Athens-Baptist-Church-wv, 2018
Athens’s story
130 years in pictures
Census counts: 575 in 1910, 962 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1916 on.
- 1896Athens is settled
AthensWV
A town of 1,184, settled in 1896.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,184
2025 Census estimate · −3.1% since 2020
Median home value
$168K
Census ACS
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
21.1
years
Jobs based here
56
A commuter town
Is Athens a good place to live?
The best of Athens’ subject grades is an A for civic life; the weakest is a D for incomes. Athens’ median age is 21.1 years, below both West Virginia’s towns (42.2 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). On hazard risk, just 5 of West Virginia’s 141 towns do better. Athens is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 71% of U.S. towns. Athens is home to Concord University. 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.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
17.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
The college
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Concord University | 1,244 |
College town
1,244 college students
at Concord University
Students are part of everyday life here.
College town
42% of Athens is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Athens grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Athens is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 10% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Jobs & income$57K median household incomeDOpen →SchoolsC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.9 of 20; 10.6% of households have no carB+Open →HealthLess healthy than 55% of U.S. towns; Princeton Community Hospital Assn 6.8 miles awayC+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $168K, 3.3 years of the Bluefield area’s $51K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 0% conserved landC+Open →HistoryB−Open →Civic life4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
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.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Athens water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Athens’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn West Virginia you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMercer Clerk of the County CommissionMercer County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code2471224712 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.
SchoolsC−
On state tests, Athens’ schools trail 79% of West Virginia districts
Its public schools are run by the Mercer County Schools. Its one school is below.
21%of WV districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 233 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Athens
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 90% of U.S. communities.
10risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Athens than in most of West Virginia or the rest of the country
0.3% of Athens working residents work locally, against 14% in West Virginia’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Jobs based in Athens fell to 56 in 2023, 589 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in Athens is 18 minutes.
0%work in town
| Athens | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.3% | 14% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 16% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Athens0%
Princeton24%
Bluefield4%
Beckley4%
Charleston3%
9 mi
median commute distance
56
jobs based in Athens
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Athens has four seasons and pleasant summers
Athens has chilly winters and pleasant summers. Athens’ July high is 82°F.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–43°
Spring40–63°
Summer59–80°
Fall42–64°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
A larger share of adults in Athens feel lonely than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
40% of adults feel lonely in Athens. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 5 have a lower share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Athens. 23% of adults report frequent mental distress in Athens.
45%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Athens | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 34% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 21% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 44% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 16% | 12% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
11 better16 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Athens | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 10.4% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.5% | 9.6% |
| More binge drinkers | 17.3% | 14.1% |
Princeton Community Hospital Assn
6.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC+
Athens has set aside 0.5% of its land for conservation
0.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0.5%conserved
| Athens | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
0.5%
conserved · 1 of 258 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Athens City Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Athens
18pages on Athens
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Athens
College town 42 of every 100 Athens residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Small town
1,184 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Athens
Town in West Virginia, United States
Athens is a town in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 944 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578. Athens is the home of Concord University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,585 ft
- ZIP code
- 24712
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Athens
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Athens, WV expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.