennessee expensive? In Athens, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $225,000, and the typical rent is about $846 a month.
How educated are people in Athens, Tennessee? About 23.2% of adults age 25 and over in Athens, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Athens, Tennessee? About 17.0% of people in Athens, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Athens, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Athens, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,417 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 