Best Life Index › States › Tennessee › Cities › Chattanooga

Tennessee city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Chattanooga?

What it costs to live in Chattanooga, and how it compares with other Tennessee cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

32

32nd best value in Tennessee

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Tennessee cities.

Overall livability

43

24th overall in Tennessee

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Chattanooga is home to about 180,353 people. A typical home runs $189,500 and a household earns around $50,400, a price-to-income ratio of 3.8. Among Tennessee's largest cities, it ranks 32nd for value and 24th overall.

Chattanooga at a glance

Median home price

$189,500

27th in TN of 39

Median rent

$958/mo

Median household income

$50,400

Home price to income

3.8x

Unemployment

5.2%

23rd in TN of 39

School rating

3/10

22nd in TN of 39

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in TN of 39

Walk score

21/100

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‹ See all top Tennessee cities ranked  ยท  Tennessee state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Tennessee only. Updated 2026.