Borough · Pennsylvania

Athens, Pennsylvania

Athens, borough, in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Athens had 3,205 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,267 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,243 (±25). GEOID 4203392.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

3,205

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,267 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,243 ±25

Median household income

$53,000

±$8,789 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971

Median home value

$167,200

±$14,321 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500

Median gross rent

$842

±$54 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209

Where is Athens and what county is it in?

Athens is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. It covers 1.8 square miles of land, 1,863 residents per square mile in 2020.

Athens is in the Sayre, PA micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Athens is the same area as Census Tract 9504 of Bradford County: the tract's figures are Athens's own.

Athens (marked with a dot) in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Athens, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 3,205 people lived in Athens on July 1, 2025, down 1.9% since 2020, while Pennsylvania grew 0.4%. The 2020 Census counted 3,267 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,243 (±25).

  • July 2020→2021 +3 (3,271)
  • 2021→2022 −29 (3,242)
  • 2022→2023 −16 (3,226)
  • 2023→2024 −14 (3,212)
  • 2024→2025 −7 (3,205)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure AthensBradford CountyPennsylvania Change since 2015-2019
Total population 3,243 ±25 59,858 13,018,639 no clear change
Households 1,698 ±161 24,610 5,274,853 +297
Average household size 1.87 ±0.18 2.40 2.39 −0.39
Housing units 1,797 ±171 29,486 5,806,452 +277

Athens's population since 2000

From 3,415 in 2000 to 3,205 in 2025: down 6.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Athens 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.

  • 2000 Census 3,415
  • 2005 (estimate) 3,383
  • 2010 Census 3,367
  • 2015 (estimate) 3,266
  • 2020 Census 3,267
  • 2025 (estimate) 3,205

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?

The median resident of Athens is 47.0 years old; 19.3% are under 18 and 22.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.1%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure AthensBradford CountyPennsylvania Change since 2015-2019
Median age 47.0 ±9.4 43.6 40.9 no clear change
Under 18 years 19.3% ±4.2 pts 22.1% 20.4% –
65 years and over 22.6% ±4.2 pts 22.4% 19.5% –
Male 57.0% ±5.3 pts 50.0% 49.3% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% ±4.1 pts 1.7% 8.7% –
White alone, not Hispanic 89.2% ±5.3 pts 94.1% 73.0% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 1.3% ±1.9 pts 0.9% 10.3% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 2.5% ±2.2 pts 0.5% 3.8% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.0 pts 0.1% 0.1% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.0 pts 0.0% 0.0% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 1.3% ±1.1 pts 2.3% 3.6% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.6% ±0.9 pts 0.3% 0.5% –
Born outside the United States 2.6% ±2.1 pts 1.7% 7.7% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 2.2% ±1.9 pts 2.5% 12.4% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 8.7% ±4.0 pts 8.1% 6.1% –
With a disability 16.6% ±5.3 pts 15.4% 14.4% –
No health insurance coverage 7.6% ±4.0 pts 6.7% 5.6% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 92.9% ±3.4 pts 90.7% 92.1% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 27.4% ±6.8 pts 20.6% 35.2% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 11.4% ±4.2 pts 8.2% 14.3% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 81.8% ±7.2 pts 90.9% 89.3% –
Moved from another state in the past year 0.0% ±1.0 pts 1.7% 1.9% –

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 earn?

Half of Athens's 1,698 households earn less than $53,000 a year (±$8,789), against $63,675 in Bradford County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $49,021 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.8% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure AthensBradford CountyPennsylvania Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $53,000 ±$8,789 $63,675 $77,971 no clear change
Mean household income $75,214 ±$14,582 $85,904 $107,538 –
Per capita income $39,293 ±$8,165 $35,860 $44,355 no clear change
People below the poverty line 12.8% ±6.2 pts 12.6% 11.7% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 19.9% ±15.3 pts 13.8% 15.6% –
Households receiving SNAP 16.1% ±5.5 pts 14.5% 14.4% –
Households with a computer 96.6% ±2.5 pts 91.9% 93.8% –
Households with a broadband subscription 92.8% ±4.2 pts 85.4% 89.7% –

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?

Owners occupy 40.6% of Athens's occupied homes and renters 59.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $167,200 by its owner (±$14,321). The median renter pays $842 a month including utilities, and 22.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure AthensBradford CountyPennsylvania Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $167,200 ±$14,321 $187,500 $254,500 no clear change
Median gross rent $842 ±$54 $901 $1,209 +$288
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 22.1% ±13.9 pts 30.8% 39.5% −33.1 pts
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,227 ±$134 $1,375 $1,762 –
Owner-occupied homes 40.6% ±10.1 pts 72.2% 69.3% −25.6 pts
Renter-occupied homes 59.4% ±10.1 pts 27.8% 30.7% –
Housing units 1,797 ±171 29,486 5,806,452 +277
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.0% ±4.5 pts 0.7% 0.8% –
Rental vacancy rate 0.0% ±3.2 pts 2.6% 4.9% –
Single-family detached homes 56.9% ±10.2 pts 71.9% 56.6% –
Mobile homes 1.6% ±1.4 pts 13.6% 3.5% –
Built 2020 or later 0.0% ±1.8 pts 0.8% 1.0% –
Built 2010 to 2019 2.4% ±2.4 pts 5.1% 5.1% –
Built 1939 or earlier 34.6% ±9.4 pts 32.5% 25.0% –
Households with no vehicle 18.6% ±10.3 pts 6.9% 10.4% –

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 many new homes is Athens building?

Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Athens in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.3 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.

  • 2019 3 units
  • 2020 0 units
  • 2021 0 units
  • 2022 0 units
  • 2023 0 units
  • 2024 3 units
  • 2025 1 units

Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Athens work and get to work?

92.9% of Athens's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.1 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure AthensBradford CountyPennsylvania Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 57.4% ±7.9 pts 55.9% 62.7% –
Unemployment rate 9.4% ±7.4 pts 6.3% 5.3% –
Drove alone to work 92.9% ±3.4 pts 79.1% 68.2% –
Carpooled 3.5% ±2.6 pts 8.8% 7.5% –
Public transportation 0.6% ±1.0 pts 0.2% 3.6% –
Walked 0.0% ±2.4 pts 3.8% 3.3% –
Worked from home 2.5% ±2.0 pts 7.0% 15.6% –
Mean travel time to work 19.1 min ±3.7 24.1 min 26.3 min no clear change

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?

1 census tract lies mostly in Athens (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Athens, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Athens
Tract 9504Bradford County3,243 $53,000 $167,200100%

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) · Census block assignment files

How does Athens compare with other places in Pennsylvania?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Athens is the 6,127th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 302nd-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.

Athens ranks 1,918th of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Athens's rank in Pennsylvania (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate302nd1,012
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)1,245th1,764
Residents per square mile669th2,159
Median household income1,918th2,136
Per capita income1,085th2,157
Median home value1,582nd2,146
Median gross rent1,505th1,963
Poverty rate486th1,606
Bachelor's degree or higher952nd2,129
Median age691st2,157
Owner-occupied share2,115th2,149
Travel time to work1,961st2,156

Athens's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)

Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare Athens 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?

21 of the 57 figures for Athens 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 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.