Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Athens Township’s subject grades is an A for history; the weakest is a C− for walkability. 13% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Athens Township, where Michigan’s towns sit at 26% and U.S. towns at 29%. On history, just 104 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better. Athens Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Athens Township beats most towns.
Where Athens Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Athens Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 597 in 1880, 936 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005 and 4 maps from 1918 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Athens Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Athens Township.
Most working residents leave Athens Township for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2011, Athens Township has added 225 jobs, to 456 in 2021. 5.4% of Athens Township residents live below the poverty line, below both Michigan’s towns (8.9%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).
| Athens Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Athens Area Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens JuniorSenor High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 256 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Athens Township since 2015.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Athens Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 17° and about 65 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Athens Township beats the Michigan average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 41% of adults have obesity in Athens Township.
| Athens Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 37% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 36% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 36% |
| What stands out | Athens Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.8% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.3% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nottawaseppi Band of the Huron Potawatomi Reservation | 0.4 mi | 340 |
| 2. John Wilson Park | — | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Athens Township. Close and well known come first.
18 mi Theme parkAir Zoo10 mi Zoo & aquariumBinder Park Zoo
18 mi MuseumAmerican Museum of Magic
24 mi MuseumGilmore Car Museum87K visitors a year33 mi Theme parkFun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo
21 mi MuseumKalamazoo Institute of ArtsAir Zoo: User:my name, CC BY-SA 3.0 · American Museum of Magic: rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gilmore Car Museum: Kevin S. Forsyth, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kalamazoo Institute of Arts: 72elyod, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Athens Township; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Athens Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Village in Michigan, United States
Athens is a village in Calhoun County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 936 at the 2020 census. The village is located in southern Athens Township, and is part of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was settled in 1831.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Athens Township.
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens Township | — | — | B | — | B− | C+ |
| Sherwood Township | — | — | A− | — | C | C− |
| Leroy Township | #387 | B− | B | — | B− | B− |
| Wakeshma Township | — | — | B | — | B+ | B− |
| Burlington Township | — | — | B+ | — | B− | C |
| Climax Township | — | — | A− | — | C− | B− |
Athens Township, Sherwood Township, Wakeshma Township, Burlington Township and Climax Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Athens Township, Sherwood Township, Leroy Township, Wakeshma Township, Burlington Township and Climax Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Athens Township with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
The typical home is worth about $156,000. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
