Living in Athens, GA
College town in Georgia
Athens is a college town in Georgia, home to about 127,000 people, with 277,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Athens a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low natural disaster risk: 2 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $329k and rents for $1,730 a month
- Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low taxes: about $1,500 state income tax per resident, 0.89% property tax
👎 Cons
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Smaller job market: about 277,000 people live within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Athens ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Athens: common questions
What is the cost of living in Athens?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $329k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,730 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Athens?
Georgia collects about $1,500 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.89% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Athens safe?
Athens isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
What is the weather like in Athens?
Athens has mild winters: winter days average around 57°F and summer days around 90°F.
Does Athens get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 2 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.42 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Athens?
The nearest major airport is ATL, about 65 mi away.
How Athens scores
Each bar compares Athens with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Athens right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.