Photo: Nyttend · Public domain24 homes sold in Athens in the last year, at a typical $162K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Athens homes are listed.
Every place Athens homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Athens.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 96% of Athens’ sales, at a typical $173K
24 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 23 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $112IL $180
- Days to sell
- 33
- Sold over asking
- 39%
- Listings with a price cut
- 56%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 1 sold, typical $50K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
Fewer homes sell than a decade ago, at 1.3 times the 2016 price
24 sales in the last year, against 35 in 2012 and a low of 23 in 2016. The typical sale went from $127K in 2016 to $162K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $150K buys in Athens
Check a listing against what Athens homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Athens are more common than before the pandemic, but three quarters fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Athens’ home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 24 sales.
If you’re buying in Athens
- Shop in July. It brings about 3 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (10% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 99.4% of the list price on average; 37% paid over.
- Move fast on good ones. 61% of homes are under contract within two weeks.
Fall brings the homes; winter brings the bidding wars
October has the most new listings (about 3 a month), but December is the most competitive: 24% of December sales close over asking. July offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (10%). February has the least competition (0%) but only about 2 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Hotter than in 2021, and about like Illinois as a whole
| Athens now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IL now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 37% | 11% | 19% | 37% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 61% | 6% | 12% | 46% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 53% | — | — | 19% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 99.4% | 94.8% | 98.5% | 99.2% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 35 | 308 | 249 | 49 |
2 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 75% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2014’s 12.
1 in 2 listings has cut its price
53% in the last year, against — in 2017–19 and 19% across Illinois.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Athens home costs about $1,098 a month
Price: Athens’ typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Athens’ 1.9% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Athens is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in October
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 1.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $162K home, about $3,020 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Athens, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in AthensCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Petersburg and Riverton sell for less a square foot; Sherman for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Athens, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | 1,513 | $187K | $111 | 35% | 12 |
| Sherman | 69 | $346K | $144 | 35% | 22 |
| Jerome | 43 | $168K | $110 | 40% | 25 |
| Riverton | 36 | $179K | $102 | 42% | 21 |
| Petersburg | 35 | $156K | $97 | 14% | 19 |
| Leland Grove | 26 | $359K | $123 | 35% | 18 |
| Athens | 24 | $162K | $109 | 37% | 35 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Athens, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Athens. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Athens with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Athens
What do homes sell for in Athens, IL?
24 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $162K, $109 a square foot.
Is Athens a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 2 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 1 sold, about 2 months of supply. Buyers paid 99.4% of asking on average, and 53% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Athens?
October brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Athens?
About 1.9% of a home’s value a year. On a $162K home that’s near $3,020.
Where can I see homes for sale in Athens?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Athens’ MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Athens.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).