City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Athens, TN

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.

14,250
Residents
$53,151
Median income
$197,300
Median home
$926
Median rent (state)

Athens - the verdict

Nationally, Athens sits in the 25th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
8th
percentile, median rent
6th
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, TN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 14,250 residents in Athens, a small town within Tennessee. Athens households earn a median of $53,151 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.9%. Typical homes in Athens are valued around $197,300, and the median resident age is 40.8 years. About 22.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 54.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 30 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 50% from five years earlier. Athens's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4287.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 58.8°F with 60.4 inches of precipitation per year and 3.6 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $926 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Tennessee's average monthly utility costs around $218 (state average). Commute times here average 21.5 minutes, with 84.5% driving alone and 4.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 60.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

14,250 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$53,151 /yr

Poverty 14.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Athens compare to other US cities?

Where Athens sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 8% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Tennessee and the picture shifts: Athens ranks #166 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Athens's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Tennessee, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

25thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Athens's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Athens'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. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 35 Avg. percentile National median
Athens'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's home value compares nationally

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

$197,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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, TN Athens, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Athens, TN-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, TN median $53,151/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, TN'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, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.4%

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

Population
14,250
Median Income
$53,151
Median Home Value
$197,300
Median Age
40.8
Poverty Rate
14.9%
Labor force participation
54.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4287.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
622.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3665.8
per 100,000 residents

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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.8°F
Annual Precipitation
60.4"
Annual Snowfall
3.6"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,500 residents14,000 residents14,500 residents15,000 residents15,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 14,112 residents 15,263 residents ▲ +8.2%
Athens's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
30
housing units authorized
Single-Family
16
detached homes
Multifamily
14
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 20
2020 22
2021 38
2022 101
2023 85
2024 30

Permit volume increased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.5 minutes
Drive Alone
84.5%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.3%
Work from Home
4.1%

Based on 6,499 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Tennessee - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$926/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Elizabethton
14,364 people
Lakeland
14,068 people
Nolensville
14,545 people
White House
13,875 people
McMinnville
13,765 people
Powell
13,544 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's 14,250 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hidalgo, TX
14,250 people
Orange, CT
14,251 people
Jefferson, GA
14,249 people
West Freehold, NJ
14,233 people
Warrenville, IL
14,232 people
Pineville, LA
14,268 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's $53,151 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Greenfield, IA
$53,152 median income
Gibbon, MN
$53,148 median income
Hummelstown, PA
$53,148 median income
Davis, OK
$53,147 median income
Galliano, LA
$53,146 median income
Stendal, IN
$53,144 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Athens, TN 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, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.7% 6.1% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.6% White 84.7% Black or African American 6.1% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 6.5% 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 Tennessee 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) 14,250 $53,151
Elizabethton 14,364 $44,834
Lakeland 14,068 $113,843
Nolensville 14,545 $170,068
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Athens, TN?

What is the population of Athens, TN? +

Athens, TN has a population of 14,250 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Athens, the typical household earns $53,151 per year, 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 Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Athens, TN safe? +

Athens has a total crime rate of 4287.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

Homes in Athens carry a median value of $197,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Athens? +

The average annual temperature in Athens runs 58.8°F, 60.4 inches of precipitation, and 3.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.