Chattanooga had an estimated 194,144 people on July 1, 2025, up 7.2% since the 2020 census and 15.8% since 2010, the Census Bureau says. Median age: 36.3.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau: the 2010 and 2020 census counts, the Vintage 2025 city population estimates and the 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates.

The Census Bureau estimates that 194,144 people lived in Chattanooga on July 1, 2025. That is up 7.2% from the 181,099 counted in the 2020 census and up 15.8% from the 167,674 counted in 2010. The latest year alone added about 2,100 people (1.1%). Chattanooga holds about half of Hamilton County’s residents.

Where to look it up

Growth since 2010

Bar chart of Chattanooga population: 167,674 in the 2010 census, 181,099 in the 2020 census, then estimates of 181,896 in 2021, 184,962 in 2022, 187,976 in 2023, 192,010 in 2024 and 194,144 in 2025

Year Population Source
2010 167,674 Census count
2020 181,099 Census count
2021 181,896 Estimate, July 1
2022 184,962 Estimate, July 1
2023 187,976 Estimate, July 1
2024 192,010 Estimate, July 1
2025 194,144 Estimate, July 1

Growth was flat in the first year after the 2020 census and has picked up since: the city gained about 4,000 people from 2023 to 2024.

Who lives here

From the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates:

Chattanooga Hamilton County Tennessee
Median age 36.3 39.5 38.9
Median household income $64,523 $76,183 $69,595
Median value, owner-occupied home $283,200 $312,800 $286,700
Homes owned by the people living in them 52.4% 63.9% 66.9%
Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher 36.0% 37.5% 31.1%
People below the poverty line 19.1% 13.1%

Chattanooga has 79,084 households, averaging 2.26 people, and 87,970 housing units. About 17.3% of residents are 65 or older and 6.3% are under 5. Compared with the county, the city is younger, rents more and earns less. ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error; the full tables show them.

Hamilton County

Hamilton County had an estimated 390,833 residents on July 1, 2025, up 6.7% from 366,207 in the 2020 census and up 16.2% from 336,463 in 2010.

The neighbors

Place Distance from Chattanooga Population Median age Median household income
Red Bank about 4 miles 12,405 (2025 est.) 37.9 $63,983
East Ridge about 5 miles 21,921 (2025 est.) 37.6 $62,247
Signal Mountain about 8 miles 8,824 (2025 est.) 44.3 $141,008
Middle Valley about 9 miles 12,187 (ACS) 45.4 $95,000
Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. about 9 miles 10,868 (2025 est.) 42.9 $51,867
Collegedale about 11 miles 11,499 (2025 est.) 36.4 $70,246
Soddy-Daisy about 14 miles 13,474 (2025 est.) 45.6 $75,113

Population estimates are the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 figures; Middle Valley is an unincorporated community, so its figure is the 2020-2024 ACS estimate. Median age and income are from the 2020-2024 ACS. Distances are from the center of Chattanooga.

What this means for you

  • Chattanooga is growing faster than it did in the decade before 2020: about 7% in five years, against 8% in the whole of 2010-2020.
  • For housing costs behind the numbers, see our home prices guide.

Related guides: moving to Chattanooga, history and landmarks and schools.

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Chattanooga?

The Census Bureau estimates 194,144 people lived in Chattanooga on July 1, 2025. The 2020 census counted 181,099.

Is Chattanooga growing?

Yes. The city added an estimated 13,045 people, or 7.2%, from the 2020 census to July 2025, and about 2,100 in the latest year alone. Since the 2010 census it has grown 15.8%.

What is the median household income in Chattanooga?

$64,523, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates, compared with $76,183 for Hamilton County and $69,595 for Tennessee.

What is the population of Hamilton County, Tennessee?

An estimated 390,833 on July 1, 2025, up from 366,207 in the 2020 census and 336,463 in 2010. Chattanooga holds about half of the county’s residents.