Jobs, pay and daily life in Athens, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Athens is a city in Ohio with 23,396 residents. The median household earns $38,204 a year and the median rent is $1,011 a month, which is 31.8% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Columbus, OH (1,105,580 jobs), about 39 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Athens compares. Among the 100 largest places in Ohio, Athens is #72 by population, #100 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #98 for household income (#1 = highest), #7 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Athens County, is #65 of 88 counties for average pay ($50,117).
Athens has 23,396 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Ohio. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,352 people per square mile. The median age is 21.6, 46% younger than the state median (21.6 against 39.7).
The median gross rent is $1,011 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,011 against $1,034). Over a year that is 31.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so rent here is above that line for the typical household. The median home value is $247,000, which is 6.5 times the median household income ($38,204); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 32.5% of households own their home, 52% below the state average (32.5% against 67.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Columbus, OH, metropolitan area has 1,105,580 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,340 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,340 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (121,850 jobs, median $47,890); transportation and material moving (118,690 jobs, median $43,980); food preparation and serving related (95,180 jobs, median $33,540). The area is most specialised in transportation and material moving (1.2 times) and healthcare practitioners and technical (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($111,840) and computer and mathematical ($104,470). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Athens County was 4.0%. 59.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Athens County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 46.1% drive alone, 1.6% use public transit, 21.9% walk, 20.2% work from home. 7.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 35% below the state average (7.0% against 10.8%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
64.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 103% above the state share (64.1% against 31.5%). 6.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 26% above the state share (6.6% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 40.0%, 201% above the state rate (40.0% against 13.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.6°C). About 1,048 mm (41 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (106 mm) and Feb the driest (71 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Lancaster (39 miles, rent 7% higher); Zanesville (44 miles, rent 19% lower); Chillicothe (48 miles, rent 12% lower); Pickerington (52 miles, rent 59% higher). Rent differences are against Athens; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Ohio (525) →State guide: OhioCountry guideAthens CountyOhio rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 525 federal postings open in Ohio (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 31,590 | 1.15 | $28,670 | $23,580 | $35,210 | -8% |
| Registered Nurses | 30,510 | 1.27 | $83,900 | $67,720 | $105,770 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 30,130 | 1.50 | $39,040 | $31,300 | $50,480 | +5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 29,070 | 1.17 | $102,590 | $50,440 | $221,270 | -3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 27,580 | 0.90 | $34,880 | $28,850 | $42,110 | -3% |
| Retail Salespersons | 26,850 | 0.97 | $33,780 | $26,470 | $46,780 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 25,800 | 1.23 | $41,200 | $32,520 | $52,370 | +2% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 18,550 | 1.01 | $46,350 | $33,190 | $62,340 | +4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 18,110 | 1.03 | $44,830 | $26,790 | $64,600 | -0% |
| Cashiers | 17,790 | 0.81 | $30,140 | $26,100 | $36,910 | -8% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 16,110 | 1.10 | $61,720 | $46,510 | $90,080 | +5% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 15,900 | 0.99 | $37,490 | $24,370 | $63,250 | +6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 14,130 | 0.90 | $37,310 | $29,340 | $49,360 | +1% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 13,640 | 1.37 | $46,540 | $32,320 | $66,160 | +4% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 11,910 | 2.16 | $46,780 | $39,010 | $66,900 | +1% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 11,410 | 1.11 | $81,700 | $56,610 | $132,330 | -2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 10,970 | 1.01 | $52,800 | $35,860 | $76,700 | +6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 10,780 | 1.24 | $37,790 | $27,590 | $57,990 | -14% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 10,040 | 1.30 | $82,030 | $49,990 | $131,400 | -1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 10,020 | 0.97 | $42,970 | $37,510 | $47,230 | +2% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 3,830 | 1.57 | $214,760 | $70,830 | $465,130 | -19% |
| Commercial Pilots | 1,410 | 4.15 | $175,690 | $60,300 | $216,270 | +43% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 4,330 | 0.91 | $167,630 | $105,720 | $270,450 | -4% |
| Dentists, General | 780 | 0.88 | $166,180 | $64,100 | $306,960 | -3% |
| Chief Executives | 1,160 | 0.80 | $162,910 | $90,330 | $433,150 | -24% |
| Financial Managers | 5,750 | 0.96 | $145,630 | $91,210 | $267,050 | -13% |
| Purchasing Managers | 560 | 0.93 | $141,490 | $93,360 | $221,230 | -4% |
| Sales Managers | 4,460 | 0.98 | $138,580 | $77,750 | $254,150 | -7% |
| Lawyers | 4,960 | 0.93 | $137,810 | $79,510 | $235,150 | -14% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,140 | 0.99 | $137,550 | $97,820 | $212,220 | +1% |
| Marketing Managers | 2,330 | 0.83 | $134,420 | $82,950 | $224,440 | -19% |
| Pharmacists | 2,610 | 1.14 | $133,960 | $50,450 | $166,620 | -5% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,680 | 0.38 | $131,580 | $67,970 | $216,720 | -7% |
| Computer Network Architects | 1,270 | 1.00 | $131,260 | $85,410 | $180,790 | -2% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,870 | 1.19 | $131,100 | $89,150 | $220,890 | -12% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 2,410 | 0.78 | $129,940 | $60,150 | $162,930 | +11% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 3,140 | 1.37 | $124,580 | $99,960 | $150,250 | -6% |
| Veterinarians | 850 | 1.42 | $123,270 | $47,990 | $208,390 | -5% |
| Information Security Analysts | 1,650 | 1.22 | $122,600 | $75,820 | $174,670 | -5% |
| Software Developers | 9,880 | 0.82 | $122,340 | $80,130 | $170,000 | -10% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Columbus, OH, about 39 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,340 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 39.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 23.9% |
| Retail trade | 10.0% |
| Manufacturing | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.8% |
| Other services | 2.7% |
| Public administration | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Construction | 0.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Athens lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens County | 61,737 | $2,745 million | $44,466 | 21,207 | 1,359 | $50,117 | +0.9% | 4.0% | 27,333 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,350 | 25.5% | $58,200 | 1.10 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,681 | 20.4% | $19,483 | 1.39 |
| Retail trade | 2,606 | 19.9% | $32,568 | 1.23 |
| Manufacturing | 665 | 5.1% | $65,067 | 0.38 |
| Construction | 530 | 4.0% | $58,683 | 0.48 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 440 | 3.4% | $37,317 | 0.69 |
| Professional and technical services | 417 | 3.2% | $61,031 | 0.28 |
| Finance and insurance | 413 | 3.1% | $67,372 | 0.48 |
| Wholesale trade | 403 | 3.1% | $53,463 | 0.48 |
| Administrative and waste services | 377 | 2.9% | $35,096 | 0.30 |
| Management of companies | 310 | 2.4% | $67,652 | 0.87 |
| Real estate and rental | 272 | 2.1% | $43,829 | 0.83 |
| Information | 197 | 1.5% | $57,196 | 0.50 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 182 | 1.4% | $54,630 | 0.20 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 107 | 0.8% | $26,431 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 77 | 0.6% | $116,783 | 0.95 |
| Educational services | 47 | 0.4% | $24,635 | 0.11 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 26 | 0.2% | $39,584 | 0.32 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 22 | 0.2% | $39,457 | 0.13 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 46.1% |
| Public transit | 1.6% |
| Walk | 21.9% |
| Work from home | 20.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,204 |
| Income per person | $26,028 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,011 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 31.8% |
| Median home value | $247,000 |
| Homeowners | 32.5% |
| Poverty rate | 40.0% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 95.5 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $51,340 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 21.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 64.1% |
| Born abroad | 6.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.6 | 29 | 72 |
| Feb | -0.5 | 31 | 71 |
| Mar | 4.9 | 41 | 88 |
| Apr | 11.4 | 53 | 101 |
| May | 17.1 | 63 | 105 |
| Jun | 21.7 | 71 | 106 |
| Jul | 24.3 | 76 | 102 |
| Aug | 24.0 | 75 | 76 |
| Sep | 20.1 | 68 | 82 |
| Oct | 12.8 | 55 | 85 |
| Nov | 5.8 | 42 | 74 |
| Dec | 0.8 | 33 | 86 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | OH | 39 mi | 41,249 | $59,133 | $1,083 |
| Zanesville | OH | 44 mi | 24,740 | $43,280 | $821 |
| Chillicothe | OH | 48 mi | 21,902 | $54,086 | $887 |
| Pickerington | OH | 52 mi | 24,477 | $111,833 | $1,605 |
| Newark | OH | 54 mi | 50,783 | $61,670 | $973 |
| Reynoldsburg | OH | 57 mi | 41,224 | $72,972 | $1,259 |
| Whitehall | OH | 61 mi | 20,019 | $51,759 | $1,145 |
| Gahanna | OH | 64 mi | 35,486 | $109,061 | $1,466 |
| Columbus | OH | 65 mi | 914,802 | $66,082 | $1,295 |
| Grove City | OH | 66 mi | 42,517 | $93,161 | $1,331 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
23,396 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,011 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 31.8% of the median household income.
$38,204 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Athens County (latest month 2026M09)).
Ohio. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.