2009-0620-Athens-downtown, 2009
Athens’s story
136 years in pictures
Census counts: 904 in 1910, 1,059 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1902 on.
- 1890Athens is settled
AthensWI
A town of 1,190, settled in 1890.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
Population
1,190
2025 Census estimate · +12.1% since 2020
Typical home
$250K
+10.3% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
44.2
years
Jobs based here
363
A commuter town
Is Athens a good place to live?
The best of Athens’ subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for incomes. Only 45 of Wisconsin’s 874 towns score lower on health. The biggest park or preserve is Athens Village Forest, at 323 acres. Athens has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Athens stand out
Where Athens beats most towns.
Small town
1,190 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
RietbrockBernJohnsonHalseyAthens
How Athens grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Athens is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & income363 jobs based hereC−Open →HealthLess healthy than 79% of U.S. towns; Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics 15.1 miles awayC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 29% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4% conserved landB+Open →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$250K typical home, up 10.3% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 44.2; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades 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.
PowerWisconsin Public Service17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAthens WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Athens’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereVillage of Athens ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5441154411 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Athens.
HealthC−
A larger share of adults in Athens get no exercise outside work than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
35% of Athens adults get no exercise outside work, above both Wisconsin’s towns (26%) and U.S. towns (25%). 19% of adults smoke cigarettes in Athens. Athens beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17.
21%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Athens | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 26% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better15 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Athens | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.5% | 6.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.1% | 6.6% |
| More smokers | 18.5% | 13.6% |
Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics
15.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Athens’ schools rank behind 67% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Athens School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
33%of WI districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 136 | B+ |
| Athens HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 108 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Most of Athens’ workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Athens for work: only 9% work in town. 15% of Athens residents live below the poverty line, above both the Wisconsin town median (6.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Athens’ median household income is $53,000.
9%work in town
| Athens | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 12% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Athens9%
Wausau16%
Marshfield6%
Medford5%
Johnson5%
21 mi
median commute distance
363
jobs based in Athens
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 49% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A
Athens stands out in Wisconsin and nationally: the median rent there is lower
The median rent in Athens is $681 a month. Typical home values rose 10% in the year to September 2026. 65% of Athens households own their home.
$250KZillow home value
| Athens | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $681 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 65% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Athens$250K
Wisconsin$337K
+10.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Athens faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Athens since 2025.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2025
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Athens, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Athens has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 79°, January nights drop to 4° and about 51 inches of snow falls in a winter.
51″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–25°
Spring30–53°
Summer55–77°
Fall35–55°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
3.9%conserved
3.9%
conserved · 61 of 1,561 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Athens Village Forest | — | 323 |
| 2. Athens Park | — | 35 |
| 3. Erbach Park | — | 24 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Athens
19pages on Athens
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Athens; the nearest are
Northcentral Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wausau21.4 mi$4,889 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUniversity or college · Public · Stevens Point42.9 mi$9,488 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Athens residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Athens for work
Where Athens’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
363jobs based in Athens
9%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Athens
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Athens is a village in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,059 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,401 ft
- ZIP code
- 54411
Questions about Athens
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Athens, WI expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Athens, WI known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Charles Winninger and Russ Decker.