The Soul of Chattanooga
Once called “"the dirtiest city in America” by Walter Cronkite, Chattanooga now boasts a revitalized Main Street, premier outdoor recreation and a hearty startup scene.
Chattanooga’s first turnaround was its riverfront – a $120 million project completed in 2005 that paved the way for popular events like the Ironman Triathlon and the RiverRocks festival. A technology evolution came next in 2010 when Chattanooga’s electric power board premiered the fastest Internet service in the country. Now homegrown startups like Bellhops and tech transplants like Carbon Five find themselves at home in Chattanooga.
While Chattanooga continues to move toward urban amenities like expanded downtown living and the newfound Chattanooga Film Festival, the area’s small–town spirit – fostered by farmers markets, tight–knit networks and owner–operated small businesses – is alive and well. Chattanoogans are proud of where they live.
Source: US News (https://realestate.usnews.com/places/tennessee/Chattanooga)
When Volkswagen announced in 2008 it had picked Chattanooga for the new assembly plant, some officials said it would change the region’s economy and spur employment and investment gains across Tennessee.
The jobs at the Volkswagen plant were only a small part of the economic gains for the region, according to studies by University of Tennessee. The studies said VW spurred more than 12,400 direct and indirect jobs through 2012 and VW’s expansion completed in 2016 should ultimately add nearly 10,000 more jobs, bringing the average incentives for all VW–related jobs to $36,668 per job.
Source: Times Free Press, September 18, 2017 (http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2017/sep/18/costs-jobs-vw-impact/449258/)
Chattanoogans experience all four seasons. The area’s moderate climate makes for mild winters with average temperatures in the 40s and rarely any snow. Chattanooga’s steamy summers are characterized by high humidity and temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Spring brings highs in the 60s and 70s. The metro area’s location between Missionary Ridge and the Lookout and Signal Mountains allows Chattanoogans to enjoy a breathtaking view of changing leaves every fall.
Chattanooga is one of the fastest–growing metro areas in Tennessee. Its population is fairly young, with more than 30 percent of residents younger than 34. Predictably, the majority of Chattanoogans – nearly 60 percent – live in family households. Chattanooga’s Northshore and surrounding suburbs are especially popular for families, as are the more affluent Lookout Mountain and Signal Mountain communities.
Tennessee is a primarily red state, but close to 40 percent of Chattanooga’s population sides with the Democratic Party.
| – | Metro Population | 541,124 |
| – | Median Age | 39.8 |
| – | Average Annual Salary | $40,870 |
| – | Median Home Price | $140,315 |
| – | Average Monthly Rent | $734 |
| – | Average Commute Time | 23.1 minutes |
| – | Ranked #42 | Best Places to Live |
| – | Ranked #79 | Best Places to Retire |
Source: US News (https://realestate.usnews.com/places/tennessee/Chattanooga)
