Athens, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Athens, West Virginia
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View along State Street; Town Hall on the right
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Location of Athens in Mercer County, West Virginia.
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | West Virginia | ||
| County | Mercer | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 0.39 sq mi (1.02 km2) | ||
| • Land | 0.39 sq mi (1.02 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 2,582 ft (787 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 944 | ||
| • Estimate
(2021)
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933 | ||
| • Density | 2,276.65/sq mi (879.74/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
24712
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| Area code(s) | 304 | ||
| FIPS code | 54-03292 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2390709 | ||
Athens is a small town located in Mercer County, West Virginia, in the United States. In 2020, about 944 people lived there. Athens is part of the larger Bluefield micropolitan area. This area has over 100,000 people. Athens is also famous for being home to Concord University.
Contents
History of Athens, West Virginia
How Athens Got Its Name
The town was first called Concord. But in 1896, another post office opened in a different town also named Concord. To avoid confusion, the town's name was changed.
It was renamed Athens after the famous Greek city. That ancient city was known as a center of learning. This new name fit well because Athens, West Virginia, is home to a university. The community officially became a town on August 6, 1906.
Historic Places in Athens
Near Athens, you can find the Col. William Henderson French House. This historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It's an important landmark in the area.
Geography and Location of Athens
Where is Athens Located?
Athens is built on a high area of land called a bluff. This bluff is above Laurel Creek. Laurel Creek flows into the Bluestone River.
The campus of Concord University is located at the eastern end of the town. West Virginia Route 20, also known as State Street, goes right through Athens. This road connects Athens to Princeton to the southwest. It also links to smaller towns along the New River to the northeast.
Size of the Town
According to the United States Census Bureau, Athens covers a total area of about 0.39 square miles (1.02 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no water.
Climate in Athens
Weather Patterns in Athens
The weather in Athens usually has mild changes between high and low temperatures. There is also enough rainfall throughout the year.
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Athens has a "marine west coast climate." This type of climate is shown as "Cfb" on climate maps. It means the area has mild summers and cool, but not freezing, winters.
| Climate data for Athens, West Virginia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40 (4) |
44 (7) |
53 (12) |
63 (17) |
71 (22) |
77 (25) |
81 (27) |
80 (27) |
74 (23) |
65 (18) |
54 (12) |
44 (7) |
62 (17) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20 (−7) |
21 (−6) |
28 (−2) |
37 (3) |
47 (8) |
55 (13) |
59 (15) |
57 (14) |
51 (11) |
39 (4) |
31 (−1) |
24 (−4) |
39 (4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.95 (75) |
2.72 (69) |
3.27 (83) |
3.31 (84) |
3.86 (98) |
3.23 (82) |
3.9 (99) |
3.07 (78) |
2.99 (76) |
2.52 (64) |
2.8 (71) |
2.68 (68) |
37.3 (947) |
| Source: U.S. Climate Data | |||||||||||||
Population of Athens
How Many People Live Here?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 575 | — | |
| 1920 | 552 | −4.0% | |
| 1930 | 628 | 13.8% | |
| 1940 | 682 | 8.6% | |
| 1950 | 935 | 37.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,086 | 16.1% | |
| 1970 | 967 | −11.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,147 | 18.6% | |
| 1990 | 741 | −35.4% | |
| 2000 | 1,102 | 48.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,048 | −4.9% | |
| 2020 | 944 | −9.9% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 933 | −11.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, about 1,048 people lived in Athens. There were 347 households, which are groups of people living together. About 182 of these were families. The town had about 2,687 people per square mile.
There were 408 housing units, like houses or apartments. On average, there were about 1,046 housing units per square mile.
Who Lives in Athens?
Most people in Athens are White (91.1%). About 5.6% are African American. A small number are Asian (2.1%) or Native American (0.1%). Some people belong to two or more races (0.9%). About 1.4% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
In 2010, about 21.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 41.8% were married couples. Some households had a female head with no husband (8.6%). A few had a male head with no wife (2.0%). Almost half (47.6%) were not families.
About 34.6% of all households had only one person living there. About 9.8% of these single-person households were people aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.13 people. The average family size was 2.76 people.
The average age in Athens was 23.1 years. About 11.5% of residents were under 18. A large group, 43.7%, were between 18 and 24 years old. About 16% were 25 to 44. Another 18.4% were 45 to 64. Finally, 10.3% were 65 years or older. The town had slightly more females (51.8%) than males (48.2%).
Notable People from Athens
- Don Caruth was a politician from West Virginia.
Images for kids
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View along State Street; Town Hall on the right
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Flag of Athens, West Virginia
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Seal of Athens, West Virginia
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Location of Athens in Mercer County, West Virginia.
See also
In Spanish: Athens (Virginia Occidental) para niños
