The Town FilesAthens, Texas
City in Henderson County · population 12,857 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $210,800
- Household income
- $67,984
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 94°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 34.2
Athens is a city of 12,857 people in Henderson County, Texas. The median home is worth $210,800, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better transit than 93% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Texas towns, better for young professionals than 79% of Texas towns.
How Athens ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Athens is worth $210,800, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $67,984, which is more affordable than 45% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,112 a month. 57.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Athens | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $210,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,112 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $67,984 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 57.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Athens
| People | Athens | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.2 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Athens
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 34.5°F. About 44.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 92 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 42 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 4, 1959 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 4, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 20, 1955.
Severe weather in Henderson County since 1996
Henderson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 21, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4705: Severe Winter Storm |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Henderson County
Henderson County had 19,534 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,745 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Athens itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Athens
5 public schools with 3,008 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATHENS H S | 9-12 | 872 | 13.2 |
| ATHENS MIDDLE | 6-8 | 688 | 17.2 |
| CENTRAL ATHENS | PK-5 | 577 | 17.0 |
| SOUTH ATHENS EL | PK-5 | 460 | 14.8 |
| BEL AIR EL | PK-5 | 411 | 13.3 |
Towns near Athens
- Gun Barrel City, TX19.6 mi · 6,190 people · home $237,300
- Mabank, TX20.0 mi · 4,050 people · home $254,900
- Chandler, TX22.1 mi · 3,275 people · home $246,300
- Canton, TX24.4 mi · 4,229 people · home $219,900
- Van, TX24.9 mi · 2,664 people · home $169,900
- Hideaway, TX29.7 mi · 3,201 people · home $335,100
Athens questions
Is Athens, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Athens scores better for retirees than 57% of Texas towns and quieter than 33%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.2).
How much does a house cost in Athens?
The median owner-occupied home in Athens is valued at $210,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,984, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,112 a month.
What is the weather like in Athens?
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 34.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.8 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Athens get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Athens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 4, 1959. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)