ZIP Code 71003

ZIP code 71003, centered on Athens, sits in working-class territory, with a median household income of $37,692 and per-capita income of $20,449. Those earnings trail state and national averages by a wide margin, so budgets here tend to be stretched. Property taxes are levied at the county level at an effective rate of 0.43%, which keeps annual bills low on paper, though that rate applies to homes whose values reflect the area's lower income base. A combined sales tax of 5.00% adds a steady cost to everyday purchases, a heavier consideration when household earnings are limited.