Is Athena, OR a Good Place to Live?
Athena is a small town of 1,333 in Oregon, with a median household income of $66,333 and a 10.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Athena stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Athena is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Athena city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 96.5Athena's overall cost of living index is 96.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Athena costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Athena, OR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $165,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $892 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $66,333 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageAthena's violent crime rate is 269.4 per 100,000 residents — 29% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Athena is served primarily by Athena-Weston SD 29RJ. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Athena, OR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Athena-Weston SD 29RJ | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Athena sees average highs of 42.7°F in January and 89.7°F in July, with 17.2 inches of annual precipitation and 14.9 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Athena, OR |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 42.7°F |
| Average High — July | 89.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.9" |
Demographics
| Metric | Athena, OR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,333 | — |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 10.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Athena
Athena, OR is covered by 1 ZIP code: