Chattanooga, TN vs Knoxville, TN

Knoxville is moderately more affordable than Chattanooga, with a 5.9% lower cost of living index. Chattanooga scores 89 compared to 84 for Knoxville, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Chattanooga can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Chattanooga is $1,155/month compared to $1,116/month in Knoxville — a 4% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Knoxville is more affordable at $214,000 median vs $259,200.

Median household income in Chattanooga is $61,028 compared to $50,994 in Knoxville (+19.7%). While Chattanooga is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Chattanooga spend roughly 22.7% of their income on rent, less than the 26.3% in Knoxville.