Athens, GA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Athens, GA: What You Need to Know

Athens is home to the University of Georgia, the first state-chartered university in the United States. The city is touted as the birthplace of public higher education in America. 

Schools

University of Georgia is a top-ranked research institution and the state’s flagship university. Chartered in 1785, the university’s 17 colleges and schools serve 38,652 students. It’s also known for the prestigious Peabody Awards for television, radio, and digital media, which the university founded in 1941. 

Athens is formally known as Athens-Clarke County because of its consolidated city and county government. Likewise, it has a consolidated public-school system with 22 schools and a total enrolment of 13,600 students. Chase Street Elementary School and Barrow Elementary School are among the county’s highly ranked schools.

Local Culture

Music fans throughout the world know Athens as the college town that produced R.E.M., a band formed in 1979. They recorded 15 albums and attained enormous global success with hits such as “Losing My Religion,” “Everybody Hurts,” and “It’s the End of the World.” The band retired in 2011. The city’s lively music scene also nurtured the pop group B-52s and the rock bands Widespread Panic, Drivin’ and Cryin’, and Pylon, among others.

The Local Sports Scene

Local sports focus on the University of Georgia’s athletic teams, and rightly so. The university’s famous Bulldogs football team has won two national championships and 13 Southeastern Conference championships. The Bulldogs also compete in men’s baseball and football, men's and women's basketball, cross country, and golf, and women's gymnastics, softball, and soccer.

Cost of Living

Athens-Clarke County is home to 126,913 people. Its cost of living rate is 0.4% lower than the national average, but food and housing costs are 3.5% and 4.1% higher than the national average, respectively. The median gross rent in Athens is $844. The Peach State levies a progressive income tax rate of 1% to 5.75%, considered fairly average. It collects 4% to 9% in statewide sales tax.

Know Your Neighborhoods

City residents love the diversity in this college town and the presence of cultural venues such as the Lyndon House Arts Center and the Georgia Museum of Art. The majority of residents within the city proper are renters. If you prefer the suburbs, Watkinsville and Bogart are a short drive from Athens – plus, they have excellent schools. Watkinsville residents praise their hometown’s cleanliness and friendliness while Bogart is known for its close-knit community. Jefferson also has above-average schools but it’s farther from Athens.