Head to head
Chattanooga, TN vs Knoxville, TN
Knoxville is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $96/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $2,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Chattanooga is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Chattanooga60 | Knoxville62 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,883 | $3,787 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,258 | $8,539 |
| Salary for comfort | $67,500/yr | $65,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,390 | $1,471 |
| Median home value | $259,200 | $214,000 |
| Median household income | $61,028 | $50,994 |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 3.7% |
| Housing score | 55 | 42 |
| Jobs score | 57 | 64 |
| Safety score | 20 | 31 |
| Climate score | 100 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 26 | 33 |
| Population | 182.8K | 193.7K |
| Summer high / winter low | 90° / 31° | 88° / 29° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Chattanooga, TN
Knoxville, TN