Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Athens, Ohio
A $242,000 home here costs
$2,065per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,244. The real number is $821 higher every month — 66% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Athens against Athens County and Ohio
| Measure | Athens | Athens County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,200 | $173,800 |
| Median property tax | $3,434 | $2,094 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.418% | 1.205% |
| Median gross rent | $1,029 | $903 |
| Population | 23,211 | 61,573 |
The weather behind that power bill
Athens sits in Athens County, which averages a high of 82.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.5°F in its coldest, with 41.56" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 767 cooling and 5,386 heating degree days, which is what sets the $175 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Athens County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Athens County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Athens?
A $242,000 home in Athens, Ohio costs approximately $2,065 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,244 principal and interest, $286 property tax, $90 homeowners insurance, $243 utilities and $202 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Athens?
Athens has an effective property tax rate of 1.418%, based on a median home value of $242,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,434. That is higher than the Athens County average of 1.205%.
What is the average home price in Athens?
The median owner-occupied home value in Athens, Ohio is $242,200, against $173,800 across Athens County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Athens?
Median gross rent in Athens is $1,029 a month, against $2,065 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Athens — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Ohio.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.