Poverty in Chattanooga, Tennessee
What is the poverty rate in Chattanooga, Tennessee?
The poverty rate in Chattanooga is 20.7%. One out of every 4.8 residents of Chattanooga lives in poverty.
How many people in Chattanooga, Tennessee live in poverty?
34,928 of 168,883 Chattanooga residents reported income levels below the poverty line in the last year.
How does the poverty rate in Chattanooga compare to the rest of Tennessee?
The Poverty Rate across the state of Tennessee is 16.7%, meaning Chattanooga has a meaningfully higher than average percentage of residents below the poverty line when compared to the rest of Tennessee.
Historical Chattanooga, Tennessee Poverty Rate
| Year | Poverty Rate | YoY % Change | National |
|---|---|---|---|
2010 |
20.8% | 15.3% | |
2011 |
28.7% | 37.0% | 15.9% |
2012 |
21.2% | 35.0% | 15.9% |
2013 |
25.4% | 20.0% | 15.8% |
2014 |
20.8% | 22.0% | 15.5% |
2015 |
21.7% | 4.0% | 14.7% |
2016 |
20.2% | 7.0% | 14.0% |
2017 |
16.7% | 21.0% | 13.4% |
Chattanooga, Tennessee Poverty Rate By Race
| Race | Population | Poverty Rate | National Poverty Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Black |
57,127 |
30.9% | 25.2% | 32.4% |
Asian |
4,190 |
8.9% | 11.9% | 2.4% |
Other |
1,580 |
28.0% | 23.8% | 0.9% |
Two Or More Races |
3,603 |
30.7% | 18.4% | 2.0% |
White |
94,319 |
13.0% | 10.3% | 53.5% |
Hispanic |
9,550 |
36.5% | 22.2% | 5.4% |
What's the Poverty Rate in Chattanooga, Tennessee By Race?
30.9% of Black residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee live below the poverty line.
The Poverty Rate of black residents in Chattanooga, Tennessee is the same as than the national average. 17,636 of 57,127 black Tennesseans live below the poverty line. Approximately 32.4% of the total population of Chattanooga, Tennessee are black.
8.9% of Asian residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee live below the poverty line.
The Poverty Rate of asian residents in Chattanooga, Tennessee is dramatically lower than the national average of 11.9%. 374 of 4,190 asian Tennesseans live below the poverty line. Approximately 2.4% of the total population of Chattanooga, Tennessee are asian.
13.0% of White residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee live below the poverty line.
The Poverty Rate of white residents in Chattanooga, Tennessee is the same as than the national average. 12,280 of 94,319 white Tennesseans live below the poverty line. Approximately 53.5% of the total population of Chattanooga, Tennessee are white.
36.5% of Hispanic residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee live below the poverty line.
The Poverty Rate of hispanic residents in Chattanooga, Tennessee is dramatically higher than the national average of 22.2%. 3,482 of 9,550 hispanic Tennesseans live below the poverty line. Approximately 5.4% of the total population of Chattanooga, Tennessee are hispanic.
Chattanooga, Tennessee Poverty Rate By Sex
What is the poverty rate for men vs women living in Chattanooga, Tennessee?
Male
The Poverty Rate for men who live in Chattanooga, Tennessee is 19.0%.
Female
The Poverty Rate for women who live in Chattanooga, Tennessee is 22.2%.
Poverty Rate Disparity for Male vs Female Residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee
Female residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee are moderately(16%) more likely to live in poverty than males.
15,012 of 79,069 males in Chattanooga live below the poverty line.
19,916 of 89,814 females in Chattanooga live below the poverty line.
Chattanooga, Tennessee Poverty Rate By School Enrollment
Understanding where poverty hits hardest in Chattanooga can be better understood by segmenting poverty by whether or not the resident is in school or not.
- Enrolled in School in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 30.9%.
- Not Enrolled in School in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 17.1%.
Poverty for younger ages in Chattanooga is seen as the most undesirable for the future of the community.
- Enrolled in Nursery School in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 28.2%.
- Enrolled in Elementary School(Grades 1-4) in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 31.0%.
Poverty for developing children and young adults in Chattanooga can have drastic impacts on graduation and college attendance rates.
- Enrolled in Middle School(Grade 5-8) in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 35.3%.
- Enrolled in High School (Grades 9-12) in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 27.7%.
Adult students in college, graduate or professional schools generally bring employers, revenue and higher living wages post-graduation and are seen as a positive to the community.
- Enrolled in Undergraduate School in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 31.5%.
- Enrolled in Graduate or Professional School in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a Poverty Rate of 17.8%.
Chattanooga, Tennessee Poverty Rate By Age
What's the Poverty Rate By Age in Chattanooga, Tennessee?
Breakdown of Chattanooga, Tennessee Poverty Rate By Age
| Age | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|
Children Under 6 |
34.7% |
Children 6 to 11 Years Old |
33.2% |
Adolescents 12 to 17 Years Old |
30.1% |
Adults 18 to 59 Years Old |
19.4% |
Adults 60 to 74 Years Old |
12.7% |
75 to 84 Years Old |
12.8% |
Over 85 Years Old |
10.2% |
Chattanooga, Tennessee Poverty Rate By Place of Birth
What is the poverty rate for residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee born US Citizens vs Foreign-Born?
US Citizen
The Poverty Rate for residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee who were born citizens of the United States is 20.4%.
Foreign
The Poverty Rate for residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee who were born citizens of a country other than the US is 25.5%.
Poverty Rate for residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee born US Citizens vs Foreign-Born
Foreign-born residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee have a higher poverty rate than those who were born US citizens.
Of the 158,725 residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee who were born citizens of the United States, 32,340 (20.4%) had income levels below the poverty line within the past year.
Conversely, 2,588 (25.5%) of 10,158 residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee who were born citizens of a country other than the US reported income levels below the poverty line within the past year.
Poverty Rate in Chattanooga, Tennessee
The poverty rate in Chattanooga is 20.7%.Chattanooga is in Hamilton County.
Here is a comparison of Poverty Rate by city(minimum 1,000 residents) in Hamilton County.
| City | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|
| Chattanooga | 20.7% |
| Apison | 11.9% |
| Collegedale | 10.3% |
| East Ridge | 13.9% |
| Fairmount | 4.0% |
| Falling Water | 5.8% |
| Harrison | 5.2% |
| Lakesite | 9.0% |
| Lookout Mountain | 3.4% |
| Middle Valley | 4.7% |
| Mowbray Mountain | 12.7% |
| Red Bank | 20.0% |
| Sale Creek | 17.4% |
| Signal Mountain | 2.3% |
| Soddy-Daisy | 12.2% |
| Walden | 9.8% |
Research & Reports
National Poverty Statistics
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Tennessee Poverty Statistics
Which areas have the highest rate of poverty in Tennessee? We breakdown the poverty rate by city and county across Tennessee and rank communities with the highest and lowest concentrations of residents living below the poverty line.
Tennessee Poverty Statistics
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Food Stamp Recipients in Chattanooga
How does Chattanooga compare to the rest of Tennessee in receipt of food stamps? We breakdown food benefits programs by city and county across Tennessee and rank communities with the highest and lowest concentrations of residents living below the poverty line.
Chattanooga Food Stamps