Affordable Athens, GA Storage Units

What You Should Know About Athens, GA

Athens, Georgia, is a wonderful college town. It has a nice mixture of historical places and served as the hub of the contemporary music scene since the 1970s. The 2020 U.S. Census counted the population as 215,415 people who live in Athens. The town is about an hour's drive from downtown Atlanta, going east on I-20 and then northeast on Highway 78.

Athens started in the early 1800s as a college town. It was the site chosen for the University of Georgia in 1801. The first university buildings were made from logs. When the first class graduated in 1804, a few buildings, three stores, and three homes were on the site. Athens became an official town in 1806.

What To Do in Athens, GA

Athens is a lively town with an exhilarating youthful vibe. The median age for residents in Athens is 24.2 years compared to 33.4 years for the rest of the state of Georgia. Visit downtown Athens on a Saturday night to have some fun. For a pleasant afternoon, enjoy a free visit to the Bear Hollow Zoo, known for its work in rescuing wild animals. Sports fans enjoy the games at Sanford Stadium on the University of Georgia campus and the Stegeman Coliseum, which is the home of the Georgia Bulls.

Music

The Georgia Theater seats 750 people. It hosts many famous acts that love to perform in this town. The 40 Watt Club is the center of the live music universe in Athens. It was the place that birthed the indie "Athens Sound" by featuring local bands like REM and Pylon that went on to generate international fame.

Nature

There are many outstanding natural recreational areas to visit in Athens, including the Sandy Creek Nature Center and Sandy Creek Park. A nice place to visit for a picnic is the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. The Oconee National Forest is a short drive south of Athens on Highway 441. There are over 850 miles of trails to explore in the 867,000 acres with lush forests, beautiful rivers, and pleasant campgrounds. There are plenty of excellent fishing spots on the lovely lakes.

Museums

The most popular museum is the Georgia Museum of Art, with galleries arranged in chronological order, starting with a display of religious art from the 1300s. Start at the Historic Athens Welcome Center and enjoy visiting the homes on Georgia's Antebellum Trail. Some antebellum homes include the Ware-Lyndon House with its art center, the Taylor-Grady House, and the fully furnished and restored T.R.R. Cobb House.

Working in Athens, GA

The largest employer in the town is the University of Georgia. Educational services make up 24.7% of the jobs. The next biggest employer in the area is retail (12.1%), followed by hospitality (11.8%). The most popular occupations are post-secondary teachers, managers, and maintenance workers. Under normal conditions, there are plenty of jobs in the hospitality sector for waitpersons and bartenders. The construction (4.1%) and manufacturing (9.8%) sectors are also large employers when things are operating normally.

Athens has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is lower than the unemployment rate of 5.3% for all of Georgia and 4.3% for all the United States.

The median household income is only $47,758 per year—about $26,000 lower than Georgia's statewide median household income of $74,632. The abundance of students living in Athens is the reason the household income is so low.

Athens, GA Neighborhoods

The median price for a home in this area is $389,900. This price is about the same as the median price in all of Georgia, which is $332,047. It is about $130,000 less than the median price of a single-family home in America ($462,206). For the best homes, search these neighborhoods:

University Gardens:
Median home price: $1,175,214
Average rent: $1,475
Vacancy rate: 1.1%

Five Points:
Median home price: $977,314
Average rent: $1,732
Vacancy rate: 11.1%

Beechwood Hills:
Median home price: $864,112
Average rent: $1,812
Vacancy rate: 4.7%

Downtown:
Median home price: $835,698
Average rent: $2,010
Vacancy rate: 8.1%

Athens, GA School District

Athens is part of the Clarke County School District. The school district has 14 elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools. The district spends $19,385 per year per student on educational services and has an excellent student-to-teacher ratio of 12 to one.

There are forty-one private schools in the area. There are nine in town and the top-ranked ones are Athens Christian School (PK to 12th), Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School (9 to 12th grade), and St. Joseph Catholic School.

For higher education, there are two public universities, two community colleges, and three private universities. The public schools are the University of Georgia and Georgia Gwinnett College. The private campuses include Brenau University, Emmanuel College, and Franklin University. The community colleges are Athens Technical College and Lanier Technical College.

Moving to Athens, GA Resource Guide

The city of Athens is part of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. There is an elected mayor and ten elected commissioners, one from each district, serving on the Commission. More information may be found on the official website.

The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services manages more than 2,000 acres of parks and all the parks in the city of Athens. Enjoy art classes, sports at athletic fields, dog parks, golf, tennis, swimming pool, playgrounds, bike trails, and a picnic at the nature center. Many activities are offered through the East Athens Community Center and Dance Center.

Athens, GA Housing

Housing costs in Athens are 12% higher than the average in the rest of Georgia. They are 2% lower than the rest of America. The median rent in Athens is $871, which is 8% lower than the median rent of $949 for the entire United States. The cost of living in Athens is 4% more than the rest of the state and 3% lower than the average cost of living in the U.S.

Military Bases Near Athens, GA

Here are the military bases within 50 miles:

• Fort Gordon (Augusta, GA)
• Dobbins Air Reserve Base (Marietta, GA)