MICROPOLITAN AREA
Athens Micro
Athens, TN · 2 counties · 71,590 residents (2025 est.) · 625 sq mi
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The short version
With 68,227 people, Athens is a metro area. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. The foreign-born share is 2%. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. The median age is 43.0, about 4 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $205,581, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
68,227
+14%since 2000
from 60,101 in 2000
71,590 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
625 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202468K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.5%(3,746)
5 to 96%(4,094)
10 to 145.7%(3,911)
15 to 196.2%(4,253)
20 to 245.7%(3,874)
25 to 3411.6%(7,888)
35 to 4411.2%(7,647)
45 to 5413.2%(9,018)
55 to 6414.4%(9,849)
65 to 7412.1%(8,285)
75 to 846.5%(4,427)
85 and over1.8%(1,235)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$61,451
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,446 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
39.9%
+21.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade26.1%
Information11.7%
Finance & insurance6.9%
Wholesale trade6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical5%
Other services4.6%
Public administration3.6%
Transportation & warehousing2%
Education & health services2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.1%
Construction1%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$205,581
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,352 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.3
+13%since 2009
from 2.9 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.
68
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic92.9%(55,818)
Black3.8%(2,309)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(947)
Asian0.6%(360)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic86.5%(59,018)
Black3%(2,031)
Hispanic / Latino4%(2,755)
Asian0.7%(502)
Other5.7%(3,921)
31
+61%since 2009
from 19 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
16
−39%since 2020
from 25 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican2.4%(1,640)
Puerto Rican0.4%(238)
Central American0.3%(221)
Honduran0.3%(174)
Dominican0.3%(167)
South American0.2%(112)
Colombian0.2%(100)
Spaniard0.2%(86)
Cuban0.1%(47)
Guatemalan0.1%(38)
Salvadoran0%(9)
Venezuelan0%(7)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Argentine0%(5)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.3%(150)
Pakistani0.2%(107)
Filipino0.1%(97)
Japanese0.1%(64)
Laotian0.1%(62)
Mongolian0%(9)
Chinese0%(7)
Thai0%(6)
Ancestry
Irish14.7%(10,053)
English12.6%(8,575)
German12.6%(8,571)
American11%(7,496)
Italian3%(2,058)
Scottish1.8%(1,234)
French1.8%(1,218)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(922)
Dutch0.9%(642)
Polish0.8%(521)
French Canadian0.5%(341)
Welsh0.4%(304)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Subsaharan African0.4%(279)
Norwegian0.3%(228)
Swedish0.3%(209)
Russian0.2%(136)
Slovak0.2%(131)
Danish0.2%(119)
Hungarian0.2%(118)
West Indian0.2%(114)
British0.2%(91)
Finnish0.2%(85)
Portuguese0.1%(77)
Arab0.1%(68)
Canadian0.1%(62)
Jamaican0.1%(57)
Swiss0.1%(43)
Haitian0.2%(33)
Palestinian0.1%(32)
Iraqi0.1%(28)
Kenyan0.2%(28)
Austrian0%(26)
Greek0%(21)
Iranian0%(21)
Czech0.1%(17)
Nigerian0.1%(16)
Romanian0.1%(12)
Lebanese0%(8)
Brazilian0%(5)
Australian0%(4)
Turkish0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
86.8%
+18.6 ptssince 2000
from 68.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
64.3%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
from 60.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
92.1%
+5.9 ptssince 2020
from 86.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25.5%(7,029)
Married56.2%(15,504)
Widowed3.6%(993)
Divorced14.7%(4,055)
Women 15+
Never married21.2%(6,138)
Married53.2%(15,372)
Widowed11%(3,188)
Divorced14.5%(4,197)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
15.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
60.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 57.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.3%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 46.1% 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%(1,011)
Gulf War (1990s)27.8%(1,240)
Vietnam era31.9%(1,423)
Korean War3.4%(150)
World War II0.1%(4)
Share of the 4,456 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
In this metro
Largest cities
What's inside
2 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Athens
Albemarle
Pop 68,830
Chillicothe
Pop 76,429
Clearlake
Pop 67,772
Klamath Falls
Pop 70,274
Places similar to AthensHead to head
Compare Athens side by side
ATHENS VS
Albemarle
Income$60,704−1%
Home value$242,400+18%
Population68,830−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ATHENS VS
Chillicothe
Income$61,303same
Home value$171,500−17%
Population76,429+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ATHENS VS
Clearlake
Income$60,621−1%
Home value$324,300+58%
Population67,772−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ATHENS VS
Klamath Falls
Income$58,830−4%
Home value$280,400+36%
Population70,274−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Athens, TN?
Athens, TN has about 68,227 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Athens, TN?
The typical household in Athens, TN earns about $61,451 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Athens, TN expensive?
In Athens, TN, the median home is worth about $205,581, and the typical rent is about $817 a month.
How educated are people in Athens, TN?
About 17.6% of adults age 25 and over in Athens, TN hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Athens, TN?
About 13.2% of people in Athens, TN live below the federal poverty line.
Has Athens, TN grown since 1990?
Yes, Athens, TN has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,811 residents, a change of about 35 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024