Neighborhood in Athens, Henderson County

Living in Northwest Athens, Athens

F

3rd of 3areas in Athens
Overall score 5 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Athens overall: C

Northwest Athens covers part of Athens, TX, home to about 500 people. It gets an F, in the bottom 8% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 3rd of 3 areas we score in Athens. It does best on getting around and worst on health.

  • Short commutes
  • Jobs and income scores low (3 of 100)
  • Education levels scores low (19 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.9 mi
Pharmacy1.0 mi
Park0.7 mi
Cafe1.2 mi
Restaurant0.6 mi
Gym1.4 mi
Hospital or urgent care1.0 mi
Childcare0.8 mi
Library1.3 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
520
Median rent
$780
Median home value
$158,000
Household income
$29,300
Average commute
14 min
Homes owned
62%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Northwest Athens

Northwest Athens is an area in Athens with about 500 residents, homes built around 1968, a mix of owners and renters and 37% of households with children.

It grades F against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 3rd of 3 areas in Athens, which grades C overall.

Pros of living in Northwest Athens

  • Cheaper rent than the city. Median rent is $780, 30% lower than the Athens median.

Cons of living in Northwest Athens

  • Higher poverty. 25% of residents live below the poverty line, against 13% across Athens.
  • Higher unemployment. 18% of the labor force is out of work, against 4.3% across Athens.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of tornadoes as very high in this part of town.

Northwest Athens report card

Each grade compares Northwest Athens with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade C

    Median rent $780, homes cost 5.4x income.

    45 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade F

    Median household income $29,300, 18% unemployed.

    3 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade D+

    Nearby schools average 77 of 100 on the state rating.

    32 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 327 violent crimes per 100k, 1,040 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade D+

    Some everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    30 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade B

    Average commute 14 min, 0% work from home.

    70 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D

    18% have a bachelor’s degree.

    19 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade F

    35% of adults uninsured.

    1 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade D-

    62% of homes owner-occupied.

    11 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade F

    67% of homes have broadband.

    3 of 100 vs TX areas

Northwest Athens compared with Athens

Better than Athens

  • Average commute: 14 min35% lower than Athens (21 min)
  • Median rent: $78030% lower than Athens ($1,112)
  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 62%4 points higher than Athens (58%)

Worse than Athens

  • Home value to income: 5.4x73% higher than Athens (3.1x)
  • Median household income: $29,30057% lower than Athens ($67,984)
  • Adults 18 to 64 without health insurance: 35%16 points higher than Athens (19%)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • CCentral AthensElementary, Athens ISD1.6 mi
  • CAthens MiddleMiddle, Athens ISD4.5 mi
  • CAthens High SchoolHigh, Athens ISD1.8 mi

Cost of living in Northwest Athens

Median rent in Northwest Athens is $780 a month, 30% lower than the Athens median. A household would need about $31,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $158,000, 25% lower than the Athens median, which means a monthly payment of about $922 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereAthensTexas
Median rent30% lower than Athens$780$1,112$1,403
Median home value25% lower than Athens$158,000$210,800$283,800
Home value to income73% higher than Athens5.4x3.1x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent13 points higher than Athens67%54%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them4 points higher than Athens62%58%63%
Vacant homes13 points higher than Athens26%13%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Athens196819781992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$922
Mortgage payment
$865
Property tax
$57
Median rent, for comparison
$780

Based on a $158,000 home in Northwest Athens, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereAthensTexas
Median household income57% lower than Athens$29,300$67,984$78,476
Unemployment rate14 points higher than Athens18%4.3%5.3%
People below the poverty line12 points higher than Athens25%13%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher3 points lower than Athens18%21%34%
Average commute35% lower than Athens14 min21 min27 min
Workers who work from home3 points lower than Athens0%3.1%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit3 points lower than Athens0%2.6%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet15 points lower than Athens67%82%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingVery low
  • HurricanesModerate
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailHigh
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresHigh
  • Winter stormsModerate
  • Strong windHigh

Who lives in Northwest Athens

Under 1827%
18 to 3420%
35 to 6440%
65 and over13%
Race and ethnicity
White13%
Hispanic or Latino8.7%
Black79%
Asian0%
Other or more than one race0%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Athens

  1. 1B-Northeast AthensMedian rent $1,120
  2. 2DCentral AthensMedian rent $1,130

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. D-Northwest JacksonvilleJacksonville
  2. D-Southeast TempleTemple
  3. D-Central TerrellTerrell

Questions about Northwest Athens

Is Northwest Athens a good place to live?

Northwest Athens covers part of Athens, TX, home to about 500 people. It gets an F, in the bottom 8% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 3rd of 3 areas we score in Athens. It does best on getting around and worst on health.

How much does it cost to live in Northwest Athens?

Median rent in Northwest Athens is $780 a month, 30% lower than the Athens median. The median home is worth $158,000, 25% lower than the Athens median. A median home costs 5.4x the median household income, compared with 3.1x across Athens.

What schools serve Northwest Athens?

The closest rated public schools are Central Athens (elementary, rated C), Athens Middle (middle, rated C) and Athens High School (high, rated C). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area groups 1 Census block group in this part of Athens that have no neighborhood name on the map. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.