Athens

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Athens, GA

Area Guide

The proud home to the University of Georgia

College Town Bike-Friendly Breweries Nightlife Walkable Affordable

The quintessential college town of Athens, Georgia is all about the Dawgs! Home to the University of Georgia, Athens bleeds red and black. Because the city is so student-friendly, it ranks amongst the most affordable cities in the country, and is considered one of the top college towns and best craft beer cities, according to Fortune Magazine.

Athens features the university’s beautiful campus, stunning architecture, historic monuments, and a close-knit community of students and faculty. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, the UGA Arboretum, the Georgia Museum of Art, and the one-and-only Sanford Stadium. Athens’ thriving downtown district is home to some of the best restaurants, bars, specialty shops, and boutiques in the state, like the famous Mama’s Boy off Oak Street. Whether you’re interested in sports, live music, modern art, literary history, craft beer, or top-notch cuisine, this historic city has you covered.

Craft beer is on the rise nationwide, but Athens helped start the trend in Georgia. Home to Creature Comforts, Terrapin Beer Co, Normaltown Brewing Co, Akademia Brewing Company, and the Southern Brewing Company, there’s no shortage of craft beer, live music, and good times for Athens residents. Although Athens is known for being a hip college town, you don’t have to be a student or faculty member to enjoy this lively city. City parks, supermarkets, shopping malls, public schools, golf courses, and cozy residential streets are beloved by Athens’ community.

Explore the City

This one-of-a-kind double barreled cannon dates back to 1863 and the Civil War

The Athens-Clarke County City Hall was built in 1845

A lively mural painted during AthFest, a popular art and music festival

The Downtown Athens shopping district

Statue of Ben T. Epps, Georgia's First Aviator

Cross Broad Street and step back in time

Rent Trends

As of September 2025, the average apartment rent in Athens, GA is $1,016 for a studio, $1,185 for one bedroom, $1,395 for two bedrooms, and $1,634 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Athens has decreased by -0.3% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,185/month
719 Sq Ft
House
$2,050/month
1,531 Sq Ft
Condo
$1,463/month
1,039 Sq Ft
Townhome
$1,579/month
1,367 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Athens, GA

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Athens, GA is 0.5% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Athens is 0.8% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,016 - $1,635. You can expect to pay 0.6% more for groceries, 0.7% more for utilities, and 4.1% less for transportation.

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Transportation

46

Car-Dependent

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

42

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Chase Street Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

492 Students

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

581 Students

Timothy Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

536 Students

Barnett Shoals Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

487 Students

Barrow Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

452 Students

Clarke Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

708 Students

Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

728 Students

Hilsman Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

628 Students

Coile Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

635 Students

Clarke Central High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,836 Students

Cedar Shoals High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,443 Students

Classic City High School

Public

Grades 9-12

24 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Georgia River Network
  • Trial Gardens at UGA
  • University of Georgia Observatory
  • Georgia Museum of Natural History
  • Bear Hollow Zoo

Military Bases

Top Apartments in Athens

Houses for Rent in Athens

Property Management Companies in Athens, GA

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in September 2025.