Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
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Chattanooga skyline in 2023 TVA offices | |
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Seal Logo | |
| Nicknames: Scenic City (official); Chatt, Chattown, Gig City, Nooga, and River City | |
Interactive map of Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
Chattanooga Chattanooga | |
| Coordinates: 35°03′57″N 85°14′54″W / 35.065958°N 85.248386°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Hamilton |
| Founded | 1816 |
| Incorporated | December 20, 1839 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Tim Kelly (I) |
| Area | |
• City | 150.080 sq mi (388.705 km2) |
| • Land | 142.352 sq mi (368.691 km2) |
| • Water | 7.727 sq mi (20.014 km2) 5.15% |
| Elevation | 676 ft (206 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 181,099 |
• Estimate (2024) | 191,496 |
| • Rank | US: 137th TN: 4th |
| • Density | 1,272.19/sq mi (491.195/km2) |
| • Urban | 398,569 (US: 105th) |
| • Urban density | 1,366/sq mi (527.6/km2) |
| • Metro | 588,050 (US: 99th) |
| • Metro density | 282/sq mi (108.7/km2) |
| • Combined | 1,016,333 (US: 62nd) |
| • Combined density | 185/sq mi (71.3/km2) |
| Demonym | Chattanoogan |
| Time zone | UTC–5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 37401–37412, 37414–37416, 37419, 37421–37422, 37424, 37450 |
| Area codes | 423 and 729 |
| FIPS code | 47-14000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404035 |
| Airport | Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport |
| Public transportation | CARTA |
| Waterways | Tennessee River |
| Website | chattanooga.gov |
Chattanooga (/ˌtʃætəˈnuːɡə/ CHAT-ə-NOO-gə) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia to the south. The population was 181,099 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 191,496 in 2024, it is Tennessee's fourth-most populous city and one of the two principal cities of East Tennessee, along with Knoxville. It anchors the Chattanooga metropolitan area, Tennessee's fourth-largest metropolitan statistical area, as well as a larger three-state area that includes southeastern Tennessee, northwestern Georgia, and northeastern Alabama.
Chattanooga was a crucial city during the American Civil War due to the multiple railroads that converge there. After the war, the railroads allowed for the city to grow into one of the Southeastern United States' largest heavy industrial hubs. Today, major industry that drives the economy includes automotive, advanced manufacturing, food and beverage production, healthcare, insurance, tourism, and back office and corporate headquarters. Chattanooga remains a transit hub in the present day, served by multiple Interstate highways and railroad lines. It is 118 miles (190 km) northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, 112 miles (180 km) southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee, 134 miles (216 km) southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, 102 miles (164 km) east-northeast of Huntsville, Alabama, and 147 miles (237 km) northeast of Birmingham, Alabama.
Divided by the Tennessee River, Chattanooga is at the transition between the ridge-and-valley Appalachians and the Cumberland Plateau, both of which are part of the larger Appalachian Mountains. Its official nickname is the "Scenic City", alluding to the surrounding mountains, ridges, and valleys. Unofficial nicknames include "River City", "Chatt", "Nooga", "Chattown", and "Gig City", the latter referring to Chattanooga's claim of having the fastest internet service in the Western Hemisphere.
Chattanooga is internationally known from the 1941 hit song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller and his orchestra. It is home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College.