As a ‘rural-cosmopolitan’ community, Athens County offers the best of both worlds: big-city amenities wrapped in small-town hospitality. The rolling hills of southeastern Ohio draw people from all over the world who wish to live and work in this pastoral, yet progressive, county.
Athens County Profile and Demographics provided by The Ohio Department of Development Athens County.
The City of Athens and Ohio University
In 1805, the city of Athens was designated the county seat. The year prior, the Ohio General Assembly chartered Ohio University, making it the first institution of higher learning in the Northwest Territory. Today, Ohio University boasts over 20,000 students at its main campus in Athens. With students from every state in the nation and about 100 other countries, Ohio University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees, as well as a four-year program in osteopathic medicine.
The City of Athens
Ohio University
Hocking College
Founded in 1968, Hocking College in Nelsonville offers programs in culinary arts, industrial ceramics and adventure travel, e-commerce, forestry, back country horsemanship, correction, interpretive services and compressor technology, to name a few. Hocking College enrolls more than 4,000 students annually on its 2,300-acre campus. The college operates two branch campuses: Perry Campus in New Lexington and Logan Campus in Logan, along with Lake Snowden near Albany.
Tourism
Perhaps what entices people the most to Athens County is the scenic beauty. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the area features a national forest, state parks, and a 19-mile paved recreation path that connects the cities of Athens and Nelsonville. Recreation opportunities abound, including hiking, bicycling, boating, fishing, camping, hunting, and canoeing on the Hocking River and surrounding lakes.
The slower pace of Athens County, along with its cultural activities and scenic charm, make it a great place to visit, and an even better place to live!