Median Age
39 Years
Largest Age Group
20-29 Years
Approximately 14% of Residents
Under 20
25%
Over 65
20%
Athens
Athens, TN Area Guide
Avg Rent
$845
Population
15,180
Renter Mix
41% Rent
A cozy college town in the Appalachian Plateau
College
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Small Town
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Suburb
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Nature
•
Outdoors
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Mountains
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Affordable
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Athens is a small city in eastern Tennessee, positioned roughly halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga alongside Interstate 75. The city is home to Cleveland State Community College, Tennessee Wesleyan University, and a campus of Tennessee College of Applied Technology, which collectively enroll over 5,000 students and employ hundreds of locals as faculty and staff. Sitting just west of the Unicoi Mountains, Athens is built on an unusual topography of hills and ridges, with the surrounding area providing excellent opportunities for hiking, camping, and mountain biking.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$42,596
Average: $60,272
Education
2,809
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
6,243
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
Athens has more homeowners than renters.
Renters
41%
Non-Renters
59%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
15%
Other Education
85%
Rent Trends
As of May 2026, the average apartment rent in Athens, TN is $845 for one bedroom, $992 for two bedrooms, and $1,501 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Athens has increased by 0.4% in the past year.
Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$845/month
661 Sq Ft
House
$1,482/month
1,563 Sq Ft
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Athens, TN is for everyday living.
Fairly Walkable
Walkability
40
/ 100
Very Drivable
Drivability
80
/ 100
Somewhat Bikeable
Bikeability
30
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades PK-8
350 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
283 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
386 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
355 Students
Public
Grades K-5
302 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
481 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
350 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
283 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,408 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Points of Interest
Shopping Centers
Military Bases
Top Apartments in Athens
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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 February 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.