Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Chattanooga, TN

    Is Chattanooga a good place to live?

    Watch Chattanooga

    Chattanooga ranks #22 of 28 Tennessee cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (37/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.9% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $259,200
    +12.5% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,155
    per month
    Household income
    $61,028
    median
    Unemployment
    4.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Chattanooga

    The median home value in Chattanooga is $259,200 and median rent is $1,155 a month, against a median household income of $61,028. Homes cost about 4.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Chattanooga crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Tennessee the 2025 rate was 499 violent and 1,661 property crimes per 100,000 people — #14 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Chattanooga, TN

    Chattanooga has about 182,832 residents, 4.9% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Chattanooga with

    Chattanooga vs NashvilleChattanooga vs MemphisChattanooga vs KnoxvilleChattanooga vs ClarksvilleChattanooga vs MurfreesboroChattanooga vs FranklinChattanooga vs Johnson CityChattanooga vs Jackson

    More: Where to move in Tennessee · Best counties in Tennessee

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report