Population 2,201 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Athens
Household size in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
The average household in Athens has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Michigan as a whole looks much the same. Household size has dropped from 2.66 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.8 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +10.7 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.8, Athens is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Athens: 6.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Athens
Renters in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Athens is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 13.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About half of owners (49.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Athens than nationally: 11.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. The picture is much the same across Michigan.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Athens is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. That is in line with the rest of Michigan.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $664 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $732 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $687 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $977 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$313 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Athens pays $977 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 18.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Athens
Bachelor's degrees in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.6% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Athens have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 12.6%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.4% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Athens: 94.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Athens
| Period | Athens | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.8 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Athens has been strong: just 2.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Athens compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | 2.47 | 48.8 | 6.2% | 13.9% | 11.2% | 1971 | $977 | 12.6% | 94.4% | 2.7% |
| Pine Creek | 2.76 | 41.1 | 9.4% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1977 | $871 | 20.7% | 93.3% | 4.0% |
| Fulton | 2.66 | 41.2 | 16.3% | 10.2% | 5.5% | 1974 | $875 | 17.2% | 92.1% | 10.7% |
| East Leroy | 2.65 | 42.2 | 8.3% | 8.0% | 7.1% | 1985 | $875 | 22.1% | 94.5% | 3.4% |
| Union City | 2.73 | 39.6 | 15.1% | 26.3% | 13.8% | 1956 | $954 | 17.1% | 92.0% | 9.3% |
| Sherwood | 2.64 | 46.6 | 10.0% | 16.9% | 12.4% | 1964 | $873 | 12.0% | 90.6% | 4.3% |
| Joppa | 2.59 | 42.9 | 9.1% | 7.4% | 4.8% | 1982 | $1,212 | 20.3% | 96.3% | 4.0% |
| Burlington | 2.42 | 48.3 | 6.7% | 11.3% | 15.5% | 1974 | $929 | 18.5% | 94.2% | 4.1% |
| Leonidas | 2.87 | 36.6 | 8.8% | 13.3% | 14.4% | 1961 | $1,032 | 14.6% | 76.7% | 4.1% |
| West Leroy | 2.71 | 39.5 | 8.5% | 9.0% | 5.3% | 1980 | $891 | 24.2% | 94.9% | 8.6% |
| Old Mill Gardens | 2.56 | 46.5 | 7.5% | 8.0% | 6.1% | 1985 | $1,083 | 21.6% | 97.1% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Scotts Mills, OR · Hope, MI · Hyndman, PA · Milford Center, OH · Mount Carroll, IL · Nanjemoy, MD · Ontonagon, MI · Pocahontas, IA · Ross, OH · Ainsworth, NE
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Athens. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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