Housing data for Athens, TN
Athens, TN has an estimated 14,471 residents and 6,669 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in McMinn County.
40.1% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $846 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+4.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 14,471 (±36)
- Housing units
- 6,669 (±350)
- Households that rent
- 40.1%
- Median gross rent
- $846
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +4.5%
What stands out in Athens
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 14.6% (±3.6 points) in Athens, higher than in McMinn County (4.4%).
Households that rent: 40.1% (±5.1 points) in Athens, higher than in McMinn County (24.2%).
Median real estate taxes: $1,098 (±$97) in Athens, higher than in McMinn County ($748).
Households that moved in since 2020: 28.0% (±4.7 points) in Athens, higher than in McMinn County (20.2%).
- Types of homes in Athens
- Renters and owners in Athens
- Property taxes in Athens
- How long people stay in Athens
Housing in Athens at a glance
- Median rent: $846 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $846 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 48.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 40.1% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $53,929 median household income
- Home values: $225,000 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,256 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,098 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 14.6% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 59.7% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 59.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 2.0% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 63.1% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 21.7 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 418 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +4.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 28.0% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 3.2% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Athens against McMinn County, its state and the nation
| Athens | McMinn County | Tennessee | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 14,471 (±36) | 54,884 (exact) | 7,066,383 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 6,669 (±350) | 24,137 (±58) | 3,143,670 (±903) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 40.1% (±5.1 points) | 24.2% (±2.1 points) | 33.1% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $846 (±$92) | $803 (±$50) | $1,189 (±$7) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $53,929 (±$7,727) | $61,470 (±$4,893) | $69,595 (±$429) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $225,000 (±$18,144) | $211,800 (±$11,027) | $286,700 (±$1,492) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,098 (±$97) | $748 (±$29) | $1,442 (±$8) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 59.4% (±7.5 points) | 46.5% (±3.3 points) | 40.7% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 21.7 minutes (±2.4) | 24.6 minutes (±1.2) | 25.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 92.1% (±2.3 points) | 87.8% (±1.5 points) | 89.2% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 39.0 years (±3.9) | 42.4 years (±0.3) | 38.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Athens covers 15.6 square miles of land, about 930 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Athens has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 13,851 (±34) | 14,471 (±36) | +4.5% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 5,954 (±271) | 6,669 (±350) | +12.0% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $708 (±$47) | $846 (±$92) | +19.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $148,800 (±$11,807) | $225,000 (±$18,144) | +51.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $31,913 (±$2,574) | $53,929 (±$7,727) | +69.0% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,175 (±$129) | $1,256 (±$88) | +6.9% | Down after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $858 (±$61) | $1,098 (±$97) | +28.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 43.9% (±4.5 points) | 40.1% (±5.1 points) | −3.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.6% (±3.2 points) | 2.0% (±3.2 points) | −1.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Athens
In 2025, the Athens Police Department reported 418 violent and 2,784 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across McMinn County, the departments that report recorded 225 violent and 1,176 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Athens
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37303 | 10% | 25,688 | $849 | $232,100 | $62,078 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Athens
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niota | 5.2 mi | $1,007 | $156,300 | 25.6% |
| Englewood | 7.0 mi | $763 | $140,000 | 33.5% |
| Etowah | 9.3 mi | $741 | $190,800 | 38.8% |
| Decatur | 12 mi | $847 | $220,900 | 42.3% |
| Sweetwater | 12 mi | $619 | $178,400 | 44.9% |
| Calhoun | 13 mi | $690 | $179,700 | 27.9% |
| Madisonville | 14 mi | $726 | $234,400 | 40.0% |
| Charleston | 15 mi | $881 | $217,400 | 21.3% |
Places in Tennessee most like Athens
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tullahoma | $886 | $251,900 | $60,979 | 35.6% |
| Bristol | $842 | $194,500 | $58,162 | 32.6% |
| Morristown | $882 | $181,100 | $47,917 | 45.1% |
| Kingsport | $907 | $234,100 | $52,490 | 39.9% |
| Loudon | $879 | $244,200 | $53,650 | 36.4% |
| Lewisburg | $872 | $225,700 | $48,341 | 40.6% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Tennessee.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Athens, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $761 | $914 | $995 | $1,214 | $1,308 |
HUD income limits for Athens, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $16,650 | $27,750 | $44,350 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $31,700 | $50,700 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $35,650 | $57,050 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $39,600 | $63,350 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $42,800 | $68,450 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $45,950 | $73,500 |
| 7 people | $49,150 | $49,150 | $78,600 |
| 8 people | $52,300 | $52,300 | $83,650 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the McMinn County, TN, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $79,200.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Athens
What is the average rent in Athens, TN?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Athens is $846 (±$92) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Athens?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Athens, TN is $617 (±$372) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Athens rent-burdened?
48.0% of renting households in Athens pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Athens?
Athens has an estimated 2,354 (±311) renting households, 40.1% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Athens?
The median household income in Athens is $53,929 (±$7,727) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Athens, TN?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $225,000 (±$18,144) for owner-occupied homes in Athens (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Athens growing?
In Athens, the number of residents went from 13,851 in 2015–2019 to 14,471 in 2020–2024 (+4.5%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Athens?
The ZIP code that covers Athens is 37303.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 37303?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 37303 is $849 (±$60) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Athens city, Tennessee
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Athens city, Tennessee
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Athens city, Tennessee
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Athens city, Tennessee
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Athens city, Tennessee
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Athens city, Tennessee
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Athens city, Tennessee
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: McMinn County, TN
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: McMinn County, TN
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Athens Police Department (ORI TN0540100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Athens city, Tennessee (place:02320, in state:47).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .