Why visit Athens
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails and 5 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Col. Matthew Rogers Building and Power Farmstead.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 18°F.
Weather in Athens
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Athens
Athens is a city in Menard County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,977 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Athens, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks5
Col. Matthew Rogers Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Athens, Illinois
Power Farmstead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic farmstead in Cantral, Illinois, USA
Colonel Matthew Rogers Building
Monument and historic site
200 South Main Street, Athens
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes5
Corner Pub
Bar and pub
100 North Main Street, Athens
Mo-Th 12:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-25:00; Su 12:00-23:00
Longbranch Tavern
Bar and pub
144 North Main Street, Athens
Mo-Th 12:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-25:00; Su 12:00-23:00
Churches and places of worship5
North Sangamon United Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Church building in Illinois, United States of America
Athens Christian Church
Church · Nondenominational · 1.0 mi
1411 IL-29, Athens
Athens United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist
110 West Jackson Street, Athens
New Life Baptist Church
Church · Baptist
207 North West Street, Athens
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Map of Athens
26 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 18°F | 2.2 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 21°F | 2.0 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 2.7 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 40°F | 3.9 in |
| May | 74°F | 51°F | 4.5 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 61°F | 4.2 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 3.7 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 62°F | 3.3 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 54°F | 3.1 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 43°F | 3.4 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 32°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 23°F | 2.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Athens 4Sw (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Menard County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2021-12-13: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2006-12-29: Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Springfield 12 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Chatham 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Lincoln 23 mi northeast, about 37 min by car
- Jacksonville 31 mi southwest, about 51 min by car
- Taylorville 35 mi southeast, about 56 min by car
- Decatur 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Pekin 42 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Canton 45 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Morton 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Bloomington 53 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Matthew Rogers Building in Athens, Nyttend, Public domain
- North Sangamon United Presbyterian Church, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Power Farmstead driveway, Nyttend, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.