Jobs, pay and daily life in Athens, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Athens is a city in Ohio with 23,396 residents. The median household earns $38,204 a year and the median rent is $1,011 a month, which is 31.8% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Athens compares. Among the 100 largest places in Ohio, Athens is #72 by population, #100 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #98 for household income (#1 = highest), #7 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Athens County, is #65 of 88 counties for average pay ($50,117).
Athens has 23,396 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Ohio. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,352 people per square mile. The median age is 21.6, 46% younger than the state median (21.6 against 39.7).
The median gross rent is $1,011 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,011 against $1,034). Over a year that is 31.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so rent here is above that line for the typical household. The median home value is $247,000, which is 6.5 times the median household income ($38,204); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 32.5% of households own their home, 52% below the state average (32.5% against 67.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Athens County was 4.0%. 59.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Athens County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 46.1% drive alone, 1.6% use public transit, 21.9% walk, 20.2% work from home. 7.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 35% below the state average (7.0% against 10.8%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
64.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 103% above the state share (64.1% against 31.5%). 6.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 26% above the state share (6.6% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 40.0%, 201% above the state rate (40.0% against 13.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.6°C). About 1,048 mm (41 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (106 mm) and Feb the driest (71 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Parkersburg (30 miles, rent 22% lower); Vienna (30 miles, rent 20% lower); Ravenswood (31 miles, rent 29% lower); Point Pleasant (33 miles, rent 38% lower). Rent differences are against Athens; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Ohio (522) →State guide: OhioCountry guideAthens CountyOhio rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 522 federal postings open in Ohio (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 39.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 23.9% |
| Retail trade | 10.0% |
| Manufacturing | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.8% |
| Other services | 2.7% |
| Public administration | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Construction | 0.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Athens lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens County | 61,737 | $2,745 million | $44,466 | 21,207 | 1,359 | $50,117 | +0.9% | 4.0% | 27,333 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,350 | 25.5% | $58,200 | 1.10 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,681 | 20.4% | $19,483 | 1.39 |
| Retail trade | 2,606 | 19.9% | $32,568 | 1.23 |
| Manufacturing | 665 | 5.1% | $65,067 | 0.38 |
| Construction | 530 | 4.0% | $58,683 | 0.48 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 440 | 3.4% | $37,317 | 0.69 |
| Professional and technical services | 417 | 3.2% | $61,031 | 0.28 |
| Finance and insurance | 413 | 3.1% | $67,372 | 0.48 |
| Wholesale trade | 403 | 3.1% | $53,463 | 0.48 |
| Administrative and waste services | 377 | 2.9% | $35,096 | 0.30 |
| Management of companies | 310 | 2.4% | $67,652 | 0.87 |
| Real estate and rental | 272 | 2.1% | $43,829 | 0.83 |
| Information | 197 | 1.5% | $57,196 | 0.50 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 182 | 1.4% | $54,630 | 0.20 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 107 | 0.8% | $26,431 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 77 | 0.6% | $116,783 | 0.95 |
| Educational services | 47 | 0.4% | $24,635 | 0.11 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 26 | 0.2% | $39,584 | 0.32 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 22 | 0.2% | $39,457 | 0.13 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 46.1% |
| Public transit | 1.6% |
| Walk | 21.9% |
| Work from home | 20.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,204 |
| Income per person | $26,028 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,011 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 31.8% |
| Median home value | $247,000 |
| Homeowners | 32.5% |
| Poverty rate | 40.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 21.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 64.1% |
| Born abroad | 6.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.6 | 29 | 72 |
| Feb | -0.5 | 31 | 71 |
| Mar | 4.9 | 41 | 88 |
| Apr | 11.4 | 53 | 101 |
| May | 17.1 | 63 | 105 |
| Jun | 21.7 | 71 | 106 |
| Jul | 24.3 | 76 | 102 |
| Aug | 24.0 | 75 | 76 |
| Sep | 20.1 | 68 | 82 |
| Oct | 12.8 | 55 | 85 |
| Nov | 5.8 | 42 | 74 |
| Dec | 0.8 | 33 | 86 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg | WV | 30 mi | 29,240 | $49,025 | $785 |
| Vienna | WV | 30 mi | 10,518 | $60,388 | $809 |
| Ravenswood | WV | 31 mi | 3,830 | $34,241 | $714 |
| Point Pleasant | WV | 33 mi | 3,961 | $37,563 | $624 |
| Lancaster | OH | 39 mi | 41,249 | $59,133 | $1,083 |
| Zanesville | OH | 44 mi | 24,740 | $43,280 | $821 |
| Chillicothe | OH | 48 mi | 21,902 | $54,086 | $887 |
| Pickerington | OH | 52 mi | 24,477 | $111,833 | $1,605 |
| Newark | OH | 54 mi | 50,783 | $61,670 | $973 |
| Reynoldsburg | OH | 57 mi | 41,224 | $72,972 | $1,259 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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23,396 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,011 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 31.8% of the median household income.
$38,204 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Athens County (latest month 2026M09)).
Ohio. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.