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City · 185,783 residents · Hamilton County, Tennessee

Chattanooga , Tennessee

In Chattanooga, a typical home is worth $283,200 and typical rent is $1,256 a month. Compared with all of Hamilton County, typical household income is 15% lower, the typical home value is 9% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $283,200

    9% below the county

    About the same as Tennessee

    • Chattanooga
    • Hamilton
    • Tennessee

  • Typical rent

    $1,256a month

    About the same as the county

    6% above Tennessee

    • Chattanooga
    • Hamilton
    • Tennessee

  • Typical household income

    $64,523a year

    15% below the county

    7% below Tennessee

    • Chattanooga
    • Hamilton
    • Tennessee

  • Households that own their home

    52%

    12 points below the county

    15 points below Tennessee

    • Chattanooga
    • Hamilton
    • Tennessee

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$314,999
1.3% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,498 a month
2.3% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Chattanooga is in Hamilton County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Hamilton County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Chattanooga apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in East Ridge, the typical home value is $211,100: 25% less than in Chattanooga ($283,200).

  2. 52% of households in Chattanooga own their home, against 64% in Hamilton County.

  3. The typical household income in Chattanooga is $64,523, 15% less than in Hamilton County as a whole ($76,183).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Chattanooga

What homes there are in Chattanooga, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in Chattanooga (58%), but less so than in Hamilton County (68%).

Year built

The typical home in Chattanooga was built in 1976, 6 years before the typical one in Hamilton County.

In Chattanooga, 17% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 52% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 62% in Hamilton County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 86% of owner-occupied homes in Chattanooga are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Hamilton County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,340), about 57% of rented homes in Chattanooga cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,564 a month

Hamilton County: $1,608 a month

Without a mortgage

$552 a month

Hamilton County: $520 a month

Owners with a mortgage

59%

Hamilton County: 59%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Chattanooga is $1,564 a month, near the figure in Hamilton County ($1,608).

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Chattanooga gained value more slowly than in Hamilton County: 69% since 2015–2019, against 73%.

Rents in Chattanooga rose at about the same pace as in Hamilton County: 46% since 2015–2019, against 44%.

Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 42%, while home values changed +69% and rent +46%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureChattanoogaHamilton CountyTennesseeUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.7%4.0%6.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 1.8%1.2%0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.2%1.6%2.2%3.4%
People per household 2.262.382.452.53
Drive alone 74%74%76%69%
Carpool 9%8%8%9%
Public transit 1%1%0%3%
Walk or bike 2%2%1%3%
Work from home 14%14%13%15%
Other means 1%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Hamilton County, the rental vacancy rate in Chattanooga is 4.7%.

In Chattanooga, 2.2% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Hamilton County.

Households in Chattanooga are smaller: 2.26 people on average; in Hamilton County, 2.38.

To get to work, 74% of workers in Chattanooga drive alone; in Hamilton County, 74%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Chattanooga?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Chattanooga, worth $283,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 43% of the typical household income in Chattanooga, which is $64,523 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $99,249 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Hamilton County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Chattanooga. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $9,912 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,316

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$278,071
Total interest
$400,078
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,783 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,506 a month

  • Tight

    $1,506 to $1,936 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,936 a month

    Your payment · 43%

Compared with the typical household income in Chattanooga ($64,523 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,316
Principal & interest$1,884
Property tax$189
Home insurance$118
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$125

You need at least $9,912 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Chattanooga and Hamilton County

Chattanooga is in Hamilton County, Tennessee. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Chattanooga's own numbers

Typical home value
$283,200
Typical monthly rent
$1,256
Typical yearly household income
$64,523
Households that own their home
52%
Effective property tax rate
0.8%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Hamilton County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,340
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+63%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.9%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Hamilton County.

Everything about Hamilton County

Buying

Buying a home in Chattanooga

A typical home in Chattanooga is worth $283,200: 9% below the county and about the same as Tennessee. With the typical household income in Chattanooga ($64,523 a year), a typical home costs 4.4 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Chattanooga 4.4 years
  • Hamilton 4.1 years
  • Tennessee 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Hamilton County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Hamilton County rose 117% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Hamilton County.

Period County Tennessee U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.8% +2.4% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +63% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +117% +114% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Chattanooga next to Hamilton County, Tennessee and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Chattanooga $283,200
  • Hamilton $312,800
  • Tennessee $286,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Chattanooga $1,256
  • Hamilton $1,253
  • Tennessee $1,189
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Chattanooga $64,523
  • Hamilton $76,183
  • Tennessee $69,595
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Chattanooga next to Hamilton County and Tennessee
Measure Chattanooga Hamilton County Tennessee U.S.
Typical home value $283,200 $312,800 $286,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,256 $1,253 $1,189 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $64,523 $76,183 $69,595 $80,734
Households that own their home 52% 64% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,265 $1,925 $1,442 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.8% 0.62% 0.5% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 46% 45% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Hamilton County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Chattanooga

For a typical $283,200 home in Chattanooga, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Chattanooga's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,316a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,912
    Cash to close
    $18,408
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $125

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,264a month

    Down payment
    $14,160
    Cash to close
    $22,656
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $135

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,842a month

    Down payment
    $56,640
    Cash to close
    $65,136
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,103a month

    Down payment
    $42,480
    Cash to close
    $50,976
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Chattanooga and for Hamilton County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Chattanooga

0.8%of the home’s value each year

$2,265 a year for the typical owner in Chattanooga.

  • Chattanooga 0.8%
  • Hamilton 0.62%
  • Tennessee 0.5%

What Tennessee publishes Property tax relief for older, disabled and disabled-veteran homeowners (Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, 2026 Property Tax Relief Program brochure)

Exemptions and deadlines in Tennessee

Flood risk in Hamilton County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Hamilton County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.9%
3,789
Of those, with NFIP insurance
22%
County Tennessee U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.9% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 22% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Chattanooga

Typical rent in Chattanooga is $1,256 a month: about the same as the county. In Chattanooga, 46% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Hamilton County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,340 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $25.77 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Hamilton County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,181 $22.71 $47,240
1 bedroom $1,231 $23.67 $49,240
2 bedrooms $1,340 $25.77 $53,600
3 bedrooms $1,657 $31.87 $66,280
4 bedrooms $1,761 $33.87 $70,440

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Chattanooga

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Chattanooga has 14 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,070 in 37410 to $1,730 in 37421.

8 of the 14 are above the fair market rent for Hamilton County ($1,340).

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Chattanooga when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Chattanooga

HUD lists 59 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Chattanooga. These are the largest.

  • College Hill 1239 Cypress Street Ct, Chattanooga 37402 497 homes, 495 low-income · Run by Chattanooga Housing Authority · Average payment: $280 a month · Homes at several sites (423) 752-4893
  • East Lake Courts 2552 4th Ave, Chattanooga 37407 433 homes, 411 low-income · Run by Chattanooga Housing Authority · Average payment: $285 a month · Average wait: 39 months (423) 752-4893
  • Emma Wheeler Homes 809 E 48th St, Chattanooga 37410 340 homes, 335 low-income · Run by Chattanooga Housing Authority · Average payment: $292 a month · Average wait: 57 months (423) 752-4893
  • Boynton Terrace 965 Boynton Dr, Chattanooga 37402 248 low-income homes · For families (423) 752-4865
  • Patten Towers Apts 1 E 11th St, Chattanooga 37402 221 low-income homes · Studio: 32 · 1 bd: 188 · 2 bd: 1 · In service since 1996 · For older adults, people with disabilities (423) 266-2334

See all 65 buildings in Hamilton County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Chattanooga

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Hamilton County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A young woman and a young man point to a line in their notes beside a laptop in a library.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Chattanooga

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Chattanooga or Hamilton County. The ones below are statewide in Tennessee: they work in Chattanooga the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Tennessee

  • Great Choice Plus

    Statewide in Tennessee

    Tennessee state agency help with the down payment and closing costs alongside the Great Choice mortgage: $6,000 or $10,000 forgivable over 10 years with no payments, or up to 5% of the price (maximum $15,000) as a 30-year second mortgage. Offered by Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA).

    ForgivableRepayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Chattanooga

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Chattanooga, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, Inc.

    1500 Chestnut St Ste 102, Chattanooga · 4 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 2 more
    (423) 756-6201

  • CCCS of Rochester-Chattanooga

    5600 Brainerd Rd, Chattanooga · 4 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (423) 490-5620

  • City Fields

    1075 Blythe Ave SE, Cleveland · 22 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (423) 472-9876

Every agency in Hamilton County All counseling agencies in Tennessee

Help in Spanish near Chattanooga

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Chattanooga

HUD’s record names them for Chattanooga or Hamilton County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Chattanooga Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (423) 752-4893

All housing agencies in Tennessee Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Hamilton County

These cities are also in Hamilton County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Hamilton County Housing in Tennessee

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Chattanooga, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Hamilton County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Chattanooga.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about Chattanooga

Short answers with the numbers for Chattanooga and all of Hamilton County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Chattanooga?

The typical home value in Chattanooga is $283,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Hamilton County it is $312,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Chattanooga?

Typical rent in Chattanooga is $1,256 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Hamilton County is $1,340.

What is the FHA loan limit in Chattanooga?

Chattanooga uses the FHA limit for all of Hamilton County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Chattanooga?

The typical homeowner in Chattanooga pays $2,265 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.8% of the home’s value; in Hamilton County, the rate is 0.62%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Chattanooga?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Hamilton County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).