Cost Of Living
The overall cost of living in this area is much lower than average. This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities and health care.
Housing
This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
A high score in the health and safety category is a result of good air quality and the accessibility to health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and fire stations.
Amenities
A majority of amenities are not ideally situated within a reasonable walking distance, which may lead residents to rely on a vehicle or public transportation.
Commute
Public transportation is not readily available in this area and the average commute time to work could also be longer than the national average.
Crime
This area is reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people and could signify that it is a dangerous place to live. Crime rates include both violent and property crimes.
Employment
A low score in the employment category could indicate that this area struggles with high unemployment rates and low household income and income per capita levels.
Schools
Lower than average education levels, poor reading and math scores, as well as the inaccessibility of local elementary and high schools could all be factors in the low schools score.
Athens, Tennessee is a mid-sized city with a population of 14,414 residents. According to the most recent Census, 83% of Athens residents are White, 9% Black and 1% Asian. Athens is not known to have a high population (over 15 years old) of married people. At only 49% married, this city falls well below the national average. If you are not a fan of long commutes, you will enjoy living in Athens. With an average one way commute time of only 21 minutes, getting to and from work is a breeze compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Whether you’re moving to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Athens could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Tennessee if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. To help you find the best places to live in and around Athens, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like cost of living, commute, education, employment, housing and more.
Using data and statistics Athens has received a livability score of 60 out of 100. This score is ranked in the 38th percentile when compared to all other cities. This is not a favorable rating; as this score ranks among some of the lowest in America. Living in Athens may not be a pleasant experience. If we take a closer look at each of the categories individually, we see that Athens ranks well for housing (A-). Unfortunately for Athens, there are some categories for which it does not score well, this includes: amenities (F), crime (F), education (D-) and employment (F).
A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Athens has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife, parks and proximity to public transportation are all important things to look for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Athens is real estate affordability. The median home price for Athens homes is $277,041, which is 5.7% higher than the Tennessee average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Athens, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 5.1, which is 37.8% higher than the Tennessee average.
| Statistic | Athens | Tennessee | National |
| Average one way commute | 21min | 25min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 85.1% | 83.6% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 8.1% | 9.2% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.0% | 0.8% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 2.4% | 1.4% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 4.4% | 3.9% | 4.6% |
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