Greater Chattanooga has it all – excellent job opportunities, top schools, friendly and affordable communities, abundant outdoor recreation options, delicious local fare, thriving arts scenes and so much more. Thanks to these amenities, anyone can find their niche here, including you.
Here are five reasons to call Greater Chattanooga home.
1) LaunchPad
For those looking to launch a business, opportunities abound in Greater Chattanooga. The region is home to many startup-friendly venues that help turn startup dreams into reality. Examples include the INCubator, a three-year progressive development program created through a partnership with Hamilton County, Tennessee, and the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce; Proof, which offers food and beverage entrepreneurs incubator space and a test kitchen; the Dalton Innovation Accelerator, which assists small businesses in every stage of development; the Cleveland Bradley Business Incubator, which offers startups space and business assistance; and Brickyard, which calls itself an insulator, rather than an incubator, for businesses.
2) Excellent Education
Whether you’re preparing to enter the business world or looking to change careers, Greater Chattanooga is the place to jump on a path destined for success. In Catoosa County, Georgia, the From HERE to CAREER College and Career Academy is slated to open for the fall 2023 semester. It will provide high school juniors and seniors with college credit and technical college certificates upon graduation. In
addition, the Partnerships in Industry and Education (PIE) Innovation Center in Cleveland, Tennessee, offers high school juniors and seniors training in fields like welding, information technology and chemical technology. For students and adults pursuing careers in construction trades, the Construction Career Center in Chattanooga provides training, career counseling and industry resources.
3) Superb Speeds
When it comes to internet speeds, Greater Chattanooga takes the lead. In August 2022, EPB, Chattanooga’s municipal utility, launched a 25-gig internet service and made it available to business and residential customers in a 600-mile area. Its first customer was the Chattanooga Convention Center. This isn’t the first time EPB has taken a step forward in delivering fast internet speeds. It also launched America’s first community-wide gig speed internet service in 2010 and the first 10-gig internet service in 2015.
4) Master of Mobility
Greater Chattanooga boasts a vast transportation network, making it an ideal location for businesses and residents. The region offers rail through CSX and Norfolk Southern; direct flights to major U.S. cities through the Chattanooga Airport; ground transportation by way of Interstates 75, 24 and 59; and water access through the region’s inland port. It’s no wonder that Greater Chattanooga is sometimes referred to as the “Gateway to the South.”
5) Amazingly Affordable
Compared to many regions around the U.S., Greater Chattanooga offers an affordable cost of living, especially within its outer counties. The median listing home price is only $161,000 in DeKalb County, Alabama, $201,000 in Whitfield County, Georgia, and around $182,000 in Marion County, Tennessee, according to Zillow.com (March 2023). With nearby state parks, great restaurants and regional attractions, Greater Chattanooga offers affordability without sacrificing high-quality of life.
Originally published on Livability.com, here.
