The Town FilesAthens, New York
Town in Greene County · population 3,916 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $274,700
- Household income
- $84,896
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 52.2
Athens is a town of 3,916 people in Greene County, New York. The median home is worth $274,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 97% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of New York towns, quieter than 88% of New York towns.
How Athens ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Athens is worth $274,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $84,896, which is more affordable than 40% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,264 a month. 84.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Athens | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $274,700 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,264 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $84,896 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 21.6% | — |
Who lives in Athens
| People | Athens | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.3% | — |
| Work from home | 15.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 91.1% |
Weather in Athens
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 44.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 21, 2003 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 17, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 8, 2011.
Severe weather in Greene County since 1996
Greene County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 30, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4085: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Greene County
Greene County had 14,167 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,727 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Athens itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Towns near Athens
- Hudson, NY4.1 mi · 5,894 people · home $389,900
- Catskill, NY4.3 mi · 3,745 people · home $242,500
- Greenport, NY4.6 mi · 4,473 people · home $238,900
- Coxsackie, NY4.8 mi · 8,382 people · home $303,100
- Stockport, NY6.0 mi · 2,670 people · home $248,200
- Coxsackie, NY6.2 mi · 2,746 people · home $300,300
- Catskill, NY6.2 mi · 11,298 people · home $246,000
- Cairo, NY8.1 mi · 6,644 people · home $263,400
Athens questions
Is Athens, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Athens scores better for retirees than 97% of New York towns and quieter than 88%. 26.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.2).
How much does a house cost in Athens?
The median owner-occupied home in Athens is valued at $274,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,896, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,264 a month.
What is the weather like in Athens?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.1 inches of precipitation a year and 31.0 inches of snow.
Does Athens get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 21, 2003. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)