City safety & data profile

AthensTN

Athens, TN is a 14K-resident city in McMinn County with a median household income of $53,929.

McMinn County, Tennessee. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Athens, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Athens has a population larger than 21% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $225,000, and 1 hospital serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

14K
Population
Top 79%
By size
$53,929
Median income
$225,000
Median home
17%
Poverty rate

The read on Athens

Athens posts a median household income higher than 14% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 1 hospital serves the Athens area.

Top 86%
by median income, US cities
1
hospital in & near Athens

Where Athens income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$53,929 Bottom 14% higher than 14% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. TN $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Athens, TN beyond the headline numbers

Athens sits inside McMinn County, Tennessee, at roughly 35.44°N, -84.59°W. Population 13,688, $53,929 median household income. Median home value $225,000, median rent $846. Poverty rate 17%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Athens's highest-prevalence health measure is obesity at 46.5%, then high blood pressure at 41.7%. 1 hospital in/around Athens, 3/5 avg rating, 1 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Athens from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
13,688
Athens
Median Income
$53,929
-21% vs avg
Median Home Value
$225,000
Near average
Median Age
39
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (McMinn County) - Athens's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
55K+5%
Median Income
$61,470+56%
Median Home Value
$211,800+78%
Poverty Rate
13%-29%
Unemployment
4.8%-53%

Economics

Economics indicators for Athens, TN
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$846/mo
Poverty Rate
17% +20% vs avg
Unemployment 6.2%
Bachelor's Degree+ 23.2%
Work From Home 4.9%
Public Transit 0%

Population

White 80.6%
African American 6.6%
Asian 1.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.9%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity
46.5%
High Blood Pressure
41.7%
Short Sleep Duration
40.2%
Physical Inactivity
31.1%
Frequent Mental Distress
21.2%
Current Smoking
19.9%
Frequent Physical Distress
17%
Diabetes
15.2%
Lack of Health Insurance
13.7%
Binge Drinking
13.2%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 53.8%
Annual Checkup 77.7%

Other Measures

Current Asthma
11.4%
Coronary Heart Disease
8%
Stroke
4.3%

Hospitals 1 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
0
★★★
1
★★
0
★
0
Average Rating
3/5
Total Hospitals
1
With ER
1
STARR REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER ATHENS
ATHENS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Athens, TN? ▼
Athens, TN has a population of 13,688 people, located in McMinn County, Tennessee.
What is the median household income in Athens? ▼
The median household income in Athens, TN is $53,929 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 17%.
What is the median home value in Athens? ▼
The median home value in Athens, TN is $225,000. Median rent is $846/month.
What are the top health concerns in Athens? ▼
The top health indicators in Athens include Obesity (46.5%), High Blood Pressure (41.7%), Short Sleep Duration (40.2%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Athens? ▼
Athens has 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. 1 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Athens? ▼
The median age in Athens, TN is 39 years. 23.2% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Athens, TN is located in McMinn County, Tennessee. With a population of 14K and a $53,929 median household income, the community faces health challenges including obesity and high blood pressure. Residents have access to 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Athens area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

How Product Recalls Work

CPSC, FDA & NHTSA recall process explained

Understanding Weather Alerts

Watch vs warning vs advisory explained

Earthquake Magnitude Explained

What the numbers mean & when to act
All safety guides →

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

Federal monitoring network, every measurement we report

AirNow - Tennessee

Real-time AQI for every monitored Tennessee location

National Weather Service

NOAA active watches, warnings, advisories

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference for every AQI category

EPA NAAQS standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regulatory thresholds

Nearby Cities 8

Cleveland, TN 44K Collegedale, TN 11K Farragut, TN 22K Soddy-Daisy, TN 13K Middle Valley, TN 13K Oak Ridge, TN 29K Crossville, TN 11K Maryville, TN 28K
All cities in Tennessee → Compare Athens vs Cleveland → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Using Athens's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Athens area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Athens against Tennessee peers on any ranking lens. Explore Tennessee

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (McMinn County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.