States › Tennessee › Athens

Is Athens, TN expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,14735% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$58,162about $4,847/month · 33% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$225,00032% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 79% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.9 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $45,880 a year. That is $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Tennessee cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Tennessee. It is number 43 of 114 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Athens
$1,147
Elizabethton
$997
White House
$1,770
Lakeland
$1,847
Nolensville
$2,582
McMinnville
$832
Arlington
$2,277

How much do households earn in Athens?

Under $25k
20.8%
$25k–50k
27.6%
$50k–100k
29.4%
$100k–150k
11.5%
$150k+
5.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 17.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Athens

SizeAthensU.S. average
Studio$623$1,338
1 bedroom$649$1,324
2 bedrooms$890$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,022$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Athens overall?

Everyday prices in Tennessee overall are 8% below the U.S. average (index 91.9, U.S. = 100).

Housing
79
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
72
Other services
95
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Athens, so the Tennessee figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Athens

🏛️ Property tax$1,098a year · 0.49% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$194a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Athens

Commute to work21.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree23.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home59.9%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line17%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Athens?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $414 a month less.

Renting
$1,147
Owning
$1,561

Owning assumes a typical $225,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $22,500 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Athens, TN?

Renting in Athens costs a median of about $1,147 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Tennessee median is $1,279.

How much do I need to make to live in Athens?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $45,880 a year, or $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Athens cheap or expensive?

Athens is rated OK: rent takes 23.7% of the typical household income of $58,162. It ranks 43rd cheapest of 114 Tennessee cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Athens?

The median homeowner in Athens pays $1,098 a year in property taxes, about 0.49% of the median home value.

Is Athens more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Tennessee are 8% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Athens?

The median home value in Athens is $225,000, about 3.9 times the typical yearly household income.

14,471 people live in Athens. Numbers are typical (middle) values.