What share of people in Athens are on low incomes?

45.2% of residents of Athens had incomes below twice the poverty line in 2020-2024, 71st highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 28.2%; Georgia: 30.5%).

Poverty and living standards in Athens, Georgia: official figures

26.5% of residents of Athens (31,013 people) had incomes below the federal poverty line in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 26th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 12.5%; Georgia: 13.4%).

Poverty rate

26.5%

2020-2024

Child poverty rate (under 18)

24.4%

2020-2024

Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent

59.5%

2020-2024

How many children live in poverty in Athens?

24.4% of children under 18 in Athens lived below the poverty line in 2020-2024 (5,128 children), 149th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 16.1%; Georgia: 18.3%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the poverty rate for older people in Athens?

By age, the poverty rate in Athens was 28.0% for children under 6 and 13.8% for residents aged 60 and over in 2020-2024 (US: 17.2% and 11.0%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Athens live in deep poverty?

19,506 people in Athens, 16.7% of residents, had incomes below half the poverty line in 2020-2024, 15th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.0%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many renters in Athens are cost-burdened?

59.5% of renting households in Athens spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2020-2024 (17,826 households), 142nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 51.1%; Georgia: 52.4%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in Athens spend half their income on rent?

35.0% of renting households in Athens spent half or more of their income on rent and utilities, 64th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 25.9%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Athens are food insecure?

An estimated 20.0% of adults in Athens experienced food insecurity in the past year, joint 225th highest of 592 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 16.4% housing insecurity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

How Athens compares with other cities in the United States

Residents below the poverty line (2020-2024)

Athens ranks 26 of 823, highest first.

Rank	City	Residents below the poverty line
23	Canton	27.4%
24	Dayton	26.9%
25	San Marcos	26.9%
26	Athens	26.5%
27	Davis	26.5%
28	Iowa City	26.3%
29	Hartford	26.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Children under 18 below the poverty line (2020-2024)

Athens ranks 149 of 823, highest first.

Rank	City	Children under 18 below the poverty line
146	Tulare	24.5%
147	Fayetteville	24.5%
148	Waukegan	24.5%
149	Athens	24.4%
150	Wichita Falls	24.4%
151	El Paso	24.4%
152	Mableton	24.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Residents with incomes below half the poverty line (2020-2024)

Athens ranks 15 of 823, highest first.

Rank	City	Residents with incomes below half the poverty line
12	Auburn	17.2%
13	Ann Arbor	17.2%
14	New Brunswick	17.1%
15	Athens	16.7%
16	San Marcos	16.5%
17	Detroit	16.4%
18	Stillwater	16.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent (2020-2024)

Athens ranks 142 of 823, highest first.

Rank	City	Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent
139	Daytona Beach	59.6%
140	Olympia	59.6%
141	Vista	59.6%
142	Athens	59.5%
143	Bridgeport	59.5%
144	Palm Bay	59.5%
145	Whittier	59.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)

Athens ranks 226 of 592, highest first.

Rank	City	Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate)
223	Evansville	20.1%
224	West Haven	20.1%
225	Albuquerque	20.0%
226	Athens	20.0%
227	West Covina	20.0%
228	Grand Rapids	19.8%
229	Hayward	19.8%

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

More on Athens: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in the United States

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B17020: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 e79a292f34605560506b7f4b5c8ea242c9d6e203c8e95ba675565ddb7758571e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 41bab025d213…)
U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C17002: Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 dc3dc675113683ec3ff2a0e29a840f43e03268151d7f14b922658d7306da5187), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 31aa364bfddf…)
U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25070: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 862ccc17d913305d11e6f802ce4518d76b30585ea0b05b251cd8cf21f8661386), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4f8d499d9e95…)

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