The Town FilesAthens, Pennsylvania
Township in Crawford County · population 636 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $148,400
- Household income
- $59,531
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 98 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 38.2
Athens is a township of 636 people in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $148,400, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 92% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Athens ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Athens is worth $148,400, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $59,531, which is more affordable than 70% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 83.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Athens | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $148,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $775 | $996 |
| Median household income | $59,531 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.5% | — |
Who lives in Athens
| People | Athens | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Athens
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 49.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 98.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1985 about 0.9 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 4, 2010.
Severe weather in Crawford County since 1996
Crawford County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Crawford County
Crawford County had 28,870 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,526 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Athens itself the ACS puts it at 8.7%.
Towns near Athens
- Steuben, PA3.6 mi · 775 people · home $180,700
- Canadohta Lake, PA4.3 mi · 503 people · home $149,400
- Bloomfield, PA4.3 mi · 1,862 people · home $133,200
- Richmond, PA6.5 mi · 1,350 people · home $161,600
- Rockdale, PA7.4 mi · 1,363 people · home $162,500
- Troy, PA8.1 mi · 1,054 people · home $160,900
- Rome, PA8.3 mi · 1,991 people · home $148,600
- Sparta, PA9.2 mi · 1,910 people · home $168,700
Athens questions
Is Athens, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Athens scores better for retirees than 55% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 98%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.2).
How much does a house cost in Athens?
The median owner-occupied home in Athens is valued at $148,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,531, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Athens?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.0 inches of precipitation a year and 98.4 inches of snow.
Does Athens get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1985. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)