Chattanooga, TN

[AUBwins 10,075]

Anyone ever lived here? My wife and I are exploring moving to Tennessee.  The oil and gas sector is tiresome with its instable environment.  Pretty much a boom or bust industry.  So looking to work for a steel company in a different market.  We love the state, and it will put us a lot closer to my family in Kentucky but still a day drive to Louisiana with her family.  I work for a subsidiary company of Reliance Steel and there are a few sister companies in Tennessee, primarily in the Nashville area. I know we would enjoy Franklin or Hendersonville area near Nashville.  One of the bigger companies is in Chattanooga.  Just curious what life is like in this town.  If we moved there, we would likely stay in a surrounding town about 10 to 20 mins away.  Thanks. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,363]

Lived in Chattanooga at the base of Signal Mountain for 2.5 years. Loved it. Plenty of outdoorsy things to do. Lots of cool bars and places to eat. Culture is progressive/artsy. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

10 hours ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

Lived in Chattanooga at the base of Signal Mountain for 2.5 years. Loved it. Plenty of outdoorsy things to do. Lots of cool bars and places to eat. Culture is progressive/artsy. 

You lived in the Spaceship House?!  Haha.

 Thanks, Signal Mountain is where I was thinking of. How is the road up signal Mountain? Does weather ever cause residents to be stranded up there? It doesn’t look too step of an incline. More of a gradual incline. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,363]

1 hour ago, AUBwins said:

You lived in the Spaceship House?!  Haha.

 Thanks, Signal Mountain is where I was thinking of. How is the road up signal Mountain? Does weather ever cause residents to be stranded up there? It doesn’t look too step of an incline. More of a gradual incline. 

Haha, Spaceship house wasn’t far from me. I lived off Mountain Creek Road, so I didn’t traverse that way often other than to check out scenery and check out the Cumberland Trail(Signal Point). W Road(steep with switchbacks) got closed often either due to weather or people driving off the road—it’s kind of a shortcut up the mountain from Mountain Creek. But Signal Mountain Road isn’t too bad. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

1 minute ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

Haha, Spaceship house wasn’t far from me. I lived off Mountain Creek Road, so I didn’t traverse that way often other than to check out scenery. W Road(steep with switchbacks) got closed often either due to weather or people driving off the road—it’s kind of a shortcut up the mountain. But Signal Mountain Road isn’t too bad. 

I'm not adventurous enough for W road, Haha.  I like steady as they go nowadays.  Thanks for the info.  Kinda reaffirms what I was thinking of that section of town. 

[ToraGirl 5,498]

Never lived there...cousins do...but everyone I know who ever did is passionate for Chatt. It's a favorite daytrip or overnight for us. Coffeehouses, cool vibe, artsy, good medical facilities, books, history, culture, think local brew if you're into, outdoor stuff.  Signal Mountain area good for schools, I believe. That's where cousins are. So much to see, do, eat! 🤣 close proxy to Atlanta, Knox & Smokies, Nashville. In a heartbeat. 

[ToraGirl 5,498]

Chatt>Nashville area traffic...it's booming...but love Nash area too. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

On 1/7/2020 at 5:40 PM, ToraGirl said:

Never lived there...cousins do...but everyone I know who ever did is passionate for Chatt. It's a favorite daytrip or overnight for us. Coffeehouses, cool vibe, artsy, good medical facilities, books, history, culture, think local brew if you're into, outdoor stuff.  Signal Mountain area good for schools, I believe. That's where cousins are. So much to see, do, eat! 🤣 close proxy to Atlanta, Knox & Smokies, Nashville. In a heartbeat. 

Yes, I love the look of the vibe there. And they supposedly have the fastest internet in the country lol.  My main reservation with the area is the crime.  I see a lot of people seem to like it there. Most are saying stay away from areas after dark, but just don't want to end up in a place Im afraid to go do something due to gang violence. Really like the proximity to more weekend trip locales! Our favorite place in the world right now is Dollywood. Been to PF going on 4 summers in a row with my daughter's dance convention nationals this summer. 

[ToraGirl 5,498]

3 hours ago, AUBwins said:

Yes, I love the look of the vibe there. And they supposedly have the fastest internet in the country lol.  My main reservation with the area is the crime.  I see a lot of people seem to like it there. Most are saying stay away from areas after dark, but just don't want to end up in a place Im afraid to go do something due to gang violence. Really like the proximity to more weekend trip locales! Our favorite place in the world right now is Dollywood. Been to PF going on 4 summers in a row with my daughter's dance convention nationals this summer. 

Ahhhh...wonder about outside Chatt then, close enough to commute? Thinking Ooltewah to the east or up I-24...Sewanee, Tullahoma, Monteagle? The sketchy area in Chatt from my experience is around the Choo Choo/South, though I think there is some revitalization going on. Wonder as well about Fort Oglethorpe, GA, just over the border? I know nothing about the schools in any of these, but a smaller town environment with city proximity can be a blessing. Keep us posted!

[ShocksMyBrain 9,363]

4 hours ago, AUBwins said:

Yes, I love the look of the vibe there. And they supposedly have the fastest internet in the country lol.  My main reservation with the area is the crime.  I see a lot of people seem to like it there. Most are saying stay away from areas after dark, but just don't want to end up in a place Im afraid to go do something due to gang violence. Really like the proximity to more weekend trip locales! Our favorite place in the world right now is Dollywood. Been to PF going on 4 summers in a row with my daughter's dance convention nationals this summer. 

Crime is not bad. Don’t wander too far off the main drag(like every other city in the country), and you’ll be fine. Never felt worried or scared when I lived there. 
 

Signal Mountain area and that side of the river is my suggestion. Across the city you have Lookout Mountain which is pretty $$$. And St Elmo at the bottom of Lookout which was kind of sketchy when I lived there, but I think gentrification was setting in when we left(5 years ago).

[ShocksMyBrain 9,363]

39 minutes ago, ToraGirl said:

Ahhhh...wonder about outside Chatt then, close enough to commute? Thinking Ooltewah to the east or up I-24...Sewanee, Tullahoma, Monteagle? The sketchy area in Chatt from my experience is around the Choo Choo/South, though I think there is some revitalization going on. Wonder as well about Fort Oglethorpe, GA, just over the border? I know nothing about the schools in any of these, but a smaller town environment with city proximity can be a blessing. Keep us posted!

Ft Oglethorpe is a dump, so is Rossville. Everything in the northern border of that stretch in Georgia is pretty miserable. When it comes to crime I’d rather be in downtown Chatt than there after dark. Ringgold, GA might be a better option. 
 

Monteagle is about an hour away from Chatt, midway to Nashville. Sewanee was quite a ways away as well. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,363]

Soddy Daisy might be worth looking into. 

[T1gerStripes 23]

I live in Apison.  20 miles east of downtown Chattanooga.  Nice, small, growing, unincorporated(lower property taxes), but with all of the benefits of living in Chattanooga.  15 minutes from Hamilton Place mall.  30 minutes from downtown.  Closer to the Smoky Mountains and the Ocoee.  We take the little ones to Dollywood many times a year.
 

Good mix of old/new homes and neighborhoods/farms/privacy.  I live in a neighborhood with 1.5-5 acre lots that is surrounded by cattle/horse farms.  There are also neighborhoods that are more front porch living.  Low crime.  

You will want to stay in TN with no state income tax.  Sales tax would be cheaper in GA, but your commute would be farther, and gas tends to be $0.20/gallon cheaper in TN than the Ringgold area.  Ooltewah and Collegedale are nice areas as well, but property tax is almost double.

Not sure where your commute would be daily?  That needs to be a consideration as well. Traffic and the never ending road construction on I-24 are terrible for a city the size of Chattanooga.  Luckily I do not have to drive into downtown for my job.

[AUBwins 10,075]

The company that would bring me to Chattanooga is Siskin Steel, so that is right off 24 as you are coming into downtown Chattanooga from the South. Passing through Chattanooga has definitely made me aware of I24. lol

[T1gerStripes 23]

Shocks definitely had the right idea about Signal Mountain and up Hwy 27 toward Soddy Daisy which would be easy to commute.  I24 would be a no go for me either direction from there.  Used to work a half mile from Siskin and the best times to commute were before 6am and after 6pm.  Anything in between was miserable on I24.  Good luck in your search!

[AUBwins 10,075]

52 minutes ago, T1gerStripes said:

Shocks definitely had the right idea about Signal Mountain and up Hwy 27 toward Soddy Daisy which would be easy to commute.  I24 would be a no go for me either direction from there.  Used to work a half mile from Siskin and the best times to commute were before 6am and after 6pm.  Anything in between was miserable on I24.  Good luck in your search!

Thanks for the input! Some of my reservations have subsided in this thread. 

[AURex 1,994]

When we were escaping Florida, we looker real close at Chattanooga. We have friends there and the location was good. Good music scene and artsy vibe for a southern city. Fast internet. Good shopping. No state income tax.

However, even though we made 2 trips for house hunting, we could not find a house in our price range that was acceptable. The crime rate is high and the traffic is a mess. The home situation was better east and north of the city, but the traffic/commute ......

Decided against. But of course, YMMV.

 

[AUBwins 10,075]

7 hours ago, AURex said:

When we were escaping Florida, we looker real close at Chattanooga. We have friends there and the location was good. Good music scene and artsy vibe for a southern city. Fast internet. Good shopping. No state income tax.

However, even though we made 2 trips for house hunting, we could not find a house in our price range that was acceptable. The crime rate is high and the traffic is a mess. The home situation was better east and north of the city, but the traffic/commute ......

Decided against. But of course, YMMV.

 

That's pretty much what I've seen when looking.  Being in Lafayette, the houses up there look better since you seem to get more house for the money.  Housing is expensive here.  I would definitely aim for Signal Mountain area.  I like the vibe there.  Been digging into the social media methods to look around.  Beauty of technology these days. How long ago were you looking into it? 

[AURex 1,994]

We were looking in late 2015 and early 2016. Mortgage rates were very low then. We could afford more for our money than ever.

Wanna be clear. We had friends there. The music scene and nightlife if good if you are younger (chronologically or  psychologically). 

I live within distance and still visit my friends there. If you are a foodie, the restaurants are okay, not fab. The local symphony is respectable, not fab. The open-mic nights at bars are good, not Nashville, but good. The artsy side (galleries, exhibits, etc) are good for the south. Municipal Internet is very fast.

We did not like the traffic situation at all -- commutes from any direction outside city proper is a genuine PITA. And the crime rate is really high -- among the highest in the SE.

Yes, there are great locations to live in the city and there is a terrific vibe for those interested in the arts and entertainment. And shopping is good for a southern city.

Other than Signal Mountain, you might look closely at Hixson and East Brainerd and Red Mountain. We considered Cleveland seriously -- north of Chattanooga off of 75. Not a long commute, a nice community, fair housing prices, but in the end, the commuter logjam at 75-24 was a fail. Along with crime. This is a city-wide problem, IMO.

I have more friends who live just south of Nashville. The housing is more expensive, but Nashville is a bigger city. I personally did not like the music scene as much, but I don't like country music (hate on me). I actually think the arts scene in Chattanooga is better than Nashville. But there are some excellent restaurants, better than Chattanooga, in Nashville (pay the price). If you like the country music vibe, this is the place to be, and don't get me wrong, if you like just folk and open mic, it's great for that too. As for fine arts -- the edge goes to Chattanooga. And remember, Nashville is the Capitol of Tennessee and the politics are extremely conservative, so consider if that's parallel to your own politics. Chattanooga is not exactly progressive, but not as marching-right as Nashville.

Personally, I love Huntsville, AL. Highest standard of living in the SE. Low crime, dominated by NASA and the aerospace industry, high tech, automobile manufacturing, and biomedical research. Easy drive (2 hr) to Nashville or Chattanooga. Housing costs are good. However, there is a state income tax, and the art/food vibe is not as good (though improving).

One thing to think about. Tornado alley runs from Mississippi through B'ham area, Huntsville area, and Chattanooga area. Memphis and Nashville get some really severe weather. If this is a concern for you and family, that's an issue to think about. Our checklist included -- no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no earthquakes, no severe winters, no income tax, proximity to hiking mountains and outdoor life, low cost of living, good home value (including appreciation/resale), cultural life (music, arts, restaurants, etc), low(er) crime rate, transportation/commute, internet/cable quality, political issues, etc.

Create your own checklist of things that are important to you.

That's my thoughts. Ask more questions if you like. We decided against these areas -- but then, we had our own personal priorities.

We decided on none of these cities, but we still visit all three pretty frequently because of friends. My advice, look closely at what you are looking for as a comfortable habitat, and be careful where you buy.

 

[AUBwins 10,075]

23 hours ago, AURex said:

We were looking in late 2015 and early 2016. Mortgage rates were very low then. We could afford more for our money than ever.

Wanna be clear. We had friends there. The music scene and nightlife if good if you are younger (chronologically or  psychologically). 

I live within distance and still visit my friends there. If you are a foodie, the restaurants are okay, not fab. The local symphony is respectable, not fab. The open-mic nights at bars are good, not Nashville, but good. The artsy side (galleries, exhibits, etc) are good for the south. Municipal Internet is very fast.

We did not like the traffic situation at all -- commutes from any direction outside city proper is a genuine PITA. And the crime rate is really high -- among the highest in the SE.

Yes, there are great locations to live in the city and there is a terrific vibe for those interested in the arts and entertainment. And shopping is good for a southern city.

Other than Signal Mountain, you might look closely at Hixson and East Brainerd and Red Mountain. We considered Cleveland seriously -- north of Chattanooga off of 75. Not a long commute, a nice community, fair housing prices, but in the end, the commuter logjam at 75-24 was a fail. Along with crime. This is a city-wide problem, IMO.

I have more friends who live just south of Nashville. The housing is more expensive, but Nashville is a bigger city. I personally did not like the music scene as much, but I don't like country music (hate on me). I actually think the arts scene in Chattanooga is better than Nashville. But there are some excellent restaurants, better than Chattanooga, in Nashville (pay the price). If you like the country music vibe, this is the place to be, and don't get me wrong, if you like just folk and open mic, it's great for that too. As for fine arts -- the edge goes to Chattanooga. And remember, Nashville is the Capitol of Tennessee and the politics are extremely conservative, so consider if that's parallel to your own politics. Chattanooga is not exactly progressive, but not as marching-right as Nashville.

Personally, I love Huntsville, AL. Highest standard of living in the SE. Low crime, dominated by NASA and the aerospace industry, high tech, automobile manufacturing, and biomedical research. Easy drive (2 hr) to Nashville or Chattanooga. Housing costs are good. However, there is a state income tax, and the art/food vibe is not as good (though improving).

One thing to think about. Tornado alley runs from Mississippi through B'ham area, Huntsville area, and Chattanooga area. Memphis and Nashville get some really severe weather. If this is a concern for you and family, that's an issue to think about. Our checklist included -- no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no earthquakes, no severe winters, no income tax, proximity to hiking mountains and outdoor life, low cost of living, good home value (including appreciation/resale), cultural life (music, arts, restaurants, etc), low(er) crime rate, transportation/commute, internet/cable quality, political issues, etc.

Create your own checklist of things that are important to you.

That's my thoughts. Ask more questions if you like. We decided against these areas -- but then, we had our own personal priorities.

We decided on none of these cities, but we still visit all three pretty frequently because of friends. My advice, look closely at what you are looking for as a comfortable habitat, and be careful where you buy.

 

Good insight here.  Thanks.  I spent my elementary and middle school years in Huntsville.  So I'm familiar with it a bit, and the storms.  We moved to central Alabama for my Dad to be closer to his family when USBI downsized. That city has definitely grown since then.  

The tornado risk is definitely a downfall. I'm right in hurricane country but at least we typically have a long warning about it and tornadoes are pretty rare in south Louisiana unless a hurricane spins them off. It seems like Nashville area gets more of the tornadoes,  I guess it just depends on where the outbreak goes. I was watching this latest storm closely to see how it may react and Signal Mountain actually had a radar signature go right over them with a warning today.

My initial assessment seems to be Chattanooga is a prettier area to live in everyday with more weekend trips in close proximity, but the crime is pretty constant.  They have had something concerning every day this week throughout.  

Nashville surrounding towns (below Brentwood) have a better small town America feel to it,  but feel the weather it's a bit more risk.  

We love Tennessee, just wish the cons were not big cons.  Lol. 

[AURex 1,994]

We ended up in Knoxville. No regrets at all. Seasons but no severe weather, lower crime, proximity to mountains/hiking/lakes, affordable housing, daytrips to Asheville and Chattanooga, and easy drive to Atlanta or Nashville. We are happy with our choice.

YMMV. May not work for your job situation.

 

[AUBwins 10,075]

Knoxville is better with the crime? I thought it was a rough spot as well. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Following. Great conversation.

@AUBwins, have you checked out /r/Chattanooga on reddit? Very active and informative, and with a lot of perspectives. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

7 hours ago, McLoofus said:

Following. Great conversation.

@AUBwins, have you checked out /r/Chattanooga on reddit? Very active and informative, and with a lot of perspectives. 

I have not. I will have to take a look. I welcome all insight regarding Tennessee living. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,363]

2 hours ago, AUBwins said:

I have not. I will have to take a look. I welcome all insight regarding Tennessee living. 

Well. Come to Memphis where it’s hot and humid and flat and rains a lot. And crime if you go looking to find it. Lots of great food and night-time spots. Some great cocktail bars. Half way decent breweries. And there’s a lot of gentrification going around in the midtown area. So housing is cheap. Cool pockets of neighborhoods with progressive, artsy-type businesses and people. Lot of hipsters. 
 

Memphis is basically what Birmingham was around until 2008 or so when it turned into what it is currently. There’s a lot of hometown pride in this city, which is admirable. Pretty much a little brother complex due to Nashville. But everyone appreciates everyone. It took me a long time to realize it, but it’s a city that I don’t mind calling home...for now.

Other than the crime, lack of local outdoor scenery, and being about 3-6 hours from any other major city, it’s really not that bad.  Memphis isn’t a city that you fall in love with on your first visit, but it grows on you like a fungus over time. 
 

Oh, and the best tap water I’ve ever had except for Colorado.