Athens, WV

Census Place

2024 Population

1,494

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Justice

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

21.1

22.7% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

19.4%

99.7% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$56,667

9.03% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$168,100

Population & Diversity

Athens, WV is home to a population of 1.49k people, from which 97.1% are citizens.

As of 2024, 4.48% of Athens, WV residents were born outside of the country (67 people).

In 2024, there were 21.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.31k people) in Athens, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 61 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 44 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.1%

2024 Citizenship

97.1%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.1% of Athens, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Athens, WV was 97.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Athens, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.31k ± 366
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
61 ± 68
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
44 ± 57

3.08%

Hispanic Population

46 people

3.08% of the people in Athens, WV are hispanic (46 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Athens, WV as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for West Virginia.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,614 ± 1,254 people
Philippines
2,231 ± 1,159 people
India
2,211 ± 1,154 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of West Virginia was Mexico, the natal country of 2,614 West Virginia residents, followed by Philippines with 2,231 and India with 2,211.

Foreign-Born Population

4.48%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

67 people

3.55%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

41 people

As of 2024, 4.48% of Athens, WV residents (67 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, WV was 3.55%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
9 ± 24
Vietnam
6 ± 20
Gulf War (1990s)
4 ± 15

Athens, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.5 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Athens, WV.

Economy

The economy of Athens, WV employs 461 people. In 2024, the largest industries in Athens, WV were Educational Services (118 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (73 people), and Public Administration (44 people), and the highest paying industries were Educational Services ($49,167), Public Administration ($46,250), and Manufacturing ($45,156).

Employment

Occupations

461

2024 Value

± 147

10.8%

1 Year growth

± 39.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Athens, WV grew at a rate of 10.8%, from 416 employees to 461 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Athens, WV, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (77 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (65 people), and Installation, Maintenance, & Repair Occupations (44 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Athens, WV.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in West Virginia (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

461

2024 Value

± 147

10.8%

1 Year growth

± 39.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Athens, WV grew at a rate of 10.8%, from 416 employees to 461 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Athens, WV, are Educational Services (118 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (73 people), and Public Administration (44 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Athens, WV, though some of these residents may live in Athens, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$12,000

Median earning men ± $40,937

$19,219

Median earning women ± $24,811

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($54,464), Manufacturing ($45,156), and Public Administration ($29,706).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($25,536) and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, & Accommodations & Food Services ($15,156).

Housing & Living

The median property value in Athens, WV was $168,100 in 2024, which is 0.505 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $156,800 to $168,100, a 7.21% increase. The homeownership rate in Athens, WV is 74.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Athens, WV have an average commute time of 17.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Athens, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$168,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$38,246

$258

Median Property Taxes

±$83

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, WV the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

74.1%

Homeownership

2024

72.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 74.1% of the housing units in Athens, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 74%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Athens, WV 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.

$56,667

Median Household Income

± $28,384

348

Number of Households

± 95

In 2024, the median household income of the 348 households in Athens, WV declined from $56,667 from the previous year's value of $62,292.

The following chart displays the households in Athens, WV 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 $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Athens, WV is from West Virginia.

0.443

2024 Wage GINI in West Virginia

0.443

2023 Wage GINI in West Virginia

In 2024, the income inequality in West Virginia was 0.443 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0426% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for West Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in West Virginia in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (45.6%)
Carpooled (20.8%)
Walked (17.1%)

In 2024, 45.6% of workers in Athens, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (20.8%) and those who walked to work (17.1%).

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

17.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Athens, WV have a shorter commute time (17.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 4.47% of the workforce in Athens, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

19.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Athens, WV (182 out of 936 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 25 - 34 and then Males < 5.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Athens, WV is White, followed by Two Or More 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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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