[5] Athens County is located in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau region of Ohio.

It features steep, rugged hills, with typical relief of 150 to 400 feet, deeply dissected by stream valleys, many of them remnant from the ancient Teays River drainage system.

[12] In terms of ancestry, 22.1% were German, 15.2% were American, 14.0% were Irish, 10.4% were English, and 5.5% were Italian.

Other significant employers include Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare, Hocking College, Diagnostic Hybrids, O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, Rocky Brands, Stewart-MacDonald, Wayne National Forest, and a growing number of retail stores and restaurants.

Coal mining and timber harvesting played major roles in Athens County's economy, as did the treatment and care of the mentally ill.

Only Buckingham Coal is still mining in the county, in Trimble Township north of Glouster.

Active oil and natural gas wells are found in low numbers throughout Athens County.

The headquarters for Wayne National Forest is located between Athens and Nelsonville.

Local and organically grown produce is found in abundance during the summer months.

The county is a regional music center and home to many arts and crafts businesses.

Many visitors to the county are drawn to its natural resources and abundant wildlife.

The county has over 19 miles of paved bike path in and between Athens and Nelsonville.

Hiking and mountain biking are popular throughout the county, especially in the state parks and national forest.

Over one-quarter of the county's residents either attend or work at Hocking College or Ohio University.