Decorative drawing: a small American settlement seen from a low hill. Not a photograph of this place.

Athens, Ohio

21 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1903 and the latest in 2002. It stands in Athens Township. It lies in ZIP code area 45701. It stands on Chandlers Hill. The Survey maps it on the Athens quadrangle. 23,849 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 719 feet above sea level.

Research this city

This curated hub for Athens County, Ohio brings together the page's documented record links, visible map or image evidence where published, and routes to related local records.

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Athens within Athens County

Population over time

3 figures

Athens grew from 21,342 to 23,849 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

Year	People	Change
2000	21,342
2010	23,832	+2,490 (+12%)
2020	23,849	+17 (+0%)

Then and now

1903 to 2002

The same ground, surveyed 99 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Athens, surveyed 2002

Topographic sheet of Athens, surveyed 1903

Compare 1903 against another survey:

Topographic sheets covering this place

21 sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

What happened here

An account from the chapter on Athens township, in the words of 1869.

1869, Athens Township

Utr Run

fired at and wounded the old bear, and then, wishing to see his dog kill one of the cubs, laid down his gun and. hissed his dog on to attack the cub - the old bear and other cub beating a retreat. Boyles, becoming interested in the fight between his dog and the cub, had approached near them, when he was disagreeably startled by seeing the old bear return, brought by the cries of the cub, and place herself between him and his gun.

Read the rest of this passage

Photographs

8 photographs, 1941 to 1942

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Athens, Ohio. Mayor Franz Woodworth addressing a meeting of the utilities division of the Athens civilian defense council
Vachon, John, 1942. Library of Congress

Athens, Ohio. Meeting of the utilities division of the civilian defense council
Vachon, John, 1942. Library of Congress

Athens, Ohio. H.D. Palmer, executive director of the civilian defense council, addressing a meeting of the utilities division, including representatives of power, gas, electric, telephone companies
Vachon, John, 1941. Library of Congress

Athens, Ohio. USMC (United States Marine Corps) recruiting office
Vachon, John, 1942. Library of Congress

Fires nearby

27 since 2006

The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 27 fires within 5 miles of Athens between 2006 and 2020, burning about 35 acres in total. 1 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	12
Debris and open burning	9
Power generation/transmission/distribution	3
Equipment and vehicle use	2
Natural	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
23 September 2019	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Wayne National Forest	BEAN HOLLOW
23 September 2019	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Wayne National Forest	RAW FIRE
2 June 2020	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Wayne National Forest	NORTH PEACH
12 June 2017	Equipment and vehicle use	under an acre	Wayne National Forest	MILL CREEK FIRE
8 April 2013	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	5.0 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	not named
8 April 2013	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	5.7 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	not named
8 April 2013	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	5.0 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	not named
25 April 2006	Debris and open burning	1.0 acres	Wayne National Forest	THREE FIRE

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Athens County

Specimens collected nearby

12 of 1,302 shown

Museums hold 1,302 specimens collected within 10 miles of Athens between 1896 and 1975: 1,096 Animalia, 152 Plantae, 44 Fungi, 4 Unrecorded, 4 Protozoa, 1 Chromista, 1 Bacteria. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. D. Selby, A. H. Blickle, Auburn E. Brower and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Species	Year	Collected by	Where, as recorded
Albugo candida (Pers. ex J.F.Gmel.) Roussel	1896	F.L. Stevens
Puccinia flosculosorum Röhl., 1813	1896	F. L. Stevens	Athens County
Ambrosia bidentata Michx.	1969	William G. Gambill Jr.
Tridens flavus (L.) Hitchc.	1896	Selby, A.D.	Caananville
Aristida longespica var. longespica	1898	Selby, A.D.	Pleasanton
Perlesta Banks, 1906	1898	N. Roberts
Quercus minor (Marshall) Sarg.	1898	Selby, A.D.	Pleasanton
Diospyros virginiana L.	1899	A. D. Selby	Marshfield
Salix humilis var. tristis (Aiton) Griggs	1899	Selby, A.D.	Marshfield
Tephrosia virginiana (L.) Pers.	1899	Selby, A.D.	Marshfield
Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta	1902	Morse, M. (Max)	Nelsonville, Athens Co., Ohio
Melasmia Lév., 1846	1902	Kellerman, W.A.	Athens

All 1,302 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Storms nearby

60 of 71 shown

The National Weather Service names Athens in 71 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 41 thunderstorm wind, 21 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 lightning. The reports record 8 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
August 2000	High Wind	Athens	8 hurt, $20,000	Thunderstorm wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph caused tree damage and collapsed a county fair tent. The tent collapsed during the swine judging, with as many as 400 people inside. Many of those caught in the tent, appeared stunned, but calm. Eight people received minor injuries. No animals were hurt. One witness said., " It was the best example I've seen of everyone working together." The nearby anemometer at the Scalia Lab on the Ohio University campus reported a wind gust of 41 mph. In a related incident, an indirect death occurred while a 74 old man lost control of his tractor and it overturned. He was trying to take shelter from the midday storm. He was 60 feet from his residence on Hooper Ridge Road, near Amesville.
June 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$200,000	Numerous large trees and branches were blown down in the city. The Emergency Management Agency reported 2 houses were severely damaged by fallen trees. Trees also fell across roads, sidewalks, driveways, and yards. Electrical power was lost.
June 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$150,000	A gust to 64 mph was measured. The Ohio University campus lost 25 trees to the wind. The trees damaged a baseball field fence and crushed one truck.
April 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$25,000	Trees were blown down along Radford Road and in the University Heights Drive vicinity.
March 2011	Hail	Athens	$25,000	Large hail dented a few vehicles.
May 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$20,000	Trees or large branches fell onto power lines.
August 2023	Tornado (EF1)	Athens	$10,000	An EF1 tornado with maximum winds up to 100 mph touched down near Angel Ridge Road in Athens County. The tornado tracked east-northeast crossing Gura Road, Long Run Road, and North Coolville Ridge Road before lifting just past Kincade Road. Damage was limited to snapped and uprooted trees and some snapped power poles along the path, with the worst damage occurring in a 300 yard wide swath along Long Run Road. This is the seventh documented tornado in Athens County and the first since 2018.
April 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$10,000	Multiple large limbs and a pine tree were snapped on the Ohio University campus. The outfield fence at the softball field was also blown down.
February 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$10,000	Trees fell onto power llines, knocking out the electricity.
April 2002	Hail	Athens	$10,000	Winds also gusted to 42 mph at Ohio University.
July 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$10,000	no account filed
June 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$10,000	no account filed
April 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$10,000	no account filed
April 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$8,000	Numerous downed trees and power outages were observed in and south of Athens.
June 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$8,000	Multiple trees were blown down in the Athens township.
June 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	Trees were blown down.
May 2012	Lightning	Athens	$5,000	A feed store was struck.
March 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	Several trees were blown down.
February 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	Trees were blown onto power lines.
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	Several big trees were knocked down in town.
June 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	Trees were downed.
August 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	Trees and large limbs were downed in town and on the Ohio University Campus.
August 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	no account filed
July 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$5,000	no account filed
April 1995	Hail	Athens	$5,000	no account filed
August 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$4,000	Several trees were downed in the southwest portion of the Athens Township, some blocking roadways.
November 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$4,000	Numerous trees were downed throughout the city of Athens. The Athens County airport reported a wind gust of 58 miles per hour around the time these trees were downed.
April 2015	Lightning	Athens	$4,000	Lightning struck a dwelling. The house filled with smoke.
August 2021	Flash Flood	Athens	$3,000	High water flowed across Terrel Road to the southeast of the city of Athens.
July 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Multiple trees and power lines were blown down and damaged in and around Athens.
July 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Numerous trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds in the city of Athens.
November 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Trees were blown down along Pleasant Hill Road.
November 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Trees were blown down along Rich Lane.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	A few branches were blown down.
October 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Trees and large branches were blown down.
July 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Trees and power lines were knocked down along Salem Road or County Route 9.
May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Several large branches and a few trees were blown down.
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	Trees fell across roads.
May 2004	Flash Flood	Athens	$2,000	no account filed
August 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$2,000	no account filed
February 2022	Flood	Athens	$1,000	The Hocking River at Athens rose out of its 20 foot flood stage late in the afternoon on February 19th. The river remained above its flood stage for only a brief period of time and was back in its banks that evening. Low lying areas around the river and the nearby campground observed minor flooding between Athens and Coolville while the Hocking River was out of its banks.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$1,000	Multiple trees were downed in the city of Athens.
March 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$1,000	Power lines were knocked down by fallen trees and large branches.
May 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$1,000	Trees and large branches were blown down
November 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$1,000	Several trees were blown down.
April 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	$250	Outside of the Athens township, a tree was blown down on South Blackburn Road.
April 2025	Flood	Athens	-	The Hocking River at Athens exceeded its flood stage of 20 feet early in the morning of April 5th, then continued to rise to a crest of around 20.8 feet the next morning. The river slowly fell back below flood stage early in the morning on the 7th. Low areas, the campground, and private camps along the river between Athens and Coolville began to flood during the time the river was out of its banks. Low sections of Harmony Road and baseball fields in Nelsonville also flooded.
July 2025	Flash Flood	Athens	-	Flooding was observed on Strouds Road, State Route 690, and State Route 550 between State Routes 690 and 329. A van was stranded in flood water at Sand Rock Road in Amesville. Another vehicle became stranded on State Route 690.
June 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	-	Trees fell down from the Route 690 vicinity, on east, to Route 329 near Stewart.
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	-	Numerous trees or large branches fell along Route 56.
July 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	-	Large branches were blown down along portions of County Routes 24 and 90.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	-	A gust to 62 mph was measured at Ohio University.
June 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Athens	-	Trees were blown down along Route 50 and Alexander Township Road 30.
May 2025	Hail	Athens	-	no account filed
March 2022	Hail	Athens	-	no account filed
May 2019	Hail	Athens	-	no account filed
July 2019	Hail	Athens	-	no account filed
April 2018	Hail	Athens	-	no account filed
April 2015	Hail	Athens	-	no account filed
March 2012	Hail	Athens	-	no account filed

Every storm recorded in Athens County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Armitage	1.2 miles	21
La Mar Heights	1.2 miles	21
Grosvenor	1.6 miles	18
Elliottville	1.6 miles	21
Longview Heights	2.0 miles	21
Clearview	2.5 miles	21
Beachwood Lake Estates	2.6 miles	18
Wonder Hills	2.7 miles	18

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Athens	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q755420	The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1075290. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.