City profile · New York · Census ACS 2023

Athens, NY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Athens - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,877
Residents
$82,500
Median income
$301,200
Median home
$1,434
Median rent (state)

Athens - the verdict

Nationally, Athens sits in the 64th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

64th
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
📝 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, NY

Athens is a small town in New York, home to 1,877 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $82,500 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.3%. Home values in Athens run a median of $301,200, and the median resident age is 51.6 years. 41.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 11 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity).

New York carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New York at 107.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,434 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New York's average monthly utility costs around $285 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 68.7 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

1,877 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New York

Median Household Income

$82,500 /yr

Poverty 6.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.9 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New York average

How does Athens compare to other US cities?

Athens measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Athens against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New York only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New York-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of New York's city distribution

Among the 1,254 New York cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Athens ranks #457 - the 64th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Athens only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#593 of 1,205
51st percentile in New York
Median Gross Rent
#675 of 1,256
45th percentile in New York
Median Home Value
#494 of 1,202
59th percentile in New York
Poverty Rate
#492 of 1,246
60th percentile in New York
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#457 of 1,254
64th percentile in New York

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 New York only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

64thIncome percentile

64th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Athens's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$301,200 35th percentile more affordable than 35% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Athens $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Athens, NY Athens, NY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Athens, NY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Athens, NY median $82,500/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Athens, NY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Athens, NY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,877
Median Income
$82,500
Median Home Value
$301,200
Median Age
51.6
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Labor force participation
60.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.5%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,570 residents1,580 residents1,590 residents1,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,574 residents 1,581 residents ▲ +0.4%
Athens's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
11
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
5
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 8
2022 8
2023 7
2024 11

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.3%
Carpool
1.6%
Public Transit
4.8%
Walk
4.2%
Work from Home
11.1%
Other
1.0%

Based on 895 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New York - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$65
avg/month
Total Utilities
$285
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New York state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New York state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Athens sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.9
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,434/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
68.7 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New York

Bellport
1,876 people
Stillwater
1,876 people
Black River
1,880 people
Great River
1,880 people
Laurel Hollow
1,880 people
Peru
1,880 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's 1,877 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bon Aqua Junction, TN
1,877 people
Crab Orchard, WV
1,877 people
Concord, AL
1,878 people
Lukachukai, AZ
1,876 people
Byron, CA
1,876 people
Chester Center, CT
1,876 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's $82,500 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Patterson Tract, CA
$82,500 median income
Bogart, GA
$82,500 median income
Paris, ID
$82,500 median income
Columbus City, IA
$82,500 median income
Crystal Lake, IA
$82,500 median income
North Washington, IA
$82,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Athens, NY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Athens, NY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.6% 6.0% 8.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.7% White 84.6% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 6.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.1% Two or more races 8.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Athens compares to nearby New York cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Athens (this city) 1,877 $82,500
Bellport 1,876 $147,188
Stillwater 1,876 $80,234
Black River 1,880 $81,111
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NY NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Athens, NY?

What is the population of Athens, NY? +

Athens, NY has a population of 1,877 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Athens, NY? +

Athens households earn a median of $82,500 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Athens? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Athens; the closest available measure is the New York state average, a cost of living index of 107.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New York vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Athens, NY? +

Athens's median home value sits at $301,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.