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Topics covered: Purpose of This Section / Chattanooga...the Lay of the Land / The Power Grid / Taxes / Demographics / Surrounding Counties / Estimated Commute Times

Purpose of This Section /

Before reading further, please understand, this section is intended to to provide a general overview of the Chattanooga area. It is not intended to provide comprehensive information about Chattanooga's housing market and various sub-areas. That detailed information can be found here.

Chattanooga...the Lay of the Land /

Chattanooga is a small to medium sized city situated in Hamilton County in southeast Tennessee. According to 2008 census data, its population is just under 171,000. (Just under 333,000 for Hamilton County) The city's terrain is mountainous. Mountains, however, are not Chattanooga's dominate feature. That would be the Tennessee river. It is simply called “the river” by the city's residents.

To understand the “lay of the land”, just think of the river as a large check mark slicing through Hamilton county. Please note this interactive map and overlay to see how this looks.

With the check mark illustration in mind, the various communities of Hamilton county—the suburbs—become easier to keep track of. So, north of the river, above the check mark, North Chattanooga/Red Bank, then Hixson, then Soddy Daisy, proceed northward, away from downtown. South of the river, below the check mark Brainerd, then East Brainerd, then Ooltewah/Collegedale, then Apison proceed northward away from downtown. Below the base of the check mark is Georgia.

And finally, just a little tidbit—people from Chattanooga tend to prefer one side of the river or the other. Those relocating to the city tend to look everywhere for the right home. Current residents are usually die-hard north-of-the-river fans or die-hard south-of-the-river fans.

The Power Grid /

The Chattanooga area is powered by The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). This entity was established during the Great Depression and continues to supply power to the area at relatively low rates. The grid is also quiet stable. Even on the hottest summer days, blackouts and brownouts are highly unusual. Visitors of those new to the area call it "the TVA". Long time residents simply call it "TVA".

Taxes /

The sales tax rate for the Chattanooga area is approximately 9.25%. For food items it is 7.75%. Property taxes are set at a 25% assessment. That translates to an annual tax rate of about $800 - $900 for a county home with a tax appraisal of approximately $100,000. That same home in the city would be taxed at an annual rate of about $1,500 - $2,000. (Tax appraisals tend to be lower than acctual value) There is no state income tax.

Demographics /

Excellent demographic data can be found on the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce website.

Surrounding Counties /

Neighboring counties (see the link below) to the east of the city tend to be larger and more heavily populated. Counties west of Chattanooga tend to be more rural and less populous. Why? To my knowledge no one has ever done a study. As a person who grew up in Marion County, west of the city, my opinion is that the western counties grow more slowly due to the fact that they are on central time. Whatever a person's take on the reasons for slower growth, it is still important to remember when going west of Chattanooga, set your watch to Central Standard Time. Otherwise, you will find yourself waiting an extra hour for your particular appointment or event. Counties on CST are Marion, Sequatchie, and Bledsoe. Additional information about those and other outlying counties can be found below.

Estimated Commute Times /

How long will it take to get to downtown Chattanooga? Well, while traffic seems heavy enough to me. I have had numerous clients claim that Chattanooga traffic is a breeze compared with other larger cities.

Please note the following commute times (these are only estimates):

Suburbs of the city -

North of the river

Soddy Daisy = 25 minutes
Hixson = 15 minutes
Signal Mountain = 10 minutes
North Chattanooga = 5 minutes
Red Bank = 5 minutes

South of the river

Apison = 30 minutes
Ooltwah = 20 minutes
East Brainerd = 15 minutes
Brainerd = 5-10 minutes
Lookout Mountain = 10 minutes

Adjacent western counties (on CST) -

Marion County (Jasper) = 30 minutes
Sequatchie County (Dunlap) = 45 minutes
Bledsoe County (Pikeville) = 70 minutes

Adjacent eastern counties (on EST) -

Bradley (Cleveland) = 35 minutes
Rhea (Dayton) = 45 minutes
Polk (Benton) = 60 minutes

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