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 medium-sized city with a population of 13,931 people. The majority of Athens residents report their race to be White; this is followed by Black and Asian. In Athens, only 49% of people over the age of fifteen are married. This city could be a good option for singles ready to mingle. 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 relocating 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 search. 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. Finding the best places to live in Athens and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes amenities, cost of living, education, employment, housing and other important metrics.
The livability score in Athens is 60/100 and the city is ranked in the 42nd percentile of all cities across America. This is a poor rating when compared to the average of other places in the country. For each of the livability categories, we can establish that Athens ranks very well for housing (B-). There is at least one category that you should be aware of in Athens. The following was graded with a concerning score: amenities (F), crime (F), education (F) and employment (F).
Finding affordable real estate and housing in Athens can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.
Assuming that Athens meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Athens. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Athens are simply unattainable. The median home price for Athens homes is $156,800, which is 7.4% 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 4.3, which is 38.7% 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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