Pool swim season in Athens-Clarke County, GA
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
An unheated pool in Athens-Clarke County reaches 78°F in Jul to Sep, about 3 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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Heater options for a Athens-Clarke County pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $194 | $744 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $508 | $933 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at GA prices of 15.5¢/kWh electricity and $20/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Athens-Clarke County
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $94 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 1 month here for about $50 a year (why a cover comes first). If you get quotes, ask for a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Athens Ben Epps Airport, 2.5 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Athens-Clarke County month by month: air, sun and pool water
| Month | Air high | Air avg | Sun kWh/m²/day | Water, unheated | Water, covered | Heat pump $ | Gas $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55° | 44° | 2.8 | 45° | 51° | – | – |
| Feb | 59° | 48° | 3.4 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Mar | 67° | 55° | 4.5 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
| Apr | 75° | 62° | 5.6 | 61° | 67° | $118 | $302 |
| May | 82° | 71° | 6.2 | 70° | 76° | $37 | $105 |
| Jun | 89° | 78° | 6.3 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 81° | 6.1 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 90° | 80° | 5.5 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Sep | 85° | 74° | 4.8 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Oct | 75° | 64° | 4.0 | 70° | 76° | $39 | $101 |
| Nov | 65° | 53° | 3.1 | 59° | 65° | – | – |
| Dec | 57° | 47° | 2.4 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $118 with a heat pump, $302 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 51.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Athens-Clarke County compares with nearby cities
Athens-Clarke County ranks 37 of 101 Georgia cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson, GA | 19 mi | 2 | 7 | $265 |
| Winder, GA | 20 mi | 2 | 7 | $250 |
| Monroe, GA | 23 mi | 2 | 7 | $250 |
| Auburn, GA | 27 mi | 2 | 7 | $252 |
| Braselton, GA | 28 mi | 2 | 7 | $245 |
| Loganville, GA | 31 mi | 2 | 7 | $250 |