2021 Best Places to Live in the Chattanooga Area

Lookout Mountain

• Suburb in Georgia
• Rating 4.6 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Lookout Mountain GA is absolutely beautiful and offers quaint neighborhoods and tree lined mountain roads. The Fairyland community is lovely with community Halloween, baseball parade, 4th of July parade, yard sales and festival events. ...I have only been here for a year but the people are friendly and it is easy to get connected through social media and town hall communication. There is little crime because everyone knows everyone else and looks out for kids or pets that wander too far. ...My favorites are the access to Lula Lake falls, amenities at Covenant College, amazing church family options, and Fairyland Elementary school playground/field and events.The disadvantages are limited stores/businesses in the area and limited sidewalks and bicycle lanes for the many walkers and bikers.Overall excellent and an amazing place to raise a family.Read 5 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade B+

• 1,727 Population

Lookout Mountain

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Great place to raise a family. Really nice outdoor spaces and friendly neighbors. You feel safe walking around any time of the day. All of the public spaces are very well maintained. It’s also a very quiet neighborhood, this are so quiet you can hear the crickets at night. There are a lot of active people always walking, riding bikes or playing at the local park. The crime rate is also quite low up here on the mountain. I do wish there was more ethic and cultural diversity...Read 3 Reviews

• grade A

• grade B

• 1,965 Population

Signal Mountain

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 3.71 out of 5  24 reviews

Current Resident: Signal Mountain is a great little community. Low crime, great schools. The reviews that talk about how safe it is but then complain about the lack of diversity or how conservative it is are amusing. ...Is there night life? Nope. Go to Chattanooga for the night life. Why would you want it here? I say 5 stars for the "night life", which means black sky, lots of stars, and peace and quiet.The out of state guy complaining about the "crap housing" because of the prices...well guess who drove them up? All the out of state folks moving here BECAUSE of the schools and the community. I'm pretty sure your state will take ya back...Folks flooding Tennessee and Chattanooga in general have driven up housing prices. There's a reason they're moving here. In fact, I want to change my review of Signal. It's terrible. Stay away. No, really!Read 24 Reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• 8,539 Population

Collegedale

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4.17 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: This small town on the edge of a relatively large city (Chattanooga), is the perfect combination of quiet with a lot going on. It's a college town like few other college towns. The local university is religious, and they are passionate about serving the surrounding community and the world. The "Greenway" is a paved nature trail that stretched through the entire town, and there are numerous hiking trails. This is an ideal safe place for all ages, families and singles alike!...Read 18 Reviews

• grade A

• grade B

• 11,275 Population

Fairmount

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Niche User: Signal mountain has a great sense of community and is a safe place for families. However, there is not much diversity.Read 3 Reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• 2,245 Population

Walden

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: I moved here when I was a kid, so I didn't have much say in it. But I absolutely loved it! Great schools, small town, but closed to bigger town if needed.Read 1 Review

• grade A

• grade B+

• 1,948 Population

Middle Valley

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 3.43 out of 5  7 reviews

Niche User: I've lived here all of my life. I've not experienced any criminal behavior, nor do I know any neighbors that have recently experienced any crime. I've never felt unsafe or in danger in the nineteen years of living here. ... I'm glad to live in Hixson and I wouldn't choose to go back and change it if I could. I've been several places across the country and I see my neighborhood as being mild compared to places like the Washington DC area, Los Angeles, NYC, and other big cities. Every once in a while, there are new business and neighborhood construction. Hixson, TN is considered a satellite city of Chattanooga, TN. I work and go to school in Chattanooga, and the commute is almost nothing to get there.Read 7 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• 12,061 Population

Hopewell

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: An overall good place to live & work. Small town feel with a progressive city feelRead 3 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• 1,900 Population

Harrison

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4.17 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: We moved from Philadelphia to Harrison and it’s beautiful! Quiet but enough to grab and Uber and go drinking. Mountain View’s and close to downtown and from what we’ve heard, it’s booming! Restaurants and shops close by and minutes from lake chicka. Get to Harrison before it becomes too popular...Read 6 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• 8,121 Population

Chattanooga

• City in Tennessee
• Rating 3.96 out of 5  536 reviews

Current Resident: I have grown up in Chattanooga but always took it for granted until I went away to college and realized what a cool city it is. It's a happy medium between a booming crowded tourist city like Nashville and a small town with nothing to do. It has the attractions and activities of a huge city, but with a lower cost of living and not as crowded. They have really renovated downtown into something really nice, and there's a lot of waterfront activities. Tons of hiking in the mountains surrounding the city and really nice scenery. Highly recommend for a weekend getaway, a whole vacation, or a relocation if you're looking for a new home!...Read 536 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade C+

• 179,690 Population

Indian Springs

• Suburb in Georgia

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• 2,509 Population

Lakesite

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 1 out of 5  1 review

• grade B+

• grade B

• 2,028 Population

Dalton

• Town in Georgia
• Rating 3.74 out of 5  109 reviews

Current Resident: Home of the carpet capital of the world, Dalton offers numerous venues for meetings, conventions, concerts, weddings, and sport tournaments supported by 1400 hotel rooms. This charming town boasts a superb entertainment district featuring local dining options, bars, taverns, live music, and eclectic shops. We may be world famous for our carpet, but we are so much more than that. From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, to the gateway of the Civil War in Georgia, there is so much to do in Dalton it will floor you!...Read 109 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• 33,571 Population

Tunnel Hill

• Suburb in Georgia
• Rating 3.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Better Infrastructure, variety in business, as well as more updated and available real estate at affordable prices would really attract more families and small business and grow the city exponentially. This city already had a nice southern quite vibe and it would become a gem hidden in the suburbs...Read 5 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• 1,435 Population

Varnell

• Suburb in Georgia
• Rating 3.67 out of 5  6 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• 2,488 Population

Cleveland

• Town in Tennessee
• Rating 3.78 out of 5  223 reviews

Current Resident: Cleveland is a nice town to live in. There are many fun places to go! There are a ton of cute coffee shops and restaurants, especially near Lee University. However, at night, as with most towns, it can be kind of dangerous to walk alone, and police lights can usually be seen nightly. Overall, the people are nice and there are a lot of opportunities. It's a cute town. There are also a few parks that are nice, including a long walking path. If you are looking for a place to run and stay in shape, this is a good place. It's pretty because of all of the mountains, and it is only about 30 minutes from Chattanooga and also the mountains for hiking. Lastly, driving traffic is decent as long as you avoid school zones during school hours...Read 223 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• 44,595 Population

Fort Oglethorpe

• Suburb in Georgia
• Rating 3.86 out of 5  28 reviews

Current Resident: Fort Oglethorpe is a small area, and there is actually a decent amount of things to do. In addition to that Fort Oglethorpe is currently expanding and bringing more things into the area. I have lives here for the past 4 years and have to say its been a wonderful experience. Now that i'm going away to college i'm gonna be sad that i would be living in this area all the time. Lastly it is not all that far from the big stops like down town Chattanooga or the mall, so it it the perfect place to live...Read 28 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• 9,954 Population

East Ridge

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 3.47 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: Nice area, needs a Publix and a Wawa! There are lots of beautiful parks, close to Chattanooga and Georgia. The people are friendly.Read 15 Reviews

• grade B

• grade C+

• 21,168 Population

Red Bank

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: I love the town of Red Bank. It has a good community/small town feel while being close enough to Chattanooga's downtown area to access larger events and businesses. Red Bank holds various monthly events for everyone to gather, get outside, and support local businesses. I'd like to see more restaurants move into the area as people begin moving to the area...Read 5 Reviews

• grade B

• grade C+

• 11,745 Population

Falling Water

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN

• grade B

• grade B minus

• 1,280 Population

Ringgold

• Suburb in Georgia
• Rating 4.26 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: With small independent shops, restaurants, and a diverse farmer’s market, a relaxed day is easy to find in Ringgold. Head north to Chattanooga for the city attractions. Outdoor fun surrounds it all!Read 42 Reviews

• grade B

• grade A minus

• 3,592 Population

Chickamauga

• Suburb in Georgia
• Rating 4.25 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: Chickamauga, GA is a very small town. I would describe it as that perfect little southern town where everyone knows everyone. It is truly a beautiful place to live. The only downside is the political beliefs. I am not saying there is something wrong with being a conservative, but if you do not agree with those beliefs than maybe Chickamauga isn't the best place for you to live, which is why I am choosing to go elsewhere. Other than that I believe everyone should come visit Chickamauga. Not only is it beautiful but there is many historical places to visit, such as the Chickamauga battlefield. Overall if I or anyone I know decide to live in the south, I will highly recommend the cute, little, town...Read 16 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• 3,249 Population

Soddy-Daisy

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN
• Rating 4.23 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: We moved here because it is the peacefulness of the countryside and mountains and yet close to bigger cities like Chattanooga. Very family-friendly, pet-friendly, and lots to do for the outdoor enthusiasts!...Read 22 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• 13,398 Population

Dayton

• Town in Tennessee
• Rating 3.86 out of 5  28 reviews

Current Resident: Dayton is a small town where people greet you with a smile, wave on the streets and yield in traffic to let you in front of them. There are many locally-owned businesses that sell antiques, trendy clothing, flowers, farm-fresh fruits and veggies and crafts. We have large fishing tournaments since we are located on the TN River. There is hiking in Pocket Wilderness and other outdoor activities. We have a private Christian college (Bryan College) in town where students are heavily involved in our community. We have an annual Strawberry Festival which brings about 10,000 visitors. We have most denominations of churches in our community. There are plenty of civic organizations as well. We have a Care Center where men and women can come for parenting resources and support. We have a community center that offers year-around sports for youth including travel teams. The community center is also a place to exercise for all ages. It is a blessing to live here...Read 28 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• 7,344 Population

Fairview

• Suburb in Georgia
• Rating 3.14 out of 5  7 reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• 6,540 Population