Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

Editor’s Note: Data has been updated for 2022. This is our ninth time ranking the best Chattanooga suburbs.

Big city living isn't for everyone--but at the same time, urban areas certainly have their perks.

There's the culture, the food, the arts, the food, the energy, and you know, the food. But there are drawbacks. There's traffic, expensive parking, expensive housing--pretty much, expensive everything, depending on which big city you're looking at.

But that's where the suburbs come in--they have all of the benefits of being near big cities, without actually having to be big cities.

Of course, not all suburbs of Chattanooga are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. So without further ado...

What's the best suburb of Chattanooga? Lookout Mountain ranks as the best suburb of Chattanooga for 2022 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Lookout Mountain, you're probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.

We'll tell you what makes each of these 10 Chattanooga 'burbs better than the rest--but first, a bit about our methodology.

Note: This result may differ from our state wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a larger selection of suburbs.

Feel free to check out some more reading about Tennessee:

  • Best Places To Live In Tennessee
  • Cheapest Places To Live In Tennessee
  • Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee

Lookout Mountain is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Chattanooga area. We'll tell you the good about "Awesome Lookout Mountain."

Everyone here is rich; families average $137,368 a year, which is the highest in the Chattanooga region. And only 1.36% are out of work. Homes average more than $486,300 each.

Population: 2,013
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Income: $137,368
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%
Poverty Rate: 2.1%
More on Lookout Mountain: Real Estate | Data

Signal Mountain is the second best 'burb we looked at near Chattanooga for 2022.

It ranks 2nd for incomes in the area and only 2.47% of residents lack insurance, good for 2nd best.

Population: 8,574
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Income: $109,611
Unemployment Rate: 2.4%
Poverty Rate: 2.3%
More on Signal Mountain: Real Estate | Data | Photos

Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

Here in Chickamauga, it's really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you'll see in the Chattanooga metro area.

The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.

But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Chickamauga.

Population: 3,245
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Income: $60,074
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%
Poverty Rate: 18.4%
More on Chickamauga: Real Estate | Data

Collegedale ranks as the 4th best suburb of Chattanooga for 2022.

You won't find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Collegedale and the schools are some of the best around.

Population: 11,402
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Income: $57,713
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%
Poverty Rate: 12.8%
More on Collegedale: Real Estate | Data | Photos

Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

Coming in as the fifth best is Red Bank.

Red Bank gets kudos for having the 7th most expensive homes in the Chattanooga area, where houses sell for an average of $160,100. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.

Population: 11,785
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Income: $44,730
Unemployment Rate: 2.8%
Poverty Rate: 12.5%
More on Red Bank: Real Estate | Data | Photos

Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

Soddy-Daisy is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here's why.

Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 3.04% which is 6th best in the area.

According to online reports, Soddy-Daisy is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Chattanooga area, meaning you need to get in soon.

Population: 13,510
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Income: $51,192
Unemployment Rate: 3.0%
Poverty Rate: 8.3%
More on Soddy-Daisy: Real Estate | Data | Photos

Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

The 7th best suburb on our list goes to East Ridge.

East Ridge schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.

And, it's only 4.8 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.

Population: 21,187
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Income: $47,811
Unemployment Rate: 6.1%
Poverty Rate: 13.6%
More on East Ridge: Real Estate | Data | Photos

Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

Varnell is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.

A solid 9.07% of people lack insurance, good for 5th in the area.

Population: 2,371
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 3)
Median Income: $63,693
Unemployment Rate: 8.1%
Poverty Rate: 8.0%
More on Varnell: Real Estate | Data

Is 'Everything Better In Fort Oglethorpe?'

Almost.

It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it's really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.

Population: 9,877
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 1)
Median Income: $40,564
Unemployment Rate: 5.4%
Poverty Rate: 11.5%
More on Fort Oglethorpe: Real Estate | Data | Photos

Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

Source: Public domain

And rounding out the top ten for 2022 is Cleveland.

This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It's far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.

Population: 45,115
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Median Income: $44,542
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%
Poverty Rate: 20.4%
More on Cleveland: Real Estate | Data | Photos

Most expensive neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Chattanooga for 2022

Figuring out the best suburbs around Chattanooga was pretty simple; we just needed to list several things that people like, and then find out which cities have the most of those things.

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible:

  • Low unemployment rate
  • High Median household incomes
  • Population density (lots of things to do)
  • High home values
  • A lot of college educated people
  • Low poverty
  • High rate of insured families

Then we used the newest American Community Survey data for 2016-2020 to research each suburb.

FYI: We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Chattanooga.

Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 19 suburbs to evaluate around Chattanooga.

We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 19 in each category, where 1 was the "best.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality of life index.

And finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index the "Best Suburb near Chattanooga." We're lookin' at you, Lookout Mountain. You can download the data here.

Read on below to learn more about what it's like to live in the best of the best. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.

Summary: Welcome to the Best Chattanooga 'Burbs of 2022

We said it once and we'll say it again--life in the big city isn't for everyone. At least not all the time.

So if you're hankering for some of the amenities of a larger city like Chattanooga, but don't want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might just be for you.

For more Tennessee reading, check out:

  • Best Places To Retire In Tennessee
  • Richest Cities In Tennessee
  • Safest Places In Tennessee

Detailed List Of The Best Chattanooga Suburbs

RankCityPopulationMedian Income
1 Lookout Mountain, TN 2,013 $137,368
2 Signal Mountain, TN 8,574 $109,611
3 Chickamauga, TN 3,245 $60,074
4 Collegedale, TN 11,402 $57,713
5 Red Bank, TN 11,785 $44,730
6 Soddy-Daisy, TN 13,510 $51,192
7 East Ridge, TN 21,187 $47,811
8 Varnell, TN 2,371 $63,693
9 Fort Oglethorpe, TN 9,877 $40,564
10 Cleveland, TN 45,115 $44,542
11 Ringgold, TN 3,454 $46,237
12 Dalton, TN 33,515 $46,894
13 Jasper, TN 3,404 $35,353
14 Rossville, TN 3,989 $43,922
15 Trenton, TN 2,303 $30,613
16 Dunlap, TN 5,159 $37,880
17 Lafayette, TN 7,310 $31,233
18 South Pittsburg, TN 3,038 $37,564
19 Bridgeport, TN 2,235 $33,065

How Is Your Town In ?

What is the richest part of Chattanooga?

1. North Chattanooga / Hill City. With a median home price of $305,286 and a median rent of $1,035, North Chattanooga / Hill City is the most expensive neighborhood on our list.

What is the best area to live in Chattanooga TN?

Best Neighborhoods in Chattanooga [2022] |.
Northshore – Hippest Neighborhood in Chattanooga..
St. ... .
Avondale – Affordable Neighborhood in Chattanooga..
Belvoir – One of the Most Desirable Chattanooga Neighborhoods..
Southside – Chattanooga's Eclectic Urban Neighborhood..

Where do the rich live in Chattanooga?

Lookout Mountain | An Upscale Family Suburb in Chattanooga One of the best Chattanooga suburbs is the affluent town of Lookout Mountain.

What is the best suburb of Chattanooga TN?

The 10 best Chattanooga suburbs, according to the site are:.
Signal Mountain..
Lakesite..
Collegedale..
Chickamauga..
Red Bank..
Soddy-Daisy..
East Ridge..
Jasper..