Population 7,634 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Whitwell
Household size in Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.65 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.50 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | +0.02 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Whitwell run a little small, averaging 2.55 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.65 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 39.6 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.8 | 40.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.4 | 41.3 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.3 | 41.2 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.1 | +1.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.3, Whitwell is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 40.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 11.2% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 11.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 11.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in seven households in Whitwell (13.6%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.7 points, even as 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 Whitwell
Renters in Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 30.9% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 32.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.6% | 32.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.1% | 31.8% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.1% of households in Whitwell rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About half of owners (51.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 11.3% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 11.6% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Whitwell: 15.0% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1977 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1978 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1980 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1983 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Whitwell is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. That is in line with the rest of the Chattanooga area.
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 Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $560 | $731 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $616 | $803 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $736 | $876 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $885 | $1,184 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$325 | +$454 | +$526 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Whitwell costs $885 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $325 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the northwest.
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 Whitwell
Bachelor's degrees in Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 22.9% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 24.3% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 27.2% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 31.6% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Whitwell have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 12.7%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.8 points, as it has nationally. Of the 202 Tennessee cities with 5,000+ people, only 12 have a lower 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 Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.7% | 82.5% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 68.8% | 84.9% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.6% | 87.4% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.4% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Whitwell never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 11.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only two of the 202 Tennessee cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Whitwell
| Period | Whitwell | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 9.1% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 9.3% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.1 pts | −4.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Whitwell than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 7.1 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Whitwell compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitwell | 2.55 | 45.3 | 13.6% | 22.1% | 15.0% | 1986 | $885 | 12.7% | 79.4% | 3.5% |
| Powells Crossroads | 2.24 | 48.5 | 9.9% | 18.9% | 7.2% | 1983 | $879 | 14.6% | 84.9% | 5.6% |
| Shirleyton | 2.28 | 45.1 | 7.8% | 11.7% | 11.5% | 1983 | $770 | 10.9% | 79.3% | 8.7% |
| Sulphur Springs | 2.60 | 49.3 | 5.5% | 15.3% | 25.3% | 1982 | $774 | 16.7% | 68.5% | 8.5% |
| Griffith Creek | 2.65 | 43.5 | 19.1% | 17.4% | 8.2% | 1990 | $954 | 11.9% | 73.7% | 3.1% |
| Lone Oak | 2.75 | 49.1 | 7.1% | 12.4% | 17.5% | 1992 | $693 | 20.0% | 84.4% | 6.3% |
| Sequatchie | 2.50 | 34.3 | 5.7% | 15.3% | 13.8% | 1991 | $760 | 15.0% | 91.0% | 4.2% |
| Timberlinks | 2.87 | 43.6 | 5.5% | 18.9% | 14.6% | 1991 | $1,240 | 46.0% | 80.3% | 3.7% |
| Daus | 2.73 | 42.8 | 12.8% | 24.3% | 8.9% | 1996 | $830 | 20.2% | 82.0% | 4.6% |
| Signal Mountain | 2.65 | 46.4 | 5.2% | 15.8% | 5.2% | 1981 | $1,799 | 60.7% | 95.7% | 2.8% |
| Walden | 2.62 | 43.6 | 6.1% | 14.9% | 5.0% | 1982 | $1,597 | 59.7% | 95.9% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bennett, CO · West Concord, MA · West Bountiful, UT · Viroqua, WI · Villa Park, CA · Versailles, MO · Vanceboro, NC · Valley Springs, CA · Valatie, NY · Bethel Heights, AR
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 Whitwell. 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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