Who moves to Athens, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Clarke County, GA, home of Athens, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 7,200from other US counties
- Moved out
- 8,358to other US counties
- Net
- −1,158more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 62tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Oconee County, GA | 513 |
| Gwinnett County, GA | 421 |
| Jackson County, GA | 337 |
| Madison County, GA | 298 |
| Barrow County, GA | 282 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 250 |
| Walton County, GA | 230 |
| DeKalb County, GA | 218 |
| Oglethorpe County, GA | 214 |
| Hall County, GA | 200 |
| Cobb County, GA (Mableton) | 145 |
| Elbert County, GA | 79 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Oconee County, GA | 724 |
| Jackson County, GA | 540 |
| Madison County, GA | 540 |
| Barrow County, GA | 459 |
| Gwinnett County, GA | 420 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 345 |
| Oglethorpe County, GA | 300 |
| DeKalb County, GA | 271 |
| Walton County, GA | 241 |
| Hall County, GA | 133 |
| Cobb County, GA (Mableton) | 129 |
| Elbert County, GA | 101 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 4,635 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Georgia and 2,565 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Chatham County, GA (Savannah) | 46 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 44 |
| Broward County, FL (Fort Lauderdale) | 42 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 42 |
| Houston County, GA (Warner Robins) | 35 |
| Palm Beach County, FL (West Palm Beach) | 32 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 30 |
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 28 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Chatham County, GA (Savannah) | 50 |
| Mecklenburg County, NC (Charlotte) | 49 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 47 |
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 41 |
| Duval County, FL (Jacksonville) | 37 |
| Houston County, GA (Warner Robins) | 32 |
| Davidson County, TN (Nashville) | 28 |
| Travis County, TX (Austin) | 28 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Athens come from?
Most people moving into Clarke County, GA come from nearby counties, led by Oconee County, GA (513 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Chatham County, GA.
Where do people leaving Athens move to?
The top destination is Oconee County, GA (724 people). Farther away, the most popular is Chatham County, GA.
Are more people moving to Athens or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 7,200 people moved into Clarke County, GA from elsewhere in the US and 8,358 moved out, a net loss of 1,158 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Athens with any city it trades people with, like Athens vs Savannah, Athens vs Los Angeles, Athens vs Fort Lauderdale, Athens vs Miami.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Athens.