Chattanooga, TN Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Chattanooga, TN Summary
Cost of living in Chattanooga research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Chattanooga is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Tennessee, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Chattanooga is 90, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Chattanooga is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Chattanooga ranks as the #49 cheapest in Tennessee out of 109.
Chattanooga ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Chattanooga is $319,230.
The median income in Chattanooga is $61,028.
Table Of Contents
Chattanooga's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Chattanooga, TN?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chattanooga has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Tennessee, Chattanooga has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Tennessee's index of 90.
The standard of living in Chattanooga ranks as #49 most affordable out of the 109 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Chattanooga ranks as the #60 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.
For more reading on life in Chattanooga, check out:
In Tennessee
In America
Chattanooga Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chattanooga. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Chattanooga is 92.
The Groceries index in Chattanooga is 97.
The Health index in Chattanooga is 93.
The Housing index in Chattanooga is 95.
The Transportation index in Chattanooga is 88.
The Utilities index in Chattanooga is 95.
| Living Expense | Chattanooga | Tennessee | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 92 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 87 | 100 | |
| Housing | 95 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 88 | 89 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 95 | 95 | 100 | |
Chattanooga, TN Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Tennessee, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Chattanooga is $319,230.
The Median Rent in Chattanooga is $1,155.
The Median Income in Chattanooga is $61,028.
The Home Value To Income in Chattanooga is 5.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Chattanooga is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Chattanooga | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $319,230 | $330,598 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,155 | $1,122 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $61,028 | $67,097 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.2x | 4.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Chattanooga, TN Costs By Category
Detailed Chattanooga Services Costs Vs. Tennessee
| Item | Chattanooga | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.57 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.47 | $18 |
| Haircut | $18.8 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.4 | $45.56 |
Detailed Chattanooga Groceries Costs Vs. Tennessee
| Item | Chattanooga | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.63 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.43 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.49 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.17 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.66 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.02 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.66 | $3.7 |
Detailed Chattanooga Health Costs Vs. Tennessee
| Item | Chattanooga | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.0 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $129.61 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $96.5 | $113.29 |
Detailed Chattanooga Transportation Costs Vs. Tennessee
| Item | Chattanooga | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.09 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $50.87 | $59.92 |
Detailed Chattanooga Utilities Costs Vs. Tennessee
| Item | Chattanooga | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $170.16 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $192.18 | $192.25 |
Chattanooga SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chattanooga
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chattanooga. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
East Ridge, TN has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Chattanooga.
Soddy-Daisy, TN has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Chattanooga.
Red Bank, TN has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Chattanooga.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Ridge, TN | 22,034 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Soddy-Daisy, TN | 13,117 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Red Bank, TN | 11,960 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Middle Valley, TN | 11,808 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Collegedale, TN | 11,185 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Fort Oglethorpe, GA | 10,332 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Signal Mountain, TN | 8,861 | 120 | 1.3x |
| Harrison, TN | 8,446 | 93 | 1.0x |
| South Cleveland, TN | 7,748 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Fairview, GA | 5,620 | 85 | 0.9x |
