Athens, TN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Athens, TN Summary

Cost of living in Athens research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Athens is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Tennessee, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Athens is 81, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Athens is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Athens ranks as the #20 cheapest in Tennessee out of 105.

  • Athens ranks as the #290 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Athens is $163,500.

  • The median income in Athens is $42,283.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
Athens's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Athens, TN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Athens has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Tennessee, Athens has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Tennessee's index of 90.

The standard of living in Athens ranks as #20 most affordable out of the 105 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Athens ranks as the #85 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.

For more reading on life in Athens, check out:

20 out of 105
In Tennessee
290 out of 6,412
In America

Athens Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Athens. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Athens is 90.

  • The Groceries index in Athens is 92.

  • The Health index in Athens is 93.

  • The Housing index in Athens is 67.

  • The Transportation index in Athens is 85.

  • The Utilities index in Athens is 86.

Living Expense Athens Tennessee National Average
Overall 81 90 100
Services 90 93 100
Groceries 92 96 100
Health 93 88 100
Housing 67 82 100
Transportation 85 90 100
Utilities 86 93 100
For more reading on cost of living around Tennessee, check out:
Athens Cost of Living Vs. TN

Athens, TN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Tennessee, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Athens is $163,500.

  • The Median Rent in Athens is $734.

  • The Median Income in Athens is $42,283.

  • The Home Value To Income in Athens is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Athens is 0.21x.

Statistic Athens Tennessee United States
Median Home Value $163,500 $193,700 $244,900
Median Rent $734 $951 $1,163
Median Income $42,283 $58,516 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.3x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Athens, TN
$163,500
Median Home Value
$734
Median Rent
$42,283
Median Income

Athens, TN Costs By Category

Detailed Athens Services Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Shampoo $0.9 $1.06
Movie $9.96 $10.68
Bowling $7.25 $14.67
Haircut $16.33 $18.62
Beauty Salon $28.17 $39.05

Detailed Athens Groceries Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Ground Beef $4.16 $4.22
Fried Chicken $0.98 $1.39
Milk $1.78 $2.05
Potatoes $3.46 $3.29
Pizza $7.99 $10.62
Beer $9.99 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.93 $2.34

Detailed Athens Health Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Optometrist $117.42 $108.57
Doctor $115.94 $116.17
Dentist $81.0 $99.13

Detailed Athens Transportation Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Gasoline $1.9 $2.22
Tire Balancing $40.0 $50.07

Detailed Athens Utilities Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
All Electricity $132.06 $167.67
Phone $184.96 $175.64

Athens SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
6
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Athens

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Athens. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Spring, TX has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Athens.

  • Oak Ridge, TN has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x Athens.

  • Farragut, TN has a cost of living index of 112, 1.4x Athens.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Athens
Spring, TX 62,569 93 1.1x
Oak Ridge, TN 31,087 88 1.1x
Farragut, TN 23,388 112 1.4x
Middle Valley, TN 11,569 93 1.1x
Collegedale, TN 10,973 94 1.2x
Signal Mountain, TN 8,770 115 1.4x
Harrison, TN 8,383 91 1.1x
Sweetwater, TN 6,228 81 1.0x
Kingston, TN 5,942 86 1.1x

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