Athens, NY Demographics

Population 3,961 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Athens, NY map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Athens

Household size in Athens

Household size, people per household
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–102.412.682.68
2010–142.682.722.73
2015–192.562.692.71
2020–242.472.652.65
Change+0.06−0.03−0.03
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The average household in Athens has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65.

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

Median age, years
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–1045.038.337.7
2010–1445.539.038.6
2015–1948.240.239.6
2020–2450.740.840.1
Change+5.6+2.5+2.3
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With a median age of 50.7, Athens is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 45.0 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.

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

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–105.9%13.1%12.3%
2010–147.2%12.7%12.3%
2015–196.5%11.6%11.6%
2020–245.8%11.6%11.6%
Change−0.1 pts−1.5 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are relatively rare in Athens: 5.8% 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

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–1018.0%44.8%33.3%
2010–1422.4%46.2%35.6%
2015–1925.9%46.2%36.0%
2020–2416.5%45.7%34.8%
Change−1.5 pts+0.9 pts+1.5 pts
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Only 16.5% of households in Athens rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over four in ten owners (42.0%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally.

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

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–1019.6%10.3%11.4%
2010–1428.6%10.4%11.4%
2015–1930.6%11.0%11.1%
2020–2428.4%9.7%9.6%
Change+8.8 pts−0.6 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacant homes make up 28.4% of the housing in Athens, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.

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

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–10197119561974
2010–14197419571975
2015–19197319581977
2020–24197019611980
Change−1+5+6
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The housing in Athens is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Even so, homes here are newer than in New York as a whole, where the median home dates to 1961.

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

Rent, per month
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–10$761$1,095$965
2010–14$843$1,201$1,040
2015–19$965$1,426$1,213
2020–24$1,199$1,794$1,571
Change+$439+$698+$606
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Rent in Athens runs $1,199 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 22.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.

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

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–1024.5%31.9%28.4%
2010–1428.2%33.4%29.6%
2015–1921.5%36.2%32.1%
2020–2441.7%39.8%35.6%
Change+17.2 pts+8.0 pts+7.2 pts
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Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Athens (41.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The picture is much the same across New York.

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

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–1089.0%84.0%84.9%
2010–1489.1%84.9%86.1%
2015–1988.3%86.5%87.7%
2020–2493.5%87.3%89.3%
Change+4.5 pts+3.3 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion in Athens is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 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

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodAthensNew YorkU.S.
2006–104.4%7.7%8.1%
2010–1413.1%9.2%9.4%
2015–193.5%5.7%5.6%
2020–244.6%6.6%5.4%
Change+0.2 pts−1.2 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Athens runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Athens2.4750.75.8%16.5%28.4%1970$1,19941.7%93.5%4.6%
Lorenz Park2.4150.87.4%18.6%22.3%1973$1,62935.6%90.9%9.3%
Limestreet2.2055.34.8%8.6%22.8%1965$1,26334.2%93.4%4.0%
Hudson2.1145.414.5%38.5%16.7%1962$1,58235.0%86.2%5.5%
Columbiaville2.2746.94.8%16.7%9.2%1972$1,16033.8%91.7%11.8%
Stottville2.2249.68.4%16.5%14.5%1967$1,12127.5%93.3%7.0%
Coxsackie2.3846.48.8%35.8%11.2%1954$1,00329.9%66.8%6.9%
Greendale2.1353.87.0%24.9%15.1%1973$1,59438.3%92.8%9.3%
Stuyvesant Falls2.5342.39.0%18.4%10.2%1975$1,25832.8%90.3%8.0%
Catskill2.2947.15.6%33.0%20.0%1953$1,14030.8%90.0%7.2%
Leeds2.4249.35.0%17.5%29.4%1968$1,12122.2%96.0%0.9%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: West Suffield, CT · Queenstown, MD · Salem, CT · Concrete, WA · New Brockton, AL · Krugerville, TX · Sabina, OH · Shoemakersville, PA · Okeana, OH · Southington, OH

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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