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 town in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 944 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578. Athens is the home of Concord University.
History
The community was named Concord; however, in 1896 another post office in Concord, Hampshire County, West Virginia was established and the town's name was changed to Athens after the Greek city and center of learning. The community incorporated as a town on August 6, 1906.
Located near Athens is the Col. William Henderson French House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Geography
The town is situated on a bluff above Laurel Creek, a tributary of the Bluestone River. The campus of Concord University lies at the eastern end of town. West Virginia Route 20 (State Street) traverses Athens, connecting the town with Princeton to the southwest and the rural towns along New River to the northeast.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.39 square miles (1.01 km2), all land.
Climate
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Athens has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.
| Climate data for Athens, West Virginia | |||||||||||||
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| 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 | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| 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 | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,048 people, 347 households, and 182 families living in the town. The population density was 2,687.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,037.5/km2). There were 408 housing units at an average density of 1,046.2 per square mile (403.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 91.1% White, 5.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.
There were 347 households, of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.6% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.76.
The median age in the town was 23.1 years. 11.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 43.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16% were from 25 to 44; 18.4% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.
Notable people
- Don Caruth, West Virginia politician
See also
In Spanish: Athens (Virginia Occidental) para niños
