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Chattanooga vs Huntsville

Huntsville costs less to buy into: about $165 a month less on the typical home. Huntsville has the milder winters.

By Sol Lakein. Updated November 2026.

Chattanooga$395,000 · $2,171/moHuntsville$364,900 · $2,005/mo

Side by side

The better number in each row is green, with a check mark.

Money

  • Typical home for sale1
    Chattanooga
    $395,000
    Huntsville
    Lower$364,900
  • Monthly mortgage on it2
    Chattanooga
    $2,171
    Huntsville
    Lower$2,005
  • 2-bedroom rent3
    Chattanooga
    Lower$1,313
    Huntsville
    $1,350
  • Price per square foot1
    Chattanooga
    $210
    Huntsville
    Lower$169
  • Everyday prices4
    Chattanooga
    Lower9% below avg
    Huntsville
    7% below avg
  • Housing costs4
    Chattanooga
    Lower23% below avg
    Huntsville
    22% below avg
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York4
    Chattanooga
    $121,884
    Huntsville
    $124,027

Weather

  • January low5
    Chattanooga
    32.4°F
    Huntsville
    Milder33.1°F
  • July high5
    Chattanooga
    Cooler90.5°F
    Huntsville
    91.5°F
  • Snow per year5
    Chattanooga
    3.6 in
    Huntsville
    2.4 in

Trips home and more

  • Nonstop to New York6
    Chattanooga
    Yes, CHA
    Huntsville
    Yes, HSV
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257
    Chattanooga
    No data
    Huntsville
    No data
  • Average commute, one way8
    Chattanooga
    Shorter25 min
    Huntsville
    25 min
  • Pays you to move9
    Chattanooga
    No program
    Huntsville
    No program
See it as one table, with sources
MeasureChattanoogaHuntsvilleSource
Typical home for sale$395,000$364,900Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
Monthly mortgage on it$2,171$2,005Principal and interest, 20% down, 7.32%
2-bedroom rent$1,313$1,350Census ACS 2025, incl. utilities
Price per square foot$210$169Realtor.com via FRED
Everyday prices9% below avg7% below avgBEA regional price parities, 2024
Housing costs23% below avg22% below avgBEA, 2024
Salary that matches $150,000 in New York$121,884$124,027BEA price parities, 2024
January low32.4°F33.1°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
July high90.5°F91.5°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Snow per year3.6 in2.4 inNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Nonstop to New YorkYes, CHAYes, HSVAirport route pages, October 2026
Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-25No dataNo dataUS Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
Average commute, one way25 min25 minCensus ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025
Pays you to moveNo programNo programOfficial program pages, October 2026

Which one fits you

Pick Chattanooga if you want

  • Lower rent
  • Lower everyday prices
  • Lower housing and rent costs
  • Cooler summers
  • A shorter commute
Cost of living in Chattanooga

Pick Huntsville if you want

  • Lower home prices
  • A smaller monthly payment
  • More space for the money
  • Milder winters
Cost of living in Huntsville

More comparisons

Chattanooga vs Huntsville: questions people ask

Is Chattanooga or Huntsville cheaper?

Huntsville has the lower median listed home ($364,900 against $395,000, Realtor.com via FRED). On a mortgage for each median home that is about $165 a month less in principal and interest. Everyday prices: 91.5 in Chattanooga, 93.1 in Huntsville (BEA, 2024, US = 100).

Which has milder winters, Chattanooga or Huntsville?

Huntsville. January lows average 32.4°F in Chattanooga and 33.1°F in Huntsville (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).

What changes if I move from Chattanooga to Huntsville?

The monthly payment on the median listed home goes from $2,171 to $2,005, and a salary of $100,000 in Chattanooga buys what about $101,758 buys in Huntsville (Realtor.com via FRED; BEA regional price parities, 2024). Moving the other way, from Huntsville to Chattanooga, reverses both numbers.

Is it better to live in Chattanooga or Huntsville?

Chattanooga comes out ahead on lower rent, lower everyday prices, lower housing and rent costs. Huntsville comes out ahead on lower home prices, a smaller monthly payment, more space for the money. The right one depends on which of those matters most to your household.

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Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026.
  2. 2Monthly mortgage: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Census table
  4. 4Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, compared with the US average. Everyday price bars run from 75 to 135 and housing bars from 40 to 160, where the US average is 100.
  5. 5Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals.
  6. 6Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  7. 7Net move-ins: US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025.
  8. 8Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Census table
  9. 9Incentives: official program pages, October 2026.
Sources for this page