Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chattanooga, TN
VS
Knoxville, TN
🏆 Chattanooga leads 12 of 21 categories
Chattanooga
Tennessee
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$57,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
217⚠ High
Population
181,288
Knoxville
Tennessee
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$48,309
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
191,857 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chattanooga, TN
Pros
Households earn $9,394 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cons
Violent crime (823.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3942.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Knoxville, TN
Pros
10% less violent crime than Chattanooga
Homes cost $46k less ($184,200 vs $230,500)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cons
Violent crime (740.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Chattanooga by $9,394/yr
Property crime (2721.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Chattanooga
Median Income
$9,394
$57,703 vs $48,309/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 92.8 on the COL index
Knoxville
Violent Crime
10% lower
740.3 vs 823.7 per 100k
Knoxville
Median Home Value
$46k less
$184,200 vs $230,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Knoxville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.8 | 92.8 |
| Median Home Value | $230,500 | $184,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,066 | $1,043 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,703 ✓ Higher | $48,309 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter | 20.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% ✓ Higher | 9.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 205⚠ High | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 217⚠ High | 195⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.1% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.0% | 90.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton County | Knox County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.0°F ✓ Warmer | 47.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.0" ✓ Drier | 55.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" ✓ Less | 4.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,288 | 191,857 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.0 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 46.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 18.2% |
| Over 65 | 17.2% ✓ More | 14.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chattanooga's cost of living index is 92.8 vs Knoxville's 92.8 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Chattanooga leads 12 of 21 categories. Chattanooga wins 12 and Knoxville wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Chattanooga to Knoxville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($230,500 vs $184,200 median home), income ($57,703 vs $48,309), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chattanooga, TN and Knoxville, TN are about 96 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.