Athens, TN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Athens, TN Summary

Cost of living in Athens research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Athens is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Tennessee, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Athens is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Athens is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Athens ranks as the #54 cheapest in Tennessee out of 109.

  • Athens ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Athens is $253,002.

  • The median income in Athens is $53,151.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Athens's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Athens, TN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Athens has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Tennessee, Athens has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Tennessee's index of 90.

The standard of living in Athens ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 109 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Athens ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.

For more reading on life in Athens, check out:

54 out of 109
In Tennessee
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Athens Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Athens. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Athens is 89.

  • The Groceries index in Athens is 98.

  • The Health index in Athens is 94.

  • The Housing index in Athens is 84.

  • The Transportation index in Athens is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Athens is 91.

Living Expense Athens Tennessee National Average
Overall 91 90 100
Services 89 93 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 94 87 100
Housing 84 81 100
Transportation 89 89 100
Utilities 91 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Tennessee, check out:
Athens Cost of Living Vs. TN

Athens, TN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Tennessee, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Athens is $253,002.

  • The Median Rent in Athens is $807.

  • The Median Income in Athens is $53,151.

  • The Home Value To Income in Athens is 4.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Athens is 0.18x.

Statistic Athens Tennessee United States
Median Home Value $253,002 $330,598 $303,400
Median Rent $807 $1,122 $1,348
Median Income $53,151 $67,097 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.8x 4.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.2x 0.21x
$253,002
Median Home Value
$807
Median Rent
$53,151
Median Income

Athens, TN Costs By Category

Detailed Athens Services Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $12.57 $12.13
Bowling $16.47 $18
Haircut $18.8 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.4 $45.56

Detailed Athens Groceries Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Ground Beef $5.63 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.43 $1.57
Milk $4.49 $4.67
Potatoes $5.17 $4.93
Pizza $11.66 $12.09
Beer $10.02 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Athens Health Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Optometrist $112.0 $125.68
Doctor $129.61 $135.78
Dentist $96.5 $113.29

Detailed Athens Transportation Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
Gasoline $3.09 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.87 $59.92

Detailed Athens Utilities Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Athens Tennessee
All Electricity $170.16 $193.99
Phone $192.18 $192.25

Athens SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
6
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Athens

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Athens. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Spring, TX has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Athens.

  • Oak Ridge, TN has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Athens.

  • Farragut, TN has a cost of living index of 119, 1.3x Athens.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Athens
Spring, TX 67,103 100 1.1x
Oak Ridge, TN 32,088 91 1.0x
Farragut, TN 24,309 119 1.3x
Middle Valley, TN 11,808 92 1.0x
Collegedale, TN 11,185 100 1.1x
Signal Mountain, TN 8,861 120 1.3x
Harrison, TN 8,446 93 1.0x
Sweetwater, TN 6,462 82 0.9x
Kingston, TN 6,042 89 1.0x
Madisonville, TN 5,184 87 1.0x

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