City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Athens, WI

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.

1,005
Residents
$49,904
Median income
$168,100
Median home
$1,147
Median rent (state)

Athens - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Athens places in the 19th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

19th
percentile, household income
33rd
percentile, home value
32nd
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, WI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,005 residents in Athens, a small town within Wisconsin. The typical household in Athens brings in $49,904 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 11.5%. Typical homes in Athens are valued around $168,100, and the median resident age is 44.2 years. Educational attainment runs 11.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 67 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1240% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: the state registers 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,147 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 87.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

1,005 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$49,904 /yr

Poverty 11.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin 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 19% higher than other cities
Home value 33% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% 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

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 Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

19thIncome percentile

19th 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+)

$168,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 67% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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, WI Athens, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Athens, WI-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, WI median $49,904/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, WI'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, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 11.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.0%

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

Population
1,005
Median Income
$49,904
Median Home Value
$168,100
Median Age
44.2
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Labor force participation
59.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
11.4%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,000 residents1,050 residents1,100 residents1,150 residents1,200 residents1,250 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,062 residents 1,190 residents ▲ +12.1%
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)
67
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
64
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
66.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 3
2021 4
2022 5
2023 2
2024 67

Permit volume increased 1240% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.1%
Carpool
17.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
6.4%
Other
0.6%

Based on 471 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,147/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Chain O' Lakes
1,006 people
Belmont
996 people
Sister Bay
1,016 people
Wittenberg
992 people
Eagle Lake
1,019 people
Kekoskee
987 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's 1,005 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Middlesex, NC
1,005 people
McConnellsburg, PA
1,005 people
Elloree, SC
1,005 people
Chapmanville, WV
1,005 people
Hartrandt, WY
1,005 people
Dexter, GA
1,006 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Athens's $49,904 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Karthaus, PA
$49,904 median income
Hill City, KS
$49,899 median income
Mount Pleasant, TN
$49,897 median income
Heber Springs, AR
$49,917 median income
Mason City, NE
$49,917 median income
Ellensburg, WA
$49,888 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Athens, WI 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, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.1% White 90.8% Black or African American 1.4% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.3% Two or more races 2.5% 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 Wisconsin 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) 1,005 $49,904
Chain O' Lakes 1,006 $83,438
Belmont 996 $82,000
Sister Bay 1,016 $57,679
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Athens, WI?

What is the population of Athens, WI? +

Athens, WI counts 1,005 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Athens runs $49,904, 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 Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

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

A typical home in Athens is worth $168,100, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.