Population 4,430 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Martin Luther King
Household size in Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.81 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.91 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.89 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.61 | 2.50 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | +0.02 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Martin Luther King are small: just 1.61 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 1.81 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.5 | 39.6 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 21.4 | 40.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 21.2 | 41.3 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 23.3 | 41.2 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.2 | +1.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 23.3, Martin Luther King is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties.
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 Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 11.2% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 11.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 0.8% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 11.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Martin Luther King: 2.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Martin Luther King
Renters in Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.5% | 30.9% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 66.4% | 32.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.5% | 32.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 75.2% | 31.8% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Martin Luther King rent: 75.2% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 33.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.7% | 11.3% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 11.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 11.6% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.7% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Martin Luther King: 20.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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 Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1977 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1978 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1980 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1983 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Martin Luther King run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980.
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 Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $582 | $731 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $632 | $803 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $843 | $876 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,272 | $1,184 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$690 | +$454 | +$526 | +$606 |
Rent in Martin Luther King runs $1,272 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in the wider Chattanooga area ($1,184). Rent takes 28.6% 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 Martin Luther King
Bachelor's degrees in Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.6% | 22.9% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.1% | 24.3% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.0% | 27.2% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 59.8% | 31.6% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +30.2 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Martin Luther King: 59.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby.
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 Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.6% | 82.5% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 84.9% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.1% | 87.4% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.6% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +24.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Martin Luther King: 95.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Martin Luther King
| Period | Martin Luther King | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.5% | 9.1% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 9.3% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −14.3 pts | −4.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Martin Luther King is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Martin Luther King compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King | 1.61 | 23.3 | 2.6% | 75.2% | 20.7% | 1973 | $1,272 | 59.8% | 95.6% | 5.2% |
| Downtown Chattanooga | 1.50 | 40.5 | 8.8% | 87.7% | 20.5% | 1972 | $1,138 | 41.3% | 87.6% | 5.8% |
| Highland Park | 3.48 | 27.3 | 23.3% | 55.4% | 15.9% | 1942 | $1,234 | 30.1% | 75.9% | 8.0% |
| Northside Community | 1.90 | 33.3 | 7.2% | 59.5% | 8.1% | 1996 | $1,424 | 54.5% | 96.2% | 1.2% |
| Lookout Valley | 2.15 | 48.8 | 4.6% | 24.7% | 9.8% | 1977 | $1,040 | 50.0% | 94.4% | 7.4% |
| Cannon Heights | 2.62 | 32.1 | 16.3% | 61.1% | 12.8% | 1971 | $1,045 | 5.9% | 35.3% | 0.8% |
| Hampton Cove | 2.62 | 46.2 | 6.6% | 9.3% | 2.2% | 2002 | $2,626 | 73.1% | 97.9% | 1.2% |
| Downtown Huntsville | 1.86 | 42.4 | 8.1% | 61.1% | 12.7% | 1973 | $1,352 | 43.4% | 83.9% | 4.5% |
| Oakley | 2.48 | 39.1 | 13.6% | 46.1% | 27.2% | 1990 | $1,539 | 50.7% | 95.1% | 3.7% |
| Woodside Cotton Mill Historic District | 2.49 | 31.7 | 15.8% | 70.7% | 13.3% | 1981 | $1,107 | 20.6% | 68.6% | 9.9% |
| West End | 1.62 | 38.6 | 7.1% | 78.5% | 10.6% | 1995 | $1,351 | 48.2% | 91.0% | 9.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Downtown Huntsville, Huntsville, AL · Rain Tree, Charlotte, NC · Maple Manor, Elgin, IL · Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA · Martin Park, Detroit, MI · Masonicus, Mahwah, NJ · Mayfair Estates, Taylors, SC · McLoughlin, Oregon City, OR · Mead, Wichita, KS · Old Northeast, Bloomington, IN
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 Martin Luther King. 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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