States › Texas › Athens

Is Athens, TX expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,23530% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$73,321about $6,110/month · 16% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$210,80037% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 73% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $49,400 a year. That is $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Texas cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Texas. It is number 139 of 426 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Athens
$1,235
Henderson
$1,060
Beeville
$1,232
Andrews
$1,219
Kilgore
$992
Santa Fe
$1,460
Iowa Colony
$2,483

How much do households earn in Athens?

Under $25k
19.3%
$25k–50k
20.8%
$50k–100k
34.6%
$100k–150k
14.1%
$150k+
4.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 19.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Athens

SizeAthensU.S. average
1 bedroom$828$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,102$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,591$1,698

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

How expensive is Athens overall?

Everyday prices in Texas overall are 3% below the U.S. average (index 97.1, U.S. = 100).

Housing
97
Goods (food, clothes…)
98
Utilities
88
Other services
97
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 Texas figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Athens

🏛️ Property tax$2,690a year · 1.28% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$174a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Athens

Commute to work20.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree21.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home57.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line12.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.3%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Athens?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $228 a month less.

Renting
$1,235
Owning
$1,463

Owning assumes a typical $210,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $21,080 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Athens, TX?

Renting in Athens costs a median of about $1,235 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Texas median is $1,451.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $49,400 a year, or $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Athens cheap or expensive?

Athens is rated OK: rent takes 20.2% of the typical household income of $73,321. It ranks 139th cheapest of 426 Texas cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Athens?

The median homeowner in Athens pays $2,690 a year in property taxes, about 1.28% of the median home value.

Is Athens more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Texas are 3% 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 $210,800, about 2.9 times the typical yearly household income.

13,200 people live in Athens. Numbers are typical (middle) values.