The typical owner-occupied home in Athens is worth about $84,000, 61% below the Louisiana median of $216,500 and 75% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $211 a year in property taxes, about 0.25% of their home's value, lower than the Louisiana rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $15,673 a year, so the median home costs 5.4 times the median income (3.6 times for Louisiana). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 36% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Athens at a glance
| Athens | Louisiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $84,000 | $216,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $211 | $1,180 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.25% | 0.55% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $15,673 | $60,756 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 63% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 36% | 52% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $759 | $1,604 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 29.3% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | – | $1,064 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1968 | 1983 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 14.2% | 14.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 358 | 4,611,961 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Athens
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Athens home of $84,000 with 20% down costs about $505 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $644, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $21,624 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 39% of the median Athens household income of $15,673; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $61,000.
| Down payment | $16,800 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $67,200 |
| Principal and interest | $452 |
| Property taxes (0.25% a year) | $18 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $35 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $505 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $2,940 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $82,479 |
| Principal and interest | $555 |
| Property taxes (0.25% a year) | $18 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $35 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $37 |
| Total per month | $644 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Athens
What is the median home value in Athens?
About $84,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Athens?
Homeowners pay a median $211 a year, which is about 0.25% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Athens?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $505 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $21,624 a year.
More about Athens
- Mortgage Refinance in Athens
- Debt Relief in Athens
- Home Equity Loans in Athens
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data