City safety & data profile

ChattanoogaTN

Chattanooga, TN is a 181K-resident city in Hamilton County with a median household income of $64,523.

Hamilton County, Tennessee. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Chattanooga, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Chattanooga has a population larger than 97% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $283,200, and 5 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

181K
Population
Top 3%
By size
$64,523
Median income
$283,200
Median home
19.1%
Poverty rate

The read on Chattanooga

Chattanooga posts a median household income higher than 29% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 5 hospitals serve the Chattanooga area.

Top 71%
by median income, US cities
5
hospitals in & near Chattanooga

Where Chattanooga income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$64,523 Bottom 29% higher than 29% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. TN $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Chattanooga, TN beyond the headline numbers

Chattanooga sits inside Hamilton County, Tennessee, at roughly 35.05°N, -85.31°W. Population 181,099, $64,523 median household income. Median home value $283,200, median rent $1,256. Poverty rate 19.1%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Chattanooga's highest-prevalence health measure is short sleep duration at 39.4%, then high blood pressure at 39%. 5 hospitals in/around Chattanooga, 4.3/5 avg rating, 2 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Chattanooga from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
181,099
Chattanooga
Median Income
$64,523
-5% vs avg
Median Home Value
$283,200
+24% vs avg
Median Age
36.3
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Hamilton County) - Chattanooga's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
376K+10%
Median Income
$76,183+63%
Median Home Value
$312,800+103%
Poverty Rate
13.1%-21%
Unemployment
4.4%-54%

Economics

Economics indicators for Chattanooga, TN
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,256/mo
Poverty Rate
19.1% +35% vs avg
Unemployment 5.4%
Bachelor's Degree+ 36%
Work From Home 13.6%
Public Transit 0.9%

Population

White 57.5%
African American 27.8%
Asian 2.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.4%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Short Sleep Duration
39.4%
High Blood Pressure
39%
Obesity
36.3%
Physical Inactivity
24.9%
Frequent Mental Distress
19.2%
Current Smoking
16.7%
Frequent Physical Distress
14.3%
Binge Drinking
14.2%
Diabetes
13.9%
Lack of Health Insurance
12.7%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 58.3%
Annual Checkup 77.7%

Other Measures

Current Asthma
11.6%
Coronary Heart Disease
6.6%
Stroke
3.9%

Hospitals 5 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
1
★★★★
2
★★★
0
★★
0
0
Average Rating
4.3/5
Total Hospitals
5
With ER
2
MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, INC
CHATTANOOGA · Acute Care Hospitals
★★★★★
ERLANGER MEDICAL CENTER
CHATTANOOGA · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
PARKRIDGE MEDICAL CENTER
CHATTANOOGA · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Chattanooga, TN?
Chattanooga, TN has a population of 181,099 people, located in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
What is the median household income in Chattanooga?
The median household income in Chattanooga, TN is $64,523 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 19.1%.
What is the median home value in Chattanooga?
The median home value in Chattanooga, TN is $283,200. Median rent is $1,256/month.
What are the top health concerns in Chattanooga?
The top health indicators in Chattanooga include Short Sleep Duration (39.4%), High Blood Pressure (39%), Obesity (36.3%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has 5 hospitals with an average rating of 4.3/5 stars. 2 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Chattanooga?
The median age in Chattanooga, TN is 36.3 years. 36% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Chattanooga, TN is located in Hamilton County, Tennessee. With a population of 181K and a $64,523 median household income, the community faces health challenges including short sleep duration and high blood pressure. Residents have access to 5 hospitals with an average rating of 4.3/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Chattanooga area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

Primary source data

Nearby Cities 8

Using Chattanooga's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Chattanooga area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Chattanooga against Tennessee peers on any ranking lens. Explore Tennessee

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Hamilton County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.