Chattanooga receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Clarksville
Chattanooga
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 39%
vs70 · Top 23%
Growth
78 · Top 8%
vs72 · Top 15%
Climate
75 · Top 17%
vs73 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs52 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
86 · Bottom 27%
vs88 · Bottom 33%
Access
63 · Bottom 26%
vs49 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
67 · Top 30%
vs61 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Clarksville | Chattanooga | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 334,564 | 575,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,967 | $72,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,014 | $41,227 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 155/sq mi | 275/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $253,300 | $272,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,207 | $1,163 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.0% | 68.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 31.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,704 | 3,172 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.1 | 5.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.2% | 4.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.2" | 55.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 66 mi | 85 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.1 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Clarksville
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Chattanooga
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Clarksville
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Chattanooga
67
Your Score
68
Area Score
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Full profiles: Clarksville, TN-KY Metro Area · Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology