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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Chattanooga

Tennessee · 155,554 residents · 142 sq mi
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The short version

Chattanooga is home to 155,554 people in Tennessee. Owners hold 55% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $83,300, having risen by half since 1990. 17.9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The average commute runs 12 minutes. The median household earns $32,006, about 25% below the national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 36.8
US median: 35.2
Average education
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
155,554
+2%since 1990
from 152,488 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.8
+6%since 1990
from 34.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
142 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
149K159K169K179K189K19902000201020202024Chattanooga
2024186K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.1%(9,449)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.4%(10,009)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.3%(9,811)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.6%(10,236)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 247.8%(12,114)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.3%(22,176)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.5%(22,610)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.6%(21,227)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.1%(14,227)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.8%(12,203)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.3%(8,285)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.1%(3,207)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,006
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,197 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$19,689
+60%since 1990
from $12,332 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
17.9%
−0.3 ptssince 1990
from 18.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$83,300
+17%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $53,900 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$495
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $360 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
54.9%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 54.2% in 1990
45.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic64.9%(98,960)
Black33.7%(51,360)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(925)
Asian0.9%(1,374)
2000
White, non-Hispanic58.9%(91,582)
Black35.9%(55,874)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(3,281)
Asian1.5%(2,384)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Central American4.1%(7,651)
Guatemalan3.6%(6,753)
Mexican3.6%(6,705)
South American0.9%(1,649)
Puerto Rican0.5%(1,021)
Venezuelan0.4%(678)
Cuban0.3%(584)
Honduran0.3%(540)
Salvadoran0.2%(285)
Peruvian0.1%(250)
Colombian0.1%(248)
Dominican0.1%(209)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.1%(185)
Ecuadorian0.1%(168)
Spaniard0.1%(129)
Uruguayan0%(56)
Chilean0%(55)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.9%(1,673)
Vietnamese0.3%(560)
Chinese0.3%(474)
Filipino0.2%(403)
Korean0.2%(377)
Pakistani0.2%(317)
Cambodian0.1%(114)
Japanese0%(69)
Burmese0%(39)
Thai0%(20)
Taiwanese0%(16)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(61)
Guamanian0%(13)
Ancestry
English12.1%(22,395)
German9.3%(17,247)
Irish9.2%(17,084)
American6%(11,183)
Scottish2.6%(4,757)
Italian2.2%(4,069)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(2,628)
Polish1.2%(2,264)
French1%(1,934)
Dutch0.9%(1,596)
West Indian0.7%(1,369)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.6%(1,190)
Haitian0.5%(1,014)
Welsh0.5%(913)
British0.4%(827)
Norwegian0.4%(683)
Arab0.4%(657)
Swiss0.3%(492)
Russian0.3%(480)
Nigerian0.2%(445)
Greek0.2%(414)
Brazilian0.2%(408)
Danish0.2%(356)
Ethiopian0.2%(334)
Ukrainian0.2%(286)
Lithuanian0.1%(262)
Czech0.1%(252)
Canadian0.1%(233)
Jamaican0.1%(232)
Lebanese0.1%(227)
Iranian0.1%(185)
Hungarian0.1%(176)
Finnish0.1%(135)
Portuguese0.1%(134)
Romanian0.1%(134)
Slovak0.1%(131)
Egyptian0.1%(115)
Syrian0%(86)
Austrian0%(81)
Guyanese0%(71)
Slovene0%(65)
Moroccan0%(54)
Barbadian0%(37)
Croatian0%(36)
Serbian0%(33)
Turkish0%(33)
Armenian0%(22)
Jordanian0%(18)
Belgian0%(10)
Israeli0%(9)
Somali0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.5%
+3.3 ptssince 1990
from 18.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
77.6%
+8.7 ptssince 1990
from 69.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
7.5%
+2.3 ptssince 1990
from 5.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.1 min
−32%since 1990
from 17.6 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.6%(18,447)
Married52.8%(30,809)
Widowed3.7%(2,158)
Divorced11.9%(6,971)
Women 15+
Never married25.5%(17,312)
Married45.2%(30,631)
Widowed14.3%(9,679)
Divorced15%(10,208)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
12.2%
−3.0 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
50.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 50.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 21.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 63.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 36.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)20.5%(1,765)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)22.7%(1,953)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.8%(2,991)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.8%(325)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(59)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,597 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Compare Chattanooga to nearby cities

CHATTANOOGA VS
Red Bank
Income$63,983+100%
Home value$269,400+223%
Population12,405−94%
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CHATTANOOGA VS
East Ridge
Income$62,247+94%
Home value$211,100+153%
Population21,921−89%
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CHATTANOOGA VS
Harrison
Income$89,395+179%
Home value$307,400+269%
Population8,011−96%
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CHATTANOOGA VS
Signal Mountain
Income$141,008+341%
Home value$544,300+553%
Population8,824−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chattanooga, Tennessee?

Chattanooga, Tennessee has about 155,554 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Chattanooga, Tennessee?

The typical household in Chattanooga, Tennessee earns about $32,006 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chattanooga, Tennessee expensive?

In Chattanooga, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $83,300, and the typical rent is about $495 a month.

How educated are people in Chattanooga, Tennessee?

About 21.5% of adults age 25 and over in Chattanooga, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chattanooga, Tennessee?

About 17.9% of people in Chattanooga, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chattanooga, Tennessee grown since 1990?

Yes, Chattanooga, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,066 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →