Athens-Clarke County, GA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2024 Population

220,197

US Senator

Jon Ossoff

Democratic Party

US Senator

Raphael Warnock

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

33.6

1.2% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

19.6%

0.639% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$65,608

4.31% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$310,200

10.4% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

107,662

1.61% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Athens-Clarke County, GA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95% of the residents in Athens-Clarke County, GA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Athens-Clarke County, GA are University of Georgia (13,837 degrees awarded in 2024), Athens Technical College (2,194 degrees), and Georgia Institute of Cosmetology (114 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Athens-Clarke County, GA was $310,200, and the homeownership rate was 55.7%.

Most people in Athens-Clarke County, GA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Athens-Clarke County, GA was 2 cars per household.

Athens-Clarke County, GA borders Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Jefferson, GA.

United States Georgia

Population & Diversity

Athens-Clarke County, GA is home to a population of 220k people, from which 95% are citizens. As of 2024, 8.08% of Athens-Clarke County, GA residents were born outside of the country (17.8k people).

In 2024, there were 3.55 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (142k people) in Athens-Clarke County, GA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 40k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.28k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95%

2024 Citizenship

95.3%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95% of Athens-Clarke County, GA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Athens-Clarke County, GA was 95.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Athens-Clarke County, GA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Athens-Clarke County, GA

White (Non-Hispanic)
142k ± 408
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
40k ± 874
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
8.28k ± 1.05k

9.62%

Hispanic Population

21.2k people

9.62% of the people in Athens-Clarke County, GA are hispanic (21.2k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Athens-Clarke County, GA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Georgia.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
232,075 ± 11,701 people
India
112,556 ± 8,194 people
Jamaica
54,537 ± 5,719 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Georgia was Mexico, the natal country of 232,075 Georgia residents, followed by India with 112,556 and Jamaica with 54,537.

Foreign-Born Population

8.08%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

17.8k people

7.93%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

17.3k people

As of 2024, 8.08% of Athens-Clarke County, GA residents (17.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Athens-Clarke County, GA was 7.93%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Athens-Clarke County, GA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,206 ± 356
Gulf War (2001-)
1,679 ± 349
Gulf War (1990s)
1,559 ± 384

Athens-Clarke County, GA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.91 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Athens-Clarke County, GA.

Health

89.1% of the population of Athens-Clarke County, GA has health coverage, with 50.9% on employee plans, 11.3% on Medicaid, 10.4% on Medicare, 15.4% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Georgia see 1,517 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,517 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1856 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 525 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

1,517 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Georgia

Primary care physicians in Georgia see an average of 1,517 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,517 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Georgia in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.5% under 18 years, 29.2% between 18 and 34 years, 33.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.9%

Uninsured

50.9%

Employer Coverage

11.3%

Medicaid

10.4%

Medicare

15.4%

Non-Group

1.02%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Athens-Clarke County, GA declined by 1.2% from 11% to 10.9%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Athens-Clarke County, GA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Economy

The economy of Athens-Clarke County, GA employs 108k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Athens-Clarke County, GA were Educational Services (20,692 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (12,939 people), and Retail Trade (11,465 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($95,809), Utilities ($75,882), and Public Administration ($62,376).

Employment

Occupations

108k

2024 Value

± 2,794

1.61%

1 Year growth

± 3.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Athens-Clarke County, GA grew at a rate of 1.61%, from 106k employees to 108k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Athens-Clarke County, GA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (11,999 people), Management Occupations (11,954 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,048 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Athens-Clarke County, GA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Georgia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

108k

2024 Value

± 2,794

1.61%

1 Year growth

± 3.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Athens-Clarke County, GA grew at a rate of 1.61%, from 106k employees to 108k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Athens-Clarke County, GA, are Educational Services (20,692 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (12,939 people), and Retail Trade (11,465 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Athens-Clarke County, GA, though some of these residents may live in Athens-Clarke County, GA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,547

Median earning men ± $2,040

$34,062

Median earning women ± $1,188

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($74,181), Public Administration ($67,669), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($56,677).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($50,347), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,846), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($44,614).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

Y-Axis

2.94%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.87M people employed in Georgia. This represents a 2.94% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Georgia.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

480
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
345
Health Care and Social Assistance
297
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$831k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$518k
Manufacturing
$362k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Georgia went to Donald J. Trump with 50.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.5%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.394%).

Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are the senators currently representing the state of Georgia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Georgia is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Athens-Clarke County, GA. Showing the available data for Georgia.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (50.7%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (48.5%)
Democratic Party
Chase Oliver (0.394%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Georgia went to Donald J. Trump with 50.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.5%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.394%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Georgia for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Georgia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

Jon Ossoff

Senator from Georgia

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Inauguration delayed as incumbent senator David Perdue's term expired on January 3, 2021, two days prior to the runoff election.

Raphael Warnock

Senator from Georgia

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Elected to the seat to succeed Kelly Loeffler, who had been appointed to the seat following the resignation of Johnny Isakson.

Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are the senators currently representing Georgia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Georgia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Athens-Clarke County, GA awarded 16,148 degrees. The student population of Athens-Clarke County, GA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 19,450 male students and 28,412 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Athens-Clarke County, GA are White (10,611 and 68.4%), Black or African American (1,415 and 9.13%), Hispanic or Latino (1,360 and 8.77%), and Asian (1,348 and 8.7%).

The largest universities in Athens-Clarke County, GA by number of degrees awarded are University of Georgia (13,837 and 85.7%), Athens Technical College (2,194 and 13.6%), and Georgia Institute of Cosmetology (114 and 0.706%).

The most popular majors in Athens-Clarke County, GA are Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (642 and 3.98%), General Psychology (614 and 3.8%), and General Biological Sciences (557 and 3.45%).

The median tuition costs are $8,850 for private four year colleges, and $10,034 and $30,272 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Athens-Clarke County, GA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 37.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 38.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 47,862 (40.6% men and 59.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 47,862 students enrolled in Athens-Clarke County, GA, 40.6% men and 59.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 29,607 records, of which 58.9% were women and 41.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
614 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
557 degrees awarded
General Finance
520 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Athens-Clarke County, GA was General Psychology with 614 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Athens-Clarke County, GA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Georgia
13,837 degrees awarded
Athens Technical College
2,194 degrees awarded
Georgia Institute of Cosmetology
114 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Georgia with 13,837 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 6,376 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Athens-Clarke County, GA, which is 0.652 times less than the 9,772 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 10,611 degrees mean that there were 7.5 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,415 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($10,034) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,416) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,002) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Athens-Clarke County, GA was $310,200 in 2024, which is 0.932 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $280,900 to $310,200, a 10.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Athens-Clarke County, GA is 55.7%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Athens-Clarke County, GA have an average commute time of 23.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Athens-Clarke County, GA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$310,200

Median Property Value 2024

±$7,842

$47,934

Median Property Taxes

±$1,708

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Athens-Clarke County, GA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Athens-Clarke County, GA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

55.7%

Homeownership

2024

68.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 55.7% of the housing units in Athens-Clarke County, GA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 55.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Athens-Clarke County, GA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$65,608

Median Household Income

± $2,404

86.1k

Number of Households

± 2,483

In 2024, the median household income of the 86.1k households in Athens-Clarke County, GA grew to $65,608 from the previous year's value of $62,897.

The following chart displays the households in Athens-Clarke County, GA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Athens-Clarke County, GA is from Georgia.

0.471

2024 Wage GINI in Georgia

0.471

2023 Wage GINI in Georgia

In 2024, the income inequality in Georgia was 0.471 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.104% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Georgia was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Georgia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Georgia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.8%)
Worked At Home (13%)
Carpooled (7.19%)

In 2024, 73.8% of workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13%) and those who carpooled to work (7.19%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Athens-Clarke County, GA have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.97% of the workforce in Athens-Clarke County, GA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Athens-Clarke County, GA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Athens-Clarke County, GA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Athens-Clarke County, GA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

19.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Athens-Clarke County, GA (40.9k out of 209k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Athens-Clarke County, GA is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.