The typical owner-occupied home in Athens is worth about $189,700, 29% below the Wisconsin median of $266,500 and 43% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,618 a year in property taxes, about 1.38% of their home's value, close to the Wisconsin rate of 1.42%. The median household earns $52,750 a year, so the median home costs 3.6 times the median income (3.4 times for Wisconsin). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 55% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Athens at a glance
| Athens | Wisconsin | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $189,700 | $266,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,618 | $3,792 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.38% | 1.42% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $52,750 | $77,485 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 55% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,426 | $1,689 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 17.5% | 19.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $681 | $1,087 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.0% | 27.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1966 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 15.7% | 10.8% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,055 | 5,914,872 | 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 $189,700 with 20% down costs about $1,318 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,634, 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 $56,490 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Athens household income of $52,750; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $177,000.
The median rent here is $681 a month, so owning the median home costs about $637 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $37,940 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $151,760 |
| Principal and interest | $1,021 |
| Property taxes (1.38% a year) | $218 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $79 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,318 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,640 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $186,264 |
| Principal and interest | $1,253 |
| Property taxes (1.38% a year) | $218 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $79 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $84 |
| Total per month | $1,634 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Athens
What is the median home value in Athens?
About $189,700 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 $2,618 a year, which is about 1.38% 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 $1,318 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $56,490 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