Athens County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Athens County, Ohio has a population of 61,737 across 504 square miles, up 1.3 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
126 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Athens County
How many people live in Athens County
- Population61,737
- 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-equivalents875th
Athens County is the 41st largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market 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 storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Athens County
Is Athens County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.27 percent
- Census 2020 base population62,424
- 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
The county has grown 1.27 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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 people moving to Athens County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,435
- People arriving, from those returns2,180
- Adjusted gross income arriving$61.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$42,653
- Largest single originAthens County Non-migrants (17,909 households)
- Largest single destination (17,909 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens County Non-migrants | 17,909 | 33,591 | $1.16 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 472 | 693 | $23.1 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 318 | 447 | $12.0 m |
| Other flows - South | 209 | 330 | $9.9 m |
| Franklin County | 164 | 237 | $7.9 m |
| Other flows - West | 98 | 143 | $4.9 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 90 | 127 | $4.0 m |
| Hocking County | 89 | 152 | $3.1 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Athens County Non-migrants, 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 the Athens County economy runs on
- 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 Ohio counties54th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1045th
- 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
Who employs people in Athens County
- Covered employment, annual average21,207
- Establishments reporting1,359
- Average annual pay$50,117
- Average weekly wage$964
- Sector 62, employment3,350
- Sector 62, average annual pay$58,200
- Sector 72, employment2,681
- Sector 72, average annual pay$19,483
- Sector 44-45, employment2,606
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$32,568
- Sector 31-33, employment665
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$65,067
- Sector 23, employment530
- Sector 81, employment440
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 3,350 | 177 | $58,200 |
| Sector 72 | 2,681 | 146 | $19,483 |
| Sector 44-45 | 2,606 | 175 | $32,568 |
| Sector 31-33 | 665 | 41 | $65,067 |
| Sector 23 | 530 | 95 | $58,683 |
| Sector 81 | 440 | 105 | $37,317 |
| Sector 54 | 417 | 131 | $61,031 |
| Sector 52 | 413 | 68 | $67,372 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,350 jobs, 15.8 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Athens County
What businesses operate 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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Athens County
What is being built in Athens County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20246
- Declared construction value permitted$2.5 m
- Single family units authorised4
- Multifamily units authorised2
- Multifamily share of units33.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$421,667
- Units authorised per 1,000 households0.3
Multifamily is 33.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Athens County
How much SBA lending happens in Athens County
- 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$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,350,000
- 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$605,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval5.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.4
- Most active CDCCommunity Capital Development Corporation (3)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals87.1 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$14.8 m
The average approval of $444,437 sits well above the median of $215,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually 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
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
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 8 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Athens County
Which parts of Athens County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending7
- ATHENS, approvals10
- GLOUSTER, approvals4
- NEW MARSHFIELD, approvals4
- Coolville, approvals3
- Nelsonville, approvals3
- ALBANY, approvals2
| Place | 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 big 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 boundary6
- 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
What hazards affect Athens County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population61,737
- 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?
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 growing?
The population has grown 1.27 percent since the 2020 census base. 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 there 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 the average wage in Athens County?
Average annual pay is $50,117, or $964 a week, across 21,207 covered jobs. 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 totalling $12.0 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $215,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Athens County?
6 housing units were authorised 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 Athens County Non-migrants, with 17,909 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,653 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.