Population 376,192 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hamilton County
Household size in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.50 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.02 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Hamilton County run small, averaging 2.47 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of the Chattanooga area. Household size has crept up from 2.43 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.7 | 39.6 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 40.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 41.3 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 41.2 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | +1.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
At 40.5, the median age in Hamilton County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has crept up from 39.7 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 11.2% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 11.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 11.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Hamilton County as they are nationally: 10.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hamilton County
Renters in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 30.9% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 32.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.0% | 32.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.1% | 31.8% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Hamilton County is about as common as it is nationally: 36.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the wider Chattanooga area (31.8%). Just over four in ten owners (41.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 11.3% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 11.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 11.6% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Hamilton County as nationally: 9.1%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.0 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1977 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1978 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1980 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1983 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Hamilton County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $762 | $731 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $848 | $803 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $932 | $876 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,317 | $1,184 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$554 | +$454 | +$526 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Hamilton County costs $1,317 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the wider Chattanooga area ($1,184). Rent has climbed $554 a month since 2006–10, up 73%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hamilton County
Bachelor's degrees in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 22.9% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.5% | 24.3% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.3% | 27.2% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.9% | 31.6% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Hamilton County as nationally: 36.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in the wider Chattanooga area (31.6%). The share with a degree is up 9.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Tennessee's 95 counties, only four have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.0% | 82.5% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.0% | 84.9% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 87.4% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.8% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Hamilton County have finished high school (90.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Hamilton County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Tennessee counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 9.1% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −4.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.7%, unemployment in Hamilton County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.4 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hamilton County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 2.47 | 40.5 | 10.7% | 36.1% | 9.1% | 1981 | $1,317 | 36.9% | 90.8% | 4.7% |
| Catoosa County | 2.60 | 41.6 | 13.3% | 25.8% | 8.3% | 1991 | $1,004 | 25.0% | 89.6% | 4.4% |
| Bradley County | 2.58 | 40.6 | 10.8% | 32.7% | 8.3% | 1986 | $1,068 | 25.1% | 88.6% | 6.4% |
| Marion County | 2.47 | 43.0 | 12.7% | 21.5% | 14.6% | 1985 | $885 | 17.3% | 83.1% | 7.1% |
| Polk County | 2.45 | 44.7 | 9.3% | 16.4% | 17.8% | 1989 | $733 | 16.5% | 85.8% | 5.4% |
| Fannin County | 2.21 | 51.1 | 12.2% | 21.4% | 34.5% | 1993 | $989 | 23.8% | 88.1% | 3.6% |
| Cherokee County | 2.22 | 53.5 | 8.6% | 16.3% | 25.9% | 1993 | $880 | 24.8% | 92.4% | 3.5% |
| Lincoln County | 2.42 | 42.3 | 11.4% | 24.2% | 9.4% | 1984 | $869 | 20.8% | 87.4% | 5.1% |
| Clay County | 2.28 | 56.5 | 5.8% | 18.8% | 32.5% | 1989 | $773 | 32.3% | 92.7% | 3.3% |
| Towns County | 2.05 | 54.7 | 8.0% | 17.7% | 30.4% | 1996 | $883 | 32.6% | 92.5% | 4.9% |
| Macon County | 2.10 | 49.6 | 6.2% | 22.4% | 26.9% | 1987 | $822 | 27.3% | 89.9% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Galveston County, TX · Waukesha County, WI · Collier County, FL · Virginia Beach City, VA · St. Lucie County, FL · St. Joseph County, IN · East Baton Rouge Parish, LA · St. Johns County, FL · St. Charles County, MO · Spartanburg County, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hamilton County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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