Chattanooga, TN vs Knoxville, TN
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Jun 2026
Report card
| Category | ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN | KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Average | Average | Same |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | Elevated | Elevated | |
| Education | Same | ||
| Quality of Life | Good | Good | Same |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | Same |
| Strategic | Exposed | Exposed |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
At 1,284 people per square mile, Chattanooga, TN and Knoxville, TN differ in population density, with Knoxville at 1,962 per square mile—53% higher according to 2023 Census figures. Knoxville’s median age of 33.3 is 3.3 years younger than Chattanooga’s 36.6, placing Knoxville in the 16th percentile and Chattanooga in the 38th. The average commute in Knoxville is 20.4 minutes, 2 minutes longer than Chattanooga’s 18.7 minutes, with Knoxville in the 30th percentile versus Chattanooga’s 18th.
Per-capita income in Chattanooga is $40,040, 21% higher than Knoxville’s $33,171, placing Chattanooga in the 57th percentile and Knoxville in the 33rd. Median household income follows a similar pattern at $61,028 for Chattanooga versus $50,994 for Knoxville, a 20% difference, with Chattanooga in the 31st percentile and Knoxville in the 14th. The comfortable income for a family of 4 is $74,026 in Chattanooga and $61,117 in Knoxville, a 21% higher figure for Chattanooga, which sits in the 45th percentile compared to Knoxville’s 32nd. For a single person, the comfortable income is $50,358 in Chattanooga and $41,576 in Knoxville, again 21% higher for Chattanooga. Property crime per 100,000 people is 3,329 in Chattanooga, 41% higher than Knoxville’s 2,356, with Chattanooga in the 94th percentile and Knoxville in the 85th.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Knoxville, TN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 9645th pctl | 8837th pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Chattanooga, TN 96; Knoxville, TN 88; Chattanooga is 9% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $259,20045th pctl | $214,00033rd pctl | Median home value: Chattanooga, TN $259,200; Knoxville, TN $214,000; Chattanooga is 21% higher. |
| Median rent | $1,15546th pctl | $1,11642nd pctl | About the same |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $61,02831st pctl | $50,99414th pctl | Median household income: Chattanooga, TN $61,028; Knoxville, TN $50,994; Chattanooga is 20% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $50,35845th pctl | $41,57632nd pctl | Comfortable income (single): Chattanooga, TN $50,358; Knoxville, TN $41,576; Chattanooga is 21% higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $74,02645th pctl | $61,11732nd pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Chattanooga, TN $74,026; Knoxville, TN $61,117; Chattanooga is 21% higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Affordable | Affordable | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Knoxville needs about
$68,800
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 96 vs 88). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Knoxville, TN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 3.1%24th pctl | 2.9%18th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +1.6%67th pctl | +1.2%55th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $40,04057th pctl | $33,17133rd pctl | Per-capita income: Chattanooga, TN $40,040; Knoxville, TN $33,171; Chattanooga is 21% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 17.6%75th pctl | 20.5%83rd pctl | Poverty rate: Chattanooga, TN 17.6%; Knoxville, TN 20.5%; Knoxville is 2.9 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 18.7 min18th pctl | 20.4 min30th pctl | Average commute: Chattanooga, TN 18.7 min; Knoxville, TN 20.4 min; Knoxville is 2 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 11.9%57th pctl | 11.1%53rd pctl | About the same |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Stable | About the same |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Knoxville, TN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 70593rd pctl | 68492nd pctl | About the same |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 3,32994th pctl | 2,35685th pctl | Property crime per 100k: Chattanooga, TN 3,329; Knoxville, TN 2,356; Chattanooga is 41% higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Dangerous | Dangerous | About the same |
| Traffic safety | FairCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Knoxville, TN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort, broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in Tennessee, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See Tennessee →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Knoxville, TN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 726 mi82nd pctl | 630 mi78th pctl | Nearest large city: Chattanooga, TN 726 mi; Knoxville, TN 630 mi; Chattanooga is 15% higher. |
| Target proximity | Weak | Poor | Target proximity: Chattanooga, TN C; Knoxville, TN D-; Chattanooga is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 568 mi79th pctl | 491 mi68th pctl | Distance to international border: Chattanooga, TN 568 mi; Knoxville, TN 491 mi; Chattanooga is 16% higher. |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 312 mi56th pctl | 311 mi56th pctl | About the same |
| StrategicStrategic location | Exposed | Exposed | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Knoxville, TN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 182,83294th pctl | 193,72195th pctl | Population: Chattanooga, TN 182,832; Knoxville, TN 193,721; Knoxville is 6% larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 1,28438th pctl | 1,96259th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Chattanooga, TN 1,284; Knoxville, TN 1,962; Knoxville is 53% higher. |
| Median age | 36.638th pctl | 33.316th pctl | Median age: Chattanooga, TN 36.6; Knoxville, TN 33.3; Chattanooga is 3.3 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5%58th pctl | 33.7%54th pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Chattanooga, TN 35.5%; Knoxville, TN 33.7%; Chattanooga is 1.8 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.324th pctl | 2.216th pctl | About the same |
More about Chattanooga's residents · Knoxville's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
| Measure | ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN | KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| Cook PVI | R+18 | R+17 |
| 2024 presidential | R +36.0 pts | R +34.0 pts |
Full politics data: Chattanooga · Knoxville
Moving between Chattanooga and Knoxville
- Median rent: $1,155 in Chattanooga, $1,116 in Knoxville
- Median home value: $259,200 in Chattanooga, $214,000 in Knoxville
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 96 in Chattanooga, 88 in Knoxville
- Median household income: $61,028 in Chattanooga, $50,994 in Knoxville
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $74,026 in Chattanooga, $61,117 in Knoxville
- Unemployment: 3.1% in Chattanooga, 2.9% in Knoxville
- Average commute: 18.7 min in Chattanooga, 20.4 min in Knoxville
- Violent crime per 100k: 705 in Chattanooga, 684 in Knoxville
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More places like Chattanooga and Knoxville
- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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