Hamilton County, TN

County

Add Comparison

2024 Population

376,192

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2024 Poverty Rate

13.1%

4.27% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$76,183

4.98% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$312,800

10.9% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

187,312

1.33% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Hamilton County, TN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.8% of the residents in Hamilton County, TN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Hamilton County, TN are The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (2,666 degrees awarded in 2023), Chattanooga State Community College (1,209 degrees), and Southern Adventist University (607 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Hamilton County, TN was $312,800, and the homeownership rate was 63.9%.

Most people in Hamilton County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Hamilton County, TN was 2 cars per household.

Hamilton County, TN borders Catoosa County, GA, Dade County, GA, Walker County, GA, Whitfield County, GA, Bledsoe County, TN, Bradley County, TN, Marion County, TN, Meigs County, TN, Rhea County, TN, and Sequatchie County, TN.

Photo by Bryce Edwards

United States Tennessee Chattanooga, TN-GA

Population & Diversity

Hamilton County, TN is home to a population of 376k people, from which 95.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 6.61% of Hamilton County, TN residents were born outside of the country (24.9k people).

In 2024, there were 4.04 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (257k people) in Hamilton County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 63.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 12.3k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.8%

2024 Citizenship

96.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95.8% of Hamilton County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Hamilton County, TN was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Hamilton County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Hamilton County, TN

White (Non-Hispanic)
257k ± 739
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
63.6k ± 1.23k
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
12.3k ± 1.32k

8.05%

Hispanic Population

30.3k people

8.05% of the people in Hamilton County, TN are hispanic (30.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Hamilton County, TN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Tennessee.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
96,695 ± 7,581 people
Guatemala
27,777 ± 4,084 people
India
24,683 ± 3,850 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 96,695 Tennessee residents, followed by Guatemala with 27,777 and India with 24,683.

Foreign-Born Population

6.61%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

24.9k people

6.09%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

22.6k people

As of 2024, 6.61% of Hamilton County, TN residents (24.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Hamilton County, TN was 6.09%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Hamilton County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
7,029 ± 552
Gulf War (2001-)
4,118 ± 541
Gulf War (1990s)
3,080 ± 441

Hamilton County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.71 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Hamilton County, TN.

Economy

The economy of Hamilton County, TN employs 187k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Hamilton County, TN were Health Care & Social Assistance (27,078 people), Manufacturing (24,855 people), and Retail Trade (19,474 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($158,750), Utilities ($114,058), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($96,007).

Employment

Occupations

187k

2024 Value

± 3,630

1.33%

1 Year growth

± 2.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Hamilton County, TN grew at a rate of 1.33%, from 185k employees to 187k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Hamilton County, TN, are Management Occupations (22,738 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (19,385 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (18,444 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Hamilton County, TN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Tennessee (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

187k

2024 Value

± 3,630

1.33%

1 Year growth

± 2.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Hamilton County, TN grew at a rate of 1.33%, from 185k employees to 187k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Hamilton County, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (27,078 people), Manufacturing (24,855 people), and Retail Trade (19,474 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Hamilton County, TN, though some of these residents may live in Hamilton County, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$55,100

Median earning men ± $1,578

$41,730

Median earning women ± $916

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($82,894), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,638), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,475).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,676), Public Administration ($53,094), and Construction ($52,412).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Y-Axis

3.15%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.29M people employed in Tennessee. This represents a 3.15% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Tennessee.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

567
Other Services (except Public Administration)
567
Retail Trade
548
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.02M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.76M
Manufacturing
$1.15M
Finance and Insurance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing the state of Tennessee. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Hamilton County, TN. Showing the available data for Tennessee.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.703%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Tennessee for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Tennessee

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Marsha Blackburn

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Bill Hagerty

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing Tennessee.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Tennessee over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Hamilton County, TN awarded 5,382 degrees. The student population of Hamilton County, TN in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 9,405 male students and 16,255 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Hamilton County, TN are White (3,712 and 69.8%), Black or African American (674 and 12.7%), Hispanic or Latino (431 and 8.1%), and Two or More Races (212 and 3.99%).

The largest universities in Hamilton County, TN by number of degrees awarded are The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (2,666 and 49.5%), Chattanooga State Community College (1,209 and 22.5%), and Southern Adventist University (607 and 11.3%).

The most popular majors in Hamilton County, TN are Liberal Arts & Sciences (526 and 9.77%), Registered Nursing (383 and 7.12%), and General Business Administration & Management (365 and 6.78%).

The median tuition costs in Hamilton County, TN are $24,350 for private four year colleges, and $8,232 and $16,296 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Hamilton County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 74.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 35.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 25,660 (36.7% men and 63.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 25,660 students enrolled in Hamilton County, TN, 36.7% men and 63.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 15,096 records, of which 61.8% were women and 38.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Kinesiology & Exercise Science
223 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
182 degrees awarded
General Psychology
249 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Hamilton County, TN was Kinesiology & Exercise Science with 223 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Hamilton County, TN according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
2,666 degrees awarded
Chattanooga State Community College
1,209 degrees awarded
Southern Adventist University
607 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga with 2,666 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,976 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Hamilton County, TN, which is 0.58 times less than the 3,406 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,712 degrees mean that there were 5.51 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 674 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($24,350) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,912) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($3,840) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Hamilton County, TN was $312,800 in 2024, which is 0.94 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $282,100 to $312,800, a 10.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Hamilton County, TN is 63.9%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Hamilton County, TN have an average commute time of 22.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Hamilton County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 13% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Hamilton County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.62%.

Housing

Property

$312,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$5,741

$98,531

Median Property Taxes

±$2,579

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Hamilton County, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Hamilton County, TN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

63.9%

Homeownership

2024

66.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 63.9% of the housing units in Hamilton County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 64.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Hamilton County, TN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$76,183

Median Household Income

± $1,947

154k

Number of Households

± 3,233

In 2024, the median household income of the 154k households in Hamilton County, TN grew to $76,183 from the previous year's value of $72,568.

The following chart displays the households in Hamilton County, TN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Hamilton County, TN is from Tennessee.

0.459

2023 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.462

2022 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2023, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.459 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.619% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Tennessee in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Tennessee across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (74.2%)
Worked At Home (14.3%)
Carpooled (8.38%)

In 2024, 74.2% of workers in Hamilton County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.3%) and those who carpooled to work (8.38%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Hamilton County, TN have a shorter commute time (22.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.46% of the workforce in Hamilton County, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Hamilton County, TN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Hamilton County, TN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Hamilton County, TN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 13% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Hamilton County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.62%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Hamilton County, TN (48k out of 367k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Hamilton County, TN is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 19% of the children was living in poverty in Hamilton County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 663 in Hamilton County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 12.7 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

90.3% of the population of Hamilton County, TN has health coverage, with 49% on employee plans, 13.4% on Medicaid, 13.7% on Medicare, 13.1% on non-group plans, and 1.06% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Hamilton County, TN see 916 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (916 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1262 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 356 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

916 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Hamilton County, TN

Primary care physicians in Hamilton County, TN see an average of 916 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (916 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Hamilton County, TN in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.5% under 18 years, 21.5% between 18 and 34 years, 37.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.74%

Uninsured

49%

Employer Coverage

13.4%

Medicaid

13.7%

Medicare

13.1%

Non-Group

1.06%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Hamilton County, TN grew by 1.9% from 9.56% to 9.74%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Hamilton County, TN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 59.8 in Hamilton County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Hamilton County, TN.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.3% in Hamilton County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Hamilton County, TN.