Property tax in Athens County, Ohio
The median property tax bill in Athens County, Ohio is $2,167 a year, which is about 1.17% of the county's median home value of $185,000. That effective rate is higher than the typical Ohio county (1.05%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Athens County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Athens County's average effective rate of 1.17% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,165 / year
Property tax in Athens County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,167 |
| Median home value | $185,000 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.17% |
| Typical Ohio county rate | 1.05% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Athens County compare in Ohio?
Among Ohio's 88 counties, Athens County has the 28th highest effective property-tax rate: 27 rank higher and 60 rank lower. That is on the higher side for Ohio. Nationally, it ranks 777th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Ohio county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Athens County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Athens County's 13,899 owner-occupied homes, 34.2% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 51.6% pay at least $2,000, and 12.9% pay under $800. Another 2.7% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 1,799 | 12.9% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 2,523 | 18.2% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 2,037 | 14.7% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 2,418 | 17.4% |
| $3,000 or more | 4,747 | 34.2% |
| No property tax paid | 375 | 2.7% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $2,470 and owners without one pay $1,941. Owners who have paid off a home have usually held it longer, and in states that cap how fast an existing owner's assessment can rise, long-held homes carry lower assessed values. Census table B25103.
How does the Athens County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,167 is about 2.8% of the median income of Athens County homeowner households, $77,750 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 60.4% of Athens County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Athens County?
Yes. The median bill went from $1,785 in 2015-2019 to $2,167 in 2020-2024, a 21.4% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 42.7%, from $129,600 to $185,000. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Athens County
Athens County borders 7 counties, 1 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens County, OH (this county) | 1.17% | $2,167 | $185,000 |
| Meigs County, OH | 1.04% | $1,238 | $119,300 |
| Hocking County, OH | 0.99% | $1,852 | $186,400 |
| Vinton County, OH | 0.98% | $1,469 | $150,000 |
| Perry County, OH | 0.95% | $1,813 | $191,100 |
| Washington County, OH | 0.93% | $1,732 | $185,600 |
| Morgan County, OH | 0.84% | $1,268 | $150,900 |
| Wood County, WV | 0.59% | $941 | $158,500 |
How is a home assessed in Athens County?
Ohio assesses homes at 35% of market value in every county, Athens County included. How Ohio assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Athens County?
No. Ohio has no universal homestead exemption; relief is targeted to seniors, the disabled and disabled veterans. That is the Ohio rule, and it applies in Athens County. Ohio's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Athens County?
Two semiannual installments (statutory dates: first half by December 31, second half by June 20), but county treasurers commonly extend these, so actual due dates vary by county, often late January-February and late June-July (ORC 323.12).
Ohio splits the bill into 2 installments. That is the Ohio rule. Athens County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Athens County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Board of Revision. The filing deadline is typically March 31 of the following year. That is the Ohio rule; Athens County sets the exact dates and forms. The Ohio appeal process step by step.
Ohio rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Ohio page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Athens County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Ohio income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Ohio actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Athens County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Athens County, Ohio: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.