What it's like to live in Athens
Athens is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Athens deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Athens compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Athens
Based on Athens's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,022
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,440 a year
- 64% of Athens renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,700
- Homes cost 6.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 28% below US
$1,011/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,011 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $247,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $247,000 · 64% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 21% above US
5.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 75% below US
83 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 754/100k · Athens Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 38% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.2 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 78% above US
64% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (52 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Athens's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,011/mo) equals 32% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Athens
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