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Athens, OH

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Athens, OH

Athens is a city and the county seat of Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Columbus, Athens is best known as the home of Ohio University, a large public research university with an undergraduate and graduate enrollment of more than 21,000 students. It is the principal city of the Athens micropolitan area.

Athens is located in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau about 47 miles from Chillicothe and 35 miles west of Marietta. Athens is surrounded by hills that rise about three hundred feet from the river valley to the narrow ridge tops. The county extends west from the Ohio River, mostly centered around the lower Hocking River watershed. According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 10.05 square miles (26.0 km²), of which 9.83 square miles (25.5 km²) (or 97.81%) is land and 0.22 square miles (0.57 km²) (or 2.19%) is water. Large sections of Athens and Ohio University are located in the floodplain of the Hocking River. Over the last two centuries, the town suffered from many destructive floods, including notable floods in 1832, 1873, 1907, 1937, 1949, 1964 and 1968. In 1969 the Army Corps of Engineers completed a major work that rerouted and expanded the channel of the Hocking River, for a stretch of several miles around the town, moving the river hundreds of feet to the south. That project and the ongoing efforts to maintain the channel have greatly reduced the negative effects of seasonally high river levels.

Athens is located mostly on and around a south-jutting ridge bordered by a loop in the Hocking River. The underlying geology is mostly sandstone and shale, including "redbed" shale that presents a severe slip hazard when structures are built over it on hillsides. However, there are safe zones above sandstone beds, most notably the Connelsville Sandstone that outcrops high on the hillsides. The old Athens Mental Hospital grounds (now part of the university) was built on the top of a hillside in the late 1860s and is completely stable due to its position atop the hill rather than on a slope. The recent University Courtyard Apartments is also built on similar underlying geology across a small valley, but the hilltop was extensively removed to create a stable base. The city receives all its water supply from wells in unconsolidated river aquifers and is reputed to be the largest city in the United States to do so.

The first permanent European settlers arrived in Athens in 1797, more than a decade after the United States' victory in the American Revolutionary War. In 1800, the town site was first surveyed plotted, and incorporated as a village in 1811. Ohio had become a state in 1803. Ohio University was chartered in 1804, the first public institution of higher learning in the Northwest Territory. Previously part of Washington County, Ohio, Athens County was formed in 1805, named for the ancient center of learning, Athens, Greece.

Ohio University in Athens was established with the first federal endowment of an educational institution in the United States. In July 1787, the Congress of the Confederation gave to the Ohio Company of Associates "two townships of good land for the support of a literary institution" in the newly created Northwest Territory.

Health and wellness are paramount in Athens, with the OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital serving as a cornerstone for comprehensive healthcare services. Explore the parks, facilities, and programs the Athens Parks and Recreation Department offers. These spaces provide opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, sports, and picnicking. Join local fitness centers and gyms to participate in exercise programs, fitness classes, and strength training. Some popular options include Planet Fitness, Structure Sport and Fitness Gym, and Chasing Dreams Fitness. Discover the walking and biking trails in and around Athens, such as the Ridges Loop Trail and Trace Trail and Finger Rock Trail Loop. These trails offer opportunities for outdoor exercise and enjoyment of nature.

Top sites in Athens, OH are Dairy Barn Arts Center, OHIO Museum Complex and Kennedy Museum of Art, and Athens West State Park.

Population: 24,673 (2023). ZIP code: 45701. Area codes: 740, 220. Elevation: 719 ft (219 m). Area: 10.21 sq mi (26.44 km²).

FAQs

Is Athens, OH a good place to live?

Athens is in Athens County and is one of the best places to live in Ohio. Living in Athens offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents rent their homes. In Athens, there are a lot of bars and parks. Many young professionals live in Athens and residents tend to lean conservative. 

Is it expensive to live in Athens, OH?

Athens is 10% less expensive than the national average and 0% less expensive to live in than the average city in Ohio. This assumes a $72,000 annual salary and a 2-bedroom Apt. Food costs in Athens are less affordable than average in the United States. Transportation costs in Athens are less affordable than average in the United States.

What is the crime rate in Athens, OH?

With a crime rate of 33 per one thousand residents, Athens has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 30. Within Ohio, more than 95% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Athens.

Sources

Wikipedia

City of Athens

OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital

Athens Parks and Recreation Department

Planet Fitness

Structure Sport and Fitness Gym 

Chasing Dreams Fitness

The Ridges Loop Trail 

Trace Trail and Finger Rock Trail Loop

Dairy Barn Arts Center

OHIO Museum Complex and Kennedy Museum of Art

Athens West State Park

Niche

Erieri

Neighborhoodscout

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