Athens County, Ohio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Athens County
U.S. county
The Athens County court house in Athens
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Founded	March 1, 1805
Named for	Athens, Greece
Seat	Athens
Largest city	Athens
Area
• Total	508 sq mi (1,320 km2)
• Land	504 sq mi (1,310 km2)
• Water	4.8 sq mi (12 km2)  1.0%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	62,431
• Estimate  (2022)	58,979
• Density	120/sq mi (50/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	12th

Court Street, the main street in uptown Athens

Athens County is a cool place in southeastern Ohio. In 2020, about 62,431 people lived here. Its main city and county seat is Athens.

The county was created in 1805 from Washington County. Ohio's first state university, Ohio University, started here in 1804. That's why the county and its main city are named after Athens, Greece, a famous place for learning.

Exploring Athens County's Land

Athens County covers about 508 square miles. Most of this area, 504 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 4.8 square miles, is water.

The county is in a hilly area of Ohio called the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. It has steep hills and deep valleys. Many of these valleys were carved by an ancient river system. The Hocking River flows through most of Athens County. It joins the Ohio River in a village called Hockingport.

Neighboring Counties

Athens County shares borders with these other counties:

• Perry County (north)
• Morgan County (northeast)
• Washington County (east)
• Wood County, West Virginia (southeast)
• Meigs County (south)
• Vinton County (west)
• Hocking County (northwest)

People of Athens County

The number of people living in Athens County has changed over time.

In 2010, there were 64,757 people living in the county. About 24% of homes had kids under 18. The average age of people in the county was 26.3 years old.

Towns and Villages

Map of Athens County, Ohio with Municipal and Township Labels

Athens County has several cities, villages, and smaller communities.

Cities

• Athens (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)
• Nelsonville

Villages

Townships

Other Communities

There are also smaller places called census-designated places and unincorporated communities. Some of these include:

• Hockingport
• Millfield
• New Marshfield
• Stewart
• The Plains

What People Do for Work

Many people in Athens County work for Ohio University. Other important employers include hospitals, colleges, and local businesses. The government and schools also employ many residents.

In the past, making salt was a big industry. Coal mining and cutting down trees were also very important. Today, the coal industry is much smaller. However, some gravel and limestone are still mined.

Forestry is still part of the economy. The main office for Wayne National Forest is located here.

Farming is also important. Many farms raise beef and dairy cows. The Athens Farmers Market is a popular place to buy fresh, local food.

Tourism is growing in Athens County. People visit for music, arts, and crafts. Many also enjoy the beautiful nature and wildlife. Hunting and fishing are popular activities. The county has over 19 miles of paved bike paths. Hiking and mountain biking are also popular in state parks and the national forest.

Higher education is a very big part of the county's economy. More than a quarter of the people in the county either go to or work at Hocking College or Ohio University.

Learning and Libraries

Colleges and Universities

Ohio University in the Fall, showing its South Green

Athens County is home to two colleges:

• Hocking College in Nelsonville
• Ohio University in the City of Athens

Schools for Kids

Students in Athens County go to schools in five different districts:

• Alexander Local School District
• Athens City School District
• Federal Hocking Local School District
• Nelsonville-York City School District
• Trimble Local School District

Public Libraries

The Athens County Public Libraries serve the community. They have branches in:

• Albany
• Athens
• Chauncey
• Coolville
• Glouster
• Nelsonville
• The Plains

News and Radio

Athens County has several ways for people to get their news and listen to music.

News publications

• The Athens Messenger: A daily newspaper.
• The Athens News: A free paper published twice a week.
• The Post: The student newspaper for Ohio University.
• The Spire: The student newspaper for Hocking College.
• Athens County Independent: A free online news site.

Noncommercial Television

• WOUB-TV: A PBS TV station from Ohio University.

Noncommercial Radio

• WEAK-FM, 106.7 (Athens)
• WOUB-FM, 91.3 (NPR station from Ohio University)
• WOUB-AM, 1340 (NPR station from Ohio University)
• WLCI-FM, 97.5 (Hocking College student radio)

Commercial Radio

• WXTQ-FM, 105.5 (Athens)
• WJKW-FM, 95.9 (Athens)
• WATH-AM, 970 (Athens)
• WSEO-FM, 107.7 (Nelsonville)
• WAIS-AM, 770 (Nelsonville)

Parks and Nature Areas

Athens County has many beautiful public lands for everyone to enjoy.

Federal Lands

• Belleville Lock and Dam Public Access Area
• Tom Jenkins Dam (at Burr Oak State Park)
• Wayne National Forest

State Lands

• Burr Oak State Park
• Strouds Run State Park
• Acadia Cliffs State Nature Preserve
• Fox Lake Wildlife Area
• Waterloo Wildlife Research Station
• Marie J. Desonier State Nature Preserve
• Riddle State Nature Preserve
• Gifford State Forest
• Waterloo State Forest
• Zaleski State Forest

County Properties

• Ferndale Park
• County Farm
• Hockhocking-Adena Bike Path
• Moonville Rail-Trail

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Athens para niños