This is the seventh in a weekly series called Bobcats by the Numbers comparing Ohio University to the other five Mid-American Conference universities in Ohio.
Despite high enrollment numbers at Ohio University, the population of Athens is lower compared to other college towns in the state.
Of the six cities in Ohio where there is a Mid-American Conference university, Athens is the second smallest, according to 2010 census data.
The six MAC universities in Ohio include OU Miami, Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, Kent State University and the University of Akron. Respectively, MAC schools are located in Athens, Oxford, Bowling Green, Toledo, Kent and Akron.
The population of Athens is about 24,000 people.
“This includes students that use Athens as their home when filling out the census information,” Deputy Service-Safety Director Ron Lucas said in an email. “Many students use their hometown as their residence when filling out the census. This skews the census number both ways.”
The Census Bureau added a new question to the 2010 census form that asked whether each person listed as living in a household sometimes lives elsewhere. For those who marked yes, one of the options was “in college housing,” according to Pew Research Center.
Grace Belthoff, a freshman studying forensic chemistry, she said she likes how Athens is a smaller college town.
“I personally didn’t want to go to large city,” Belthoff said. “I wanted the more 'college town' place where locals know it’s a college town, and at the same time, you don’t get lost in the hustle and bustle of the city.”
Of the six MAC university cities, Oxford is the smallest with a population of about 21,000 people. Claire Wagner, spokesperson for Miami said city officials estimate fewer than 8,000 people who live in the town are not students.
Athens' smaller population can impact OU students, Lucas said.
“Ohio University students are members of our community and involving themselves in the community will make their community experience more memorable,” Lucas said an email.
Sami Dixon, a freshman studying early childhood education, is originally from Columbus but moved to Athens her sophomore year of high school.
“When I moved to Athens, I really (felt) in love with Athens and the small town part of it,” Dixon said. “I enjoy seeing people wherever I go and seeing familiar faces.”
Toledo is the largest of the six cities with a population of about 287,000 people. It is the fourth largest city in the state behind Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. According to 2014 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Athens is the 63rd-largest city.
