Unified government · Georgia
Athens-Clarke County, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County, unified government, in Clarke County, Georgia. Athens-Clarke County is the Census Bureau's name for Athens. Athens-Clarke County had 128,612 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 127,315 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 127,345 (±606). GEOID 1303440.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
128,612
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 127,315 · ACS 2020-2024: 127,345 ±606
Median household income
$52,974
±$2,410 (90% margin)
Georgia: $77,353
Median home value
$299,200
±$10,931 (90% margin)
Georgia: $303,300
Median gross rent
$1,219
±$31 (90% margin)
Georgia: $1,393
Where is Athens-Clarke County and what county is it in?
Athens-Clarke County is an unified government in Clarke County, Georgia. It covers 116.4 square miles of land, 1,093 residents per square mile in 2020.
Athens-Clarke County is in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Athens-Clarke County, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 128,612 people lived in Athens-Clarke County on July 1, 2025, up 1.0% since 2020, slower than Georgia (+5.5%). The 2020 Census counted 127,315 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 127,345 (±606).
| Measure | Athens-Clarke County | Clarke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 127,345 ±606 | 129,609 | +2,626 |
| Households | 53,643 ±492 | 54,454 | +5,343 |
| Average household size | 2.18 ±0.02 | 2.19 | −0.17 |
| Housing units | 57,090 ±236 | 57,918 | +4,746 |
Athens-Clarke County's population since 2000
From 100,266 in 2000 to 128,612 in 2025: up 28.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Athens-Clarke County as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Athens-Clarke County?
The median resident of Athens-Clarke County is 29.4 years old; 16.6% are under 18 and 12.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 53.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 25.7%. 10.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Athens-Clarke County | Clarke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.4 ±0.2 | 29.6 | +1.4 |
| Under 18 years | 16.6% ±0.2 pts | 16.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.4% ±0.1 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Male | 47.4% ±0.2 pts | 47.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.9% ±0.1 pts | 11.8% | +1.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 53.8% ±0.3 pts | 54.1% | −1.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 25.7% ±0.6 pts | 25.6% | −2.0 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.2% ±0.2 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±0.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.1% ±0.7 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 15.9% ±0.8 pts | 15.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.7% ±0.4 pts | 3.8% | – |
| With a disability | 11.8% ±0.9 pts | 12.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.3% ±1.0 pts | 11.2% | −2.2 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.5% ±1.1 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 47.3% ±1.7 pts | 47.4% | +3.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 24.3% ±1.4 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 73.2% ±1.2 pts | 73.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.3% ±0.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Athens-Clarke County earn?
Half of Athens-Clarke County's 53,643 households earn less than $52,974 a year (±$2,410), against $53,625 in Clarke County and $77,353 in Georgia. In 2015-2019 the median was $47,149 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $5,825 after inflation. 26.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Athens-Clarke County | Clarke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,974 ±$2,410 | $53,625 | +$5,825 |
| Mean household income | $78,041 ±$2,624 | $78,676 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,491 ±$1,057 | $32,642 | +$3,292 |
| People below the poverty line | 26.5% ±1.7 pts | 26.0% | −3.4 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.4% ±4.8 pts | 23.9% | −9.3 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.5% ±1.2 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.8% ±0.7 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.6% ±0.9 pts | 92.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Athens-Clarke County?
Owners occupy 40.7% of Athens-Clarke County's occupied homes and renters 59.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $299,200 by its owner (±$10,931). The median renter pays $1,219 a month including utilities, and 51.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Athens-Clarke County | Clarke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $299,200 ±$10,931 | $298,900 | +$88,751 |
| Median gross rent | $1,219 ±$31 | $1,219 | +$166 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.3% ±2.4 pts | 51.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,620 ±$62 | $1,613 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 40.7% ±1.5 pts | 41.4% | +2.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 59.3% ±1.5 pts | 58.6% | – |
| Housing units | 57,090 ±236 | 57,918 | +4,746 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.1% ±0.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.2% ±0.9 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.6% ±1.7 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.5% ±0.8 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.1% ±0.5 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.1% ±1.2 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.3% ±0.7 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.4% ±0.9 pts | 6.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Athens-Clarke County work and get to work?
70.2% of Athens-Clarke County's workers drive alone and 13.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.3%.
| Measure | Athens-Clarke County | Clarke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.5% ±1.3 pts | 62.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% ±0.9 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 70.2% ±1.9 pts | 70.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.8% ±1.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.9% ±0.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Walked | 4.7% ±0.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.5% ±1.1 pts | 13.5% | +7.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.6 min ±0.8 | 20.7 min | +1.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Athens-Clarke County?
34 census tracts lie mostly in Athens-Clarke County (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $18,888 (Tract 1405) to $109,375 (Tract 1507.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4.02Clarke County | 7,131 | $29,438 |
| Tract 1304Clarke County | 7,035 | $83,750 |
| Tract 1508Clarke County | 5,900 | $99,051 |
| Tract 1303Clarke County | 5,680 | $53,365 |
| Tract 1403Clarke County | 5,181 | $51,060 |
| Tract 302Clarke County | 5,077 | $30,781 |
| Tract 1504Clarke County | 5,009 | $34,164 |
| Tract 1505Clarke County | 4,938 | $45,424 |
| Tract 1507.01Clarke County | 4,402 | $66,705 |
| Tract 1307.01Clarke County | 4,284 | $64,531 |
| Tract 1509Clarke County | 4,253 | $76,685 |
| Tract 9Clarke County | 4,123 | $21,346 |
Every census tract in Athens-Clarke County, with its figures
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Athens-Clarke County) · Census block assignment files
How does Athens-Clarke County compare with other places in Georgia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Athens-Clarke County is the 227th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 6th-most populous of 537 in Georgia.
Athens-Clarke County ranks 210th of 348 places in Georgia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 6th | 537 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 201st | 297 |
| Residents per square mile | 131st | 360 |
| Median household income | 210th | 348 |
| Per capita income | 144th | 357 |
| Median home value | 104th | 346 |
| Median gross rent | 129th | 337 |
| Poverty rate | 78th | 302 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42nd | 343 |
| Median age | 332nd | 360 |
| Owner-occupied share | 322nd | 354 |
| Work from home | 92nd | 198 |
| Travel time to work | 301st | 359 |
Athens-Clarke County's figures with every place in Georgia (CSV)
Every place in Georgia, sortable · Compare Athens-Clarke County with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Athens-Clarke County?
2 of the 57 figures for Athens-Clarke County on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Athens-Clarke County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Athens-Clarke County.