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Place dossier plate
SheetGA-ATHENS-CLARKE-COUNTY-GA · Athens-Clarke County, GA 126,987 pop · income 22nd pct · 34 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Athens-Clarke County
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Athens-Clarke County on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Macon-Bibb Co… · lowest
50,747
Macon-Bibb Co… · lowest
50,747 median HH income
31.7% of the leader · rank #1
La Croft · near
51,650
La Croft · near
51,650 median HH income
32.2% of the leader · rank #2
Fowler · near
51,654
Fowler · near
51,654 median HH income
32.2% of the leader · rank #3
Pine City · near
51,654
Pine City · near
51,654 median HH income
32.2% of the leader · rank #4
Athens-Clarke… · this city
51,655
Athens-Clarke… · this city
51,655 median HH income
32.2% of the leader · rank #5
Malott · near
51,658
Malott · near
51,658 median HH income
32.2% of the leader · rank #6
Johns Creek · highest
160,185
Johns Creek · highest
160,185 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Athens-Clarke County on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 126,987.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Athens-Clarke County - the verdict
Athens-Clarke County ranks in the 22nd percentile for household income and the 20th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
22nd
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
51st
percentile, median rent
20th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Athens-Clarke County, GA
Athens-Clarke County is a mid-sized U.S. city in Georgia, home to 126,987 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Athens-Clarke County brings in $51,655 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 12.7%. Home values in Athens-Clarke County run a median of $271,800, and the median resident age is 29.2 years. About 48.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2682.5 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).
Living costs in Georgia run below the national norm: the state registers 96.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,203 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Georgia's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Athens-Clarke County report an average commute of 18.3 minutes, with 72.0% driving alone and 11.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 39.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Athens-Clarke County's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from reported crime to population change to housing and income to within-city variation to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Athens-Clarke County, city-specific coverage includes within-city Census tract profiles, FBI reported-crime rates, commute-mode shares, annual population history.
No matched row is reported here for local building permits, matched public-school count; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
1. Reported crime
What can the FBI record say about safety in Athens-Clarke County?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 2682.5 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, above the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 18% higher in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Is Athens-Clarke County growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +1,329 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +1.0% change. No comparable local building-permit series is available here, so population change should not be read as a housing-supply measure. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
What can 34 Census tracts reveal inside Athens-Clarke County?
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
PlainCities matches 34 Census tracts to this city.
Which cities make useful reference points for Athens-Clarke County?
Within Georgia, the closest population matches are South Fulton (109,157 residents, $81,798 income); Sandy Springs (107,198 residents, $101,593 income); Savannah (147,546 residents, $56,782 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Abilene, TX (127,130 residents); Columbia, MO (127,200 residents); Lehigh Acres, FL (127,391 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Housing and income
How far does income reach against housing in Athens-Clarke County?
The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 5.3 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 12.7%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.
Household income
$51,655
Home value
$271,800
Value / income
5.3×
City-level Census ACS 2023 medians. The ratio divides two separate medians and is descriptive only.
What does the journey to work look like in Athens-Clarke County?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 72.0%. The reported mean trip to work is 18.3 minutes.
Public transit
2.1%
Work from home
11.9%
Drive alone
72.0%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 62,216 workers age 16+.
Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average
D
City profile score · Athens-Clarke County, GA
40/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Bachelor's+ share A-
48.7%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Cost of living C
96.3 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Poverty rate F
12.7%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Household income F
$51,655
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Violent crime F
406 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Athens-Clarke County profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 83/100 (A-) · 48.7%
Cost of living: 57/100 (C) · 96.3 index
Poverty rate: 29/100 (F) · 12.7%
Household income: 23/100 (F) · $51,655
Violent crime: 22/100 (F) · 406 /100k
Where Athens-Clarke County sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Athens-Clarke County's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Athens-Clarke County highlighted among 11 peers.Read the chart values
Athens-Clarke County, GA (this city): home $271,800, crime 2,683/100k
Abilene, TX : home $178,900, crime 2,188/100k
Columbia, MO : home $268,300, crime 2,665/100k
Topeka, KS : home $130,600, crime 4,499/100k
Pearland, TX : home $330,900, crime 1,536/100k
Simi Valley, CA : home $753,500, crime 1,053/100k
South Fulton, GA : home $270,600, crime 2,378/100k
Sandy Springs, GA : home $583,900, crime 1,600/100k
Savannah, GA : home $225,200, crime 20/100k
Roswell, GA : home $520,500, crime 1,181/100k
Johns Creek, GA : home $583,700, crime 572/100k
How does Athens-Clarke County compare to other US cities?
Where Athens-Clarke County sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income22% higher than other cities
Home value60% pricier than other cities
Median rent51% pricier than other cities
Safety20% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Georgia, Athens-Clarke County ranks #113 of 166 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Athens-Clarke County against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Georgia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Georgia-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Athens-Clarke County near the bottom of Georgia's cities
Among the 638 Georgia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Athens-Clarke County ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Athens-Clarke County only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#335 of 610
45th percentile in Georgia
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 638
0th percentile in Georgia
Median Home Value
#118 of 577
80th percentile in Georgia
Poverty Rate
#298 of 637
53rd percentile in Georgia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#50 of 638
92nd percentile in Georgia
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Georgia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
22nd percentile nationally for median household income · 20th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Athens-Clarke County's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Athens-Clarke County's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.
How Athens-Clarke County's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$271,80040th percentilemore affordable than 40% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#13,265 of 15,516
More affordable than 15% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#484 of 750
Mid-size cities (50,000–199,999)
At 5.3×, Athens-Clarke County sits in the pressured band:
national rank #13,265 of 15,516 and #484 of 750mid-size cities (50,000–199,999).
Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$51,655Athens-Clarke County, GA median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Athens-Clarke County, GA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Athens-Clarke County, GA.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)48.7%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)12.7%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)59.1%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
126,987
Median Income
$51,655
Median Home Value
$271,800
Median Age
29.2
Poverty Rate
12.7%
Labor force participation
59.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
48.7%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
2682.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
406.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2276.4
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Athens-Clarke County's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
127,283 residents
2021
127,928 residents
2022
128,744 residents
2023
129,210 residents
2024
129,429 residents
2025
128,612 residents
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
18.3 minutes
Drive Alone
72.0%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
2.1%
Walk
4.5%
Work from Home
11.9%
Other
1.7%
Based on 62,216 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Georgia statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Georgia at $225 (electricity about $125 , water and sewer about $45 ).
These are Georgia statewide averages, not a meter reading for Athens-Clarke County. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Georgia's BEA cost-of-living index is 96.3 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Athens-Clarke County is $1,203/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Georgia statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 39.5 / 100 (Very Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Georgia statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Athens-Clarke County sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Athens-Clarke County compares to similar-size Georgia cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.