The Town FilesAthens-Clarke County, Georgia
Unified government in Clarke County · population 127,315 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,200
- Household income
- $52,974
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 29.4
Athens-Clarke County is an unified government of 127,315 people in Clarke County, Georgia. The median home is worth $299,200, above the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of Georgia towns, better for cycling than 97% of Georgia towns, hipper than 96% of Georgia towns.
How Athens-Clarke County ranks
Percentile among Georgia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Georgia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Athens-Clarke County is worth $299,200, above the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $52,974, which is more affordable than 8% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $1,219 a month. 40.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Athens-Clarke County | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,200 | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $1,219 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $52,974 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 40.7% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Athens-Clarke County
| People | Athens-Clarke County | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.3% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.5% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.1% | — |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 88.0% |
Weather in Athens-Clarke County
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 33.8°F. About 49.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 46 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens-Clarke County since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 28, 1973 about 0.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 115 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 3, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 4, 1999.
Severe weather in Clarke County since 1996
Clarke County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657: Hurricane Isaias |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616: Hurricane Helene |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3464: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Clarke County
Clarke County had 72,792 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,718 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Athens-Clarke County itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Athens-Clarke County
17 public schools with 12,160 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foothills Regional High School | 9-12 | 2,157 | 74.4 |
| Clarke Central High School | 9-12 | 1,842 | 15.9 |
| Cedar Shoals High School | 9-12 | 1,537 | 14.5 |
| Whitehead Road Elementary School | PK-5 | 667 | 9.5 |
| Clarke Middle School | 6-8 | 652 | 9.9 |
| Hilsman Middle School | 6-8 | 606 | 10.8 |
| Timothy Elementary School | PK-5 | 595 | 11.4 |
| Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School | PK-5 | 569 | 10.9 |
| Gaines Elementary School | PK-5 | 545 | 11.1 |
| Barnett Shoals Elementary School | PK-5 | 488 | 10.2 |
| Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School | PK-5 | 486 | 10.1 |
| Barrow Elementary School | PK-5 | 458 | 10.9 |
Towns near Athens-Clarke County
- Watkinsville, GA6.5 mi · 2,896 people · home $367,800
- Statham, GA13.4 mi · 2,813 people · home $247,600
- Jefferson, GA18.5 mi · 13,233 people · home $377,300
- Commerce, GA19.3 mi · 7,387 people · home $239,900
- Winder, GA20.5 mi · 18,338 people · home $288,500
- Monroe, GA22.6 mi · 14,928 people · home $259,300
- Hoschton, GA24.2 mi · 2,666 people · home $386,300
- Madison, GA26.3 mi · 4,447 people · home $347,200
Athens-Clarke County questions
Is Athens-Clarke County, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Athens-Clarke County scores better for retirees than 28% of Georgia towns and quieter than 8%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.4).
How much does a house cost in Athens-Clarke County?
The median owner-occupied home in Athens-Clarke County is valued at $299,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,974, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,219 a month.
What is the weather like in Athens-Clarke County?
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 33.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Athens-Clarke County get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens-Clarke County since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 28, 1973. The typical Georgia town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)