Cost of Living in Athens

Athens's cost of living runs genuinely affordable on most measures, though housing and rent figures carry a real, disclosed, unusually wide spread across sources this pass.

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A real, wide housing-price spread

Zillow's average home value ran $220,927, while separately-cited figures ranged from $169,000 to $336,450 -- a genuine small-market data-thinness effect where a handful of monthly sales can swing a median substantially.

Comparatively low, self-collected income tax

Athens's own 1.95% city income tax (self-collected, not RITA/CCA) runs below several other Ohio cities documented elsewhere in this project, layered on Ohio's genuinely low flat 2.75% state rate.

Property tax runs above the national average

Athens County's effective property tax rate ran approximately 1.77%-1.96% across sources reviewed, with a real, disclosed spread by specific subdivision (1.57% in Albany up to 2.53% in Trimble) -- confirm the actual current rate for a target address with the county auditor.

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-25. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.