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Athens, GA

City Hall
City Hall
DXR on Wikimedia
Downtown
Downtown
Richardelainechambers on Wikimedia
Athens leans liberal and has a Democratic representative in Congress
123,310
Athens Population6
$
36,179
Median Income5
6.7
%
Unemployment Rate15
 

City Score

  • Education

    91
    • Public schools rated 8+
      0
    • Public schools rated 8+ (%)
      0 %
    • High schools in top 25%
      0
    • High schools in top 25% (%)
      0 %
    • Top rated public high school20
      Clarke Central High School
    • Top rated public high school (national rank)20
      5,076

  • Air Quality

    89
    • Unhealthy air quality
      0 days per year
    • Unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups
      0 days per year
    • High PM2.5 pollution12
      123 days per year
    • High ozone12
      150 days per year

  • Taxes

    62
    • City income tax
      0.0 % (for median earners)
    • City income tax
      0.0 % (for high earners)
    • State income tax14
      4.5 % (for median earners)
    • State income tax14
      5.2 % (for high earners)
    • City sales tax17
      4.0 %
    • State sales tax17
      4.0 %
    • Property tax19
      0.9 %
    • Vehicle tax19
      0.0 %

  • Safety

    57
    • Property crimes1
      3,187.1 per 100,000 residents
    • Violent crimes1
      420.9 per 100,000 residents

  • Diversity

    57
    • White or Middle Eastern6
      55.1 %
    • Black6
      27.5 %
    • Asian6
      4.1 %
    • Hispanic6
      10.7 %

  • Climate

    55
    • Sunny days3
      60 days
    • Rainy days10
      111 days
    • Hot days10
      55 days
    • Cold days10
      51 days
    • Average humidity10
      70 %
    • Average wind speed10
      6 mph
    • Annual snowfall10
      2 inches
    • Temperature in January10
      44 °F
    • Temperature in July10
      81 °F
    • Wildfire risk22
      Low
    • Hurricane risk22
      Medium
    • Tornado risk22
      Medium
    • Earthquake risk22
      Low
    • Flood risk22
      High

  • Home Pricing

    51
    • Median home value4
      $208,771
    • Median home value (sq ft)11
      $322
    • Median rent price11
      $1,450

  • Internet Connectivity

    51
    • Access to 25+ mbps wired broadband23
      94.1 %
    • Access to 100+ mbps broadband23
      90.8 %
    • Average download speed23
      67 mpbs
    • Households with broadband24
      79.9 %

  • Local Transportation

    47
    • Walkability score9
      46
    • Bikeability score9
      32
    • Transit score
      0
    • Commute via public transit15
      5.0 %
    • Commute via walking15
      3.9 %
    • Commutes via driving solo15
      73.0 %
    • Commute time (avg)15
      19.3 minutes

  • Travel Connectivity

    36
    • Airports
      0
    • Train stations
      2

  • Healthcare

    35
    • Hospitals (<50 miles)2
      16
    • Hospital rating (avg)2
      2.85 / 5
    • 5-star hospitals
      0
    • 5-star hospitals (%)
      0 %
    • 5-star hospital (nearest)
      46.8 miles from city center

  • Attractions

    27
    • Restaurants7
      78.4 per 100,000 residents
    • Bars7
      44.5 per 100,000 households
    • Performing arts centers7
      46.6 per 100,000 households
    • Museums7
      0.0 per 100,000 households
    • Music venues16
      11
    • Historical sites
      0
    • Golf courses18
      9
    • Wineries
      0
    • Casinos21
      2

  • Economy

    26
    • Income5
      $18,926
    • Income (full-time)5
      $36,179
    • Income ($100,000 or more)5
      8.5 %
    • Income ($25,000 and less)5
      27.6 %
    • Income growth (1-year)5
      2.0 %
    • Income growth (10-year)5
      4.9 %
    • Employment rate15
      93.3 %
    • Employment rate (full-time)5
      32.5 %
    • Employment rate growth (1-year)15
      1.7 %
    • Employment rate growth (10-year)15
      11.3 %
    • Population growth (1-year)6
      0.8 %
    • Population growth (10-year)6
      8.5 %

  • Outdoor Activities

    21
    • Beaches8
      2
    • Parks13
      19
    • Ski resorts
      0
 

Population

Athens' 10 to 14 year old population grew by 27% since 2010, making it one of the fastest growing cities for that segment in the United States where the average growth rate is 1%

Age

27.6
Median Age6
8.5
%
Population Growth Since 20106

Proportion of Population by Age Group vs. United States average6

 

Race and Ethnicity

Athens residents are mostly white; however, the city is slowly becoming more diverse as the white community has shrunk by 7.8% since 2010, while the Black community, 2nd largest in the city, has grown by 10.8%

Race

53.2
%
Georgia Population, White6
61.1
%
United States population, White6

Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity6

 

Climate

Athens has warm summers and mild winters. The temperature drops to 32°F or below 51 days per year with an average temperature in July of 81°F

Weather

30
%
Chance of Rain10
60
%
Chance of Sunshine3

Average Temperature37

 

Housing

The average home value in Athens increased by 41% since 2010 which is 1% lower than the national average and 5% lower than the state average

Rent

$
1,450
Monthly Average11
61
%
Renters38

Average Home Value4

 

Taxes

Athens is an average tax location with property tax 18% lower than the national average, but income tax 31% higher than the national average and sales tax 17% higher than the national average.

Other

0.91
%
Property Tax19
8.0
%
Sales Tax17
0.0
%
Vehicle Tax19

Effective Income Tax Rate at Various Income Levels (Married, Filing Jointly)39

 

Employment

Athens has an average employment rate of 93% which is 0% lower than the national average. The largest employers are University of Georgia and Zaxbys

Income

27.6
%
<$25,0005
8.5
%
$100,000+5

Distribution by Industry15

 

Politics

Athens leans liberal and has a Democratic representative in Congress

2016 Presidential Election Results40

Representatives

Mayor26 Kelly Girtz
Democratic
House of Representative26 Jody Hice
Republican
 

Healthcare

The nearest 5-star hospital, Northside Hospital Forsyth, is 46.8 miles from the center of Athens, the nearest Veterans Affairs medical center, Atlanta VA Medical Center, is 56.7 miles away, and the nearest top-rated hospital for cancer care, Emory University Hospital, is 52.5 miles away

Medicare-Rated Hospitals (<50 Miles)2

Is Marijuana Legal?

Medical27 CBD oil only
Decriminalized27 No
 

Safety

In Georgia, 37.7% of adults live in a household with at least one gun, which is a decrease since 2000 when 46.7% of adults lived in households with guns

Gun Laws

No
Universal Background Checks28
No
Permit to Purchase Law28

Property Crimes and Violent Crimes per 100,000 Residents

 

Fun Facts

  • The original Constitution of the Confederate States of America goes on display once annually on Confederate Memorial Day
  • A white oak tree that, according to legend, has legal ownership of itself and of all land within eight feet of its base
  • The ninth largest collegiate football stadium in the United States with a seating capacity of 92,746
 

Top Destinations

  • Athens is home of The University of Georgia (UGA). The UGA football team has won two consensus national championships (1942 and 1980) and two Heisman trophies (Frank Sinkwich in 1942 and Herschel Walker in 1982)31
  • Downtown Athens has more bars per capita than any other city in the country with 80 bars in a single square mile32
  • R.E.M., Widespread Panic, Drive-By Truckers, and the B-52s also all got their starts in Athens32
 

Recognition

#76 2020 Best Cities to Live by Niche29
#2 Best Small Cities to Retire by AARP30
 

Sources

1 2017 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement | FBI
2 Medicare-certified hospitals | Medicare.gov
3 Sunshine - Average Percent of Possible
4 Zillow Housing Data
5 2018 Earnings in the Past 12 Months | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
6 2018 Demographic And Housing Estimates | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
7 2017 County Business Patterns | United States Census
8 Beaches | Yelp
9 2020 City & Neighborhood Scores | Walk Score
10 Comparative Climatic Data | National Centers for Environmental Information
11 United States Home Prices & Home Values
12 AirData | United States Environmental Protection Agency
13 Parks | Yelp
14 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2020 | Tax Foundation
15 2018 Economic Characteristics | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
16 Music Venues | Yelp
17 2020 State and Local Sales Tax Rates | Tax Foundation
18 Golf Courses | Yelp
19 2020 Property and Vehicle Taxes by State | WalletHub
20 Best High Schools in the US | U.S. News & World Report's
21 Casinos | Yelp
22 Natural Center for Disaster Preparedness | Columbia University
23 Internet Service Providers: Availability & Coverage | Broadband Now
24 2018 Social Characteristics | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
25 Zippia, The Career Expert
26 Who represents me | Ballotpedia
27 State Policy | Marijuana Policy Project
28 State-Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership | The RAND Corporation
29 2020 Best Cities to Live | Niche
30 Best Small Cities to Retire | AARP
31 Heisman Trophy Winner List
32 14 reasons Athens, GA is the best college town in America | Thrillist
33 2018 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement | FBI
34 2010 Demographic And Housing Estimates | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
35 Elevations and Distances | U.S. Geological Survey Publications Repository
36 Normal Precipitation, Inches
37 Normal Daily Minimum Temperature, °F
38 2018 Selected Housing Characteristics | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
39 Federal Income Tax Calculator | smartasset
40 2016 Presidential Election Results | Politico
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