Athens County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Athens County, Ohio had an estimated 63,218 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 62,424, across 504 square miles. County output reached $2.75 bn in 2024, 1,030 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 27 7(a) approvals worth $12.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Athens County
How many people live in Athens County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202461,737
- Households23,014
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$56,001
- Median age33.2
- Median gross rent$939 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$185,000
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over36,401
- Population under 189,152
- Share under 1814.8 percent
- Population 65 and over9,302
- Share 65 and over15.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6443,283
- Civilian labor force30,752
- Unemployment rate6.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.5 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties41st of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included875th of 3,222
Athens County is the 41st largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 15.1 percent against 14.8 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Athens County
Is Athens County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202463,218
- Census 2020 base population62,424
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.27 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024249
- Births, 2024437
- Deaths, 2024591
- Natural change, 2024-154
- Net domestic migration, 2024-158
- Net international migration, 2024557
- Total net migration, 2024399
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202414
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1396th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.27 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Athens County
Where are people moving to Athens County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,435
- People arriving, from those returns2,180
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,675
- Net household movement-240
- Adjusted gross income arriving$61.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-21.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$42,653
- Average income of a leaving household$49,168
- Largest single originFranklin County (164 households)
- Largest single destinationFranklin County (240 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 164 | 237 | $7.9 m |
| Hocking County | 89 | 152 | $3.1 m |
| Meigs County | 89 | 161 | $3.9 m |
| Fairfield County | 77 | 113 | $3.0 m |
| Washington County | 57 | 100 | $2.4 m |
| Wood County | 37 | 49 | $1.5 m |
| Morgan County | 29 | 48 | $1.1 m |
| Cuyahoga County | 28 | 32 | $947,000 |
Households arriving report $6,515 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Franklin County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Athens County
What is the Athens County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.75 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.60 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.6 percent
- GDP change over five years24.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes54th of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1045th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,466
Output grew 5.6 percent in the latest year and 24.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Athens County
Employment by industry in Athens County
- Covered employment, annual average21,207
- Establishments reporting1,359
- Average annual pay$50,117
- Average weekly wage$964
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,350
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$58,200
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,681
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,483
- Retail trade, employment2,606
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,568
- Manufacturing, employment665
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$65,067
- Construction, employment530
- Other services, except public administration, employment440
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,350 | 177 | $58,200 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,681 | 146 | $19,483 |
| Retail trade | 2,606 | 175 | $32,568 |
| Manufacturing | 665 | 41 | $65,067 |
| Construction | 530 | 95 | $58,683 |
| Other services, except public administration | 440 | 105 | $37,317 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 417 | 131 | $61,031 |
| Finance and insurance | 413 | 68 | $67,372 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,350 jobs, 15.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Athens County
How many businesses are in Athens County?
- Establishments, all industries1,030
- Employment at those establishments13,467
- Annual payroll$570.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Athens County
Building permits in Athens County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20246
- Declared construction value permitted$2.5 m
- Single family units authorized4
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units33.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$421,667
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.3
Single-family homes are 66.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Athens County
SBA loans in Athens County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded27
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$444,437
- Median 7(a) approval$215,000
- 10th percentile approval$35,000
- 90th percentile approval$992,400
- Largest single approval$2,705,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)272
- Jobs per approval10.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals20
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter23
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals22.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (3)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (15)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.8 m
- Average 504 approval$711,250
- Median 504 approval$406,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval5.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.4
- Most active CDCCommunity Capital Development Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$14.8 m
The average approval of $444,437 sits well above the median of $215,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 11.1 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Athens County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Athens County
Do SBA loans in Athens County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full8
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full8
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 8 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Athens County
SBA lending by place in Athens County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Athens, approvals10
- Glouster, approvals4
- New Marshfield, approvals4
- Coolville, approvals3
- Nelsonville, approvals3
- Albany, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Athens | 10 | $6,059,800 |
| Glouster | 4 | $3,017,000 |
| New Marshfield | 4 | $371,600 |
| Coolville | 3 | $917,900 |
| Nelsonville | 3 | $566,000 |
| Albany | 2 | $653,500 |
| The Plains | 1 | $414,000 |
Athens accounts for 10 approvals against 4 in Glouster. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Athens County
How large is Athens County?
- Land area504 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties23rd of 88
- Width, east to west30.9 mi
- Height, north to south26 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land122
- Establishments per square mile2.04
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Athens County
Flood risk in Athens County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Athens County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390760
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Athens County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Athens County (community 390760), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Athens County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 80.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Athens County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Athens County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202461,737
- Households23,014
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$56,001
- Median age33.2
Common questions
Athens County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Athens County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 63,218 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 61,737, in 23,014 households, ranking 41st of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Athens County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.27 percent since the 2020 census base of 62,424, to 63,218 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 437 births against 591 deaths, with net migration of 399. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Athens County?
$56,001. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $185,000, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $939 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Athens County?
1,030 establishments, employing 13,467 people with an annual payroll of $570.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Athens County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,350 jobs, 15.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 21,207 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,117, or $964 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Athens County?
27 7(a) approvals totaling $12.0 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $215,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Athens County?
6 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.5 m. Multifamily was 33.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Athens County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Athens County come from?
The largest single origin is Franklin County, with 164 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,653 against $49,168 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Athens County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Athens County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Athens County
Cities and places in Athens.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Athens County. All 15 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | city | 23,396 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Nelsonville | city | 4,279 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| The Plains | CDP | 2,748 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Glouster | village | 1,473 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Albany | village | 1,013 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Coolville | village | 664 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Chauncey | village | 655 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Stewart | CDP | 479 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Trimble | village | 466 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Buchtel | village | 451 | None recorded | 92.1 percent here, 7.9 percent Hocking County |
| Jacksonville | village | 344 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Amesville | village | 207 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Millfield | CDP | 207 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Marshfield | CDP | 187 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Hockingport | CDP | 107 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |