Information about Living in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Located in Southeastern Tennessee, Chattanooga is home to more than 170,000 residents and grows larger each year. The city was built on manufacturing and service industries and has since developed a high ground for entrepreneur success. Some of the top employers in the area include the Hamilton County Department of Education, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Valley Authority that has a primary focus on utility services. If you are in the job market, it may be worth looking into these top local employers.

Chattanooga provides residents with scenic views no matter what direction you’re looking. The Tennessee River flows through downtown and taking a look to the East, you can see the Nantahala National Forest, part of the Appalachian Mountains. Speaking of spectacular views, during the autumn months, leaves on most trees change from bright green to beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red, a photographer’s paradise. Among they city’s many nicknames; ‘Nooga,’ ‘Chatt’ and ‘Chattown’ seem to be most popular with locals; however, the official nickname is ‘Scenic City.’ If you enjoy great views outdoors and a living in a tight knit community, Chattanooga is likely a great place for you.

Driving Your Moving Truck to Chattanooga, TN

Four major interstates connect within Chattanooga; this makes it easy to navigate into the city if you are moving from out of state. If you are moving to Chattanooga from the Midwest region, there are two main interstates that will take you to your new home city. Interstate 20 connects to Chattanooga from Birmingham, and Interstate 24 navigates southeast from Nashville. Both Birmingham and Nashville have multiple major interstates connecting to the rest of the country, making them ideal hubs to access Chattanooga from the West.

If you are coming from the east coast, you can take Interstate 81 runs south from New York state, through multiple major cities, into Knoxville which is roughly an hour northeast of Chattanooga. Atlanta is the other nearby major city with Interstate 75, routing the Northwest into Chattanooga. There are many alternative state routes and highways from which you can also drive into the city; however, it all depends on where you are coming from.

Living in Chattanooga, TN

In recent years, Chattanooga had a major overhaul focused on improving the quality of the downtown waterfront; residents have been enjoying the $120 million dollar effort since 2005. Many residents who live in the downtown area find that most everything they need is within a few miles. From May to October, downtown hosts events and festivals basically every weekend. The Riverbend Festival in June is one of the biggest, a multi-day event with more than a handful of unforgettable concerts. On Sundays, vendors setup pop up tents and canopies on the streets of downtown, selling great tasting authentic food and locally created art that will bring extra life into your home.

Many homes in the area were built with basements and crawlspaces rather than on concrete slabs. Depending on your lifestyle and family, the basement may be able to act as an extra bedroom or even storage area. If you are not ready to purchase a new home, many residents rave about the great prices and spectacular views from the condos that overlook the Tennessee River. Current residents will tell you that Dallas Heights, City Center and near Barton/Mississippi Ave are the places to live.

Most of the housing developments north of the Tennessee River in the Spring Valley and Woodland Heights areas are larger style family homes, which were built in the 1960’s and 1970’s; these areas have great schooling and the community sticks together, which helps maintain the value of the homes in these areas. It is clear that Chattanooga is a major city in Tennessee; however, the friendly residents continue to bring this big city together for a local down home feel.

No Problem Finding Things to do in Chattanooga

A big draw that helped support the Downtown Redevelopment effort, the Tennessee Aquarium located in central Chattanooga is the largest fresh-water aquarium in the world. Just around the corner from the Aquarium, you can catch a Chattanooga Lookout minor league baseball game at AT&T field or the Creative Discovery Museum. Not only does the Creative Discovery Museum provide your children with a good time but also encourages creativity and learning with various scientific exhibits.

Stepping out of the downtown district for a minute, you can take the family for a ride on the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. Commonly known and branded as ‘America’s Most Amazing Mile’ and always a local hot spot, experience the unforgettable history this mountain played in the American Civil War. Some fun activities that residents enjoy is hiking on the seemingly endless trails, climbing up the surrounding mountains and simply enjoying the fresh outdoor air. While outdoors, explore the caves of Chattanooga, a feature that many new residents are unaware of. Ruby Falls is the nation’s largest and deepest waterfall that is open to the public. You can bring your family more than 1,000 ft below ground to the caves and see thousands of gallons of water plummet into the earth below – an unforgettable experience.

Find nearby storage units, Moving Help®, and truck rental locations in Chattanooga.