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Athens City Hall from NE corner, Athens, Georgia

Photo: Michael RiveraCC BY-SA 3.0via Wikimedia Commons

Friday, November 13, 2026

Athens

Population
127,3452024
Higher than communities in Georgia
Household income
$52,9742024
Similar to communities in Georgia
Home value
$299,2002024
Similar to communities in Georgia
Work from home
13.5%2024
Similar to communities in Georgia

These numbers cover Athens without Bogart and Winterville, which have their own governments and are counted on their own: 127,315 of the consolidated city's 128,671 people in 2020.

Source: Polco GPAL, using data from the original source shown for each indicator.Data from Polco
Community livability

How Athens scores in ten areas of community life

Polco gives each area an index from the public data behind it, adjusted for the community's socioeconomic profile. Higher is stronger by Polco's measure. Where this page has the numbers behind an area, pick it to see them.

  1. Inclusivity and engagement56
  5. Natural environment44
  8. Utilities39
  10. Parks and recreation27
Source: Polco GPAL, using data from the original source shown for each indicator. The area indexes are for 2025.
Data index

What each number actually means.

Pick a number to see how Athens compares with other communities, what Polco's model expected and what to keep in mind.

Where Athens ranks on population
127,345 in 2024
Compared with communities nationallyHigher · 98th percentile
Compared with communities in GeorgiaHigher · 99th percentile
Compared with communities of similar population sizeHigher · 92nd percentile
Each dot is Athens' percentile within that group, from Polco. Polco treats this measure as neither good nor bad, so further right only means higher.
Source: Polco GPAL, using data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. Polco’s name for this measure: “Total population”.

What it measures

2024 · Census ACS

How many people live in Athens. The number comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, and college students who live there count as residents.

What Polco's model shows

Model estimate

Polco's model expected 128,083 for 2024; the measured figure was 127,345. Polco's GPAL model projects 128,245 for 2025.

Who it affects

More residents means more demand on housing, schools, roads and local services. Population also shapes how much state and federal money Athens receives.

Keep in mind

Survey figures are estimates with a margin of error. Small changes from one year to the next may not be meaningful. These numbers cover Athens without Bogart and Winterville, which have their own governments and are counted on their own: 127,315 of the consolidated city's 128,671 people in 2020.

About this data

These figures come from Polco's GPAL data, which brings together public data on U.S. cities and counties from sources like the Census Bureau, the CDC, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI. Each number is for the year shown with it, and most public data runs one to two years behind. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation.

These numbers cover Athens without Bogart and Winterville, which have their own governments and are counted on their own: 127,315 of the consolidated city's 128,671 people in 2020.

The comparisons are Polco's. Each one names the group of communities Athens is compared with, and the percentile is Athens' place within that group. Polco's model figures are estimates, not measurements.

Polco has 171 measures for Athens. This page shows the 51 whose units and values could be checked, plus a few that Polco only has for Clarke County. Polco data release of Oct 26, 2026.

Explore Athens on Polco →

Which of these matters most to you?

Tell us, and see how your neighbors answered. Notes and tips go to people covering Athens.