Athens, LA, water tower IMG 3631, 2010
Athens’s story
180 years in pictures
Census counts: 514 in 1910, 237 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
- 1846Athens is settled
AthensLA
Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
232
2025 Census estimate · −2.5% since 2020
Median home value
$84K
Census ACS
Household income
$16K
median
Median age
34.3
years
Jobs based here
85
Balanced
Is Athens a good place to live?
55% of residents live below the poverty line in Athens, against 20% in Louisiana’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Among 163 Louisiana towns, just 3 have a lower January low than Athens. Athens has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Athens stand out
Where Athens beats most towns.
Small town
232 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Athens: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Athens, and how to reach them.
PowerClaiborne Electric Coop13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLeatherman Creek Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Athens’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Louisiana you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereClaiborne Parish Registrar of VotersClaiborne Parish; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021
ZIP code7100371003 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Athens.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Olive Christian School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 163 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Athens has mild winters and hot summers
Athens has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. At 92°F, Athens’ July high is near the Louisiana town median (92°F) and above the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
93°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–58°
Spring52–76°
Summer70–91°
Fall53–77°
Nov 6
typical first frost
Mar 30
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
93°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Athens
Most working residents leave Athens for work: only 0% work in town. Since 2013, Athens has lost 114 jobs, to 85 in 2023. The top destinations are Minden (15%), Arcadia (13%) and Homer (8%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Athens0%
Minden15%
Arcadia13%
Homer8%
Ruston8%
24 mi
median commute distance
85
jobs based in Athens
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in Athens, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Athens is
Athens beats the Louisiana average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 36% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Athens.
| Athens | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 27% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 19% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Louisiana
2 better12 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Athens | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13% | 16.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.2% | 78.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 15.3% | 8.5% |
Claiborne Memorial Medical Center
9.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Athens
17pages on Athens
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Athens
About 1 of every 100 Athens residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Louisiana.
About Athens
Village in Louisiana, United States
Athens is a village in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Athens had a population of 237.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1902
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 302 ft
- ZIP code
- 71003
- Area code
- 318
Questions about Athens
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Athens, LA a good place to live?
Athens has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.