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Why millennials are moving to Chattanooga

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Downtown view from a balcony in Market City Center apartments | Photo via Market City Center

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More + more people namely, millennialsare choosing to make Chattanooga their home. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2,000 new people moved to Chattanooga in 2017 (the most in any year since 2010) and our city saw an 11,265 population increase from 2010-17.

This summer, Nooga was listed among the 20 best cities for millennial homebuyers – with a median home price nearly 28% below the U.S. average – and scored highly for job growth in another ranking of the top 20 cities for young home buyers, with 3,567 jobs added in 2019.

Why is our population growing? Here are a few reasons:

  • Chattanooga has made its way onto a number of lists lauding its livability, like the 2014 Top 100 Places to Live.
  • Our proximity to the mountains + the Tennessee River provides residents access to outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, tubing + more.
  • Despite a nationwide decline in homeownership among young adults, a 2017 study found Nooga was one of the top 10 markets where homeownership has improved in the past decade for those in their 20s + 30s.
  • Nooga is home to a slew of tech-based companies + startups, due largely in part to its citywide high-speed internet provided by EPB.
  • STEM-based jobs have led to STEM-focused programs in Chattanooga + Hamilton County schools, like the STEM School of Chattanooga + UT’s Chattanooga Challenger STEM Learning Center.

How is our city growing to accommodate new residents?

Know someone considering a move to Chattanooga? Help convince them by passing along these downtown digs at Market City Center + sharing this email via the buttons below.

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