Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Chattanooga, Tennessee
A $259,000 home here costs
$2,038per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,332. The real number is $707 higher every month — 53% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Chattanooga against Hamilton County and Tennessee
| Measure | Chattanooga | Hamilton County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $259,200 | $282,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,208 | $1,888 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.852% | 0.669% |
| Median gross rent | $1,155 | $1,163 |
| Population | 182,832 | 370,913 |
The weather behind that power bill
Chattanooga sits in Hamilton County, which averages a high of 90.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.4°F in its coldest, with 55" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,921 cooling and 3,029 heating degree days, which is what sets the $130 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hamilton County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hamilton County
Full Hamilton County cost breakdown · Every county in Tennessee
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Chattanooga?
A $259,000 home in Chattanooga, Tennessee costs approximately $2,038 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,332 principal and interest, $184 property tax, $109 homeowners insurance, $198 utilities and $216 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has an effective property tax rate of 0.852%, based on a median home value of $259,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,208. That is higher than the Hamilton County average of 0.669%.
What is the average home price in Chattanooga?
The median owner-occupied home value in Chattanooga, Tennessee is $259,200, against $282,100 across Hamilton County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chattanooga?
Median gross rent in Chattanooga is $1,155 a month, against $2,038 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Chattanooga — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Tennessee.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.