Hamilton County, Tennessee: commercial real estate data.
Hamilton County, Tennessee had an estimated 386,256 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 366,837, across 542 square miles. County output reached $37.28 bn in 2024, 9,883 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 283 7(a) approvals worth $200.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Hamilton County
How many people live in Hamilton County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024376,192
- Households154,181
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$76,183
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,253 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$312,800
- Home value to household income4.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher37.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over265,105
- Population under 1879,311
- Share under 1821.1 percent
- Population 65 and over69,086
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64227,795
- Civilian labor force195,869
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.0 percent
- Rank by population among Tennessee counties4th of 95
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included199th of 3,222
Hamilton County is the 4th largest of 95 Tennessee counties by population. A median home costs 4.1 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.1 percent against 18.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Hamilton County
Is Hamilton County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024386,256
- Census 2020 base population366,837
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.29 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,984
- Births, 20244,438
- Deaths, 20243,979
- Natural change, 2024459
- Net domestic migration, 20243,073
- Net international migration, 20241,428
- Total net migration, 20244,501
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202413,378
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents494th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.29 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Hamilton County
Where are people moving to Hamilton County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving10,871
- People arriving, from those returns19,031
- Tax returns filed by households leaving8,868
- Net household movement2,003
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.01 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$410.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$92,528
- Average income of a leaving household$67,158
- Largest single originCatoosa County (605 households)
- Largest single destinationCatoosa County (735 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catoosa County | 605 | 1,090 | $32.2 m |
| Bradley County | 573 | 987 | $35.2 m |
| Walker County | 418 | 756 | $27.5 m |
| Davidson County | 296 | 472 | $30.8 m |
| Knox County | 236 | 348 | $13.6 m |
| Whitfield County | 163 | 283 | $18.3 m |
| Rhea County | 161 | 282 | $9.3 m |
| Rutherford County | 158 | 268 | $9.5 m |
Households arriving report $25,370 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Catoosa County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Hamilton County
What is the Hamilton County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$37.28 bn
- County GDP, 2023$36.08 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.3 percent
- GDP change over five years33.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Tennessee areas BEA publishes5th of 95
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes160th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$99,096
Output grew 3.3 percent in the latest year and 33.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Hamilton County
Employment by industry in Hamilton County
- Covered employment, annual average221,207
- Establishments reporting13,611
- Average annual pay$66,004
- Average weekly wage$1,269
- Health care and social assistance, employment33,683
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$68,413
- Manufacturing, employment29,368
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$75,036
- Accommodation and food services, employment21,738
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,797
- Retail trade, employment21,086
- Retail trade, average annual pay$39,123
- Transportation and warehousing, employment14,795
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment14,007
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 33,683 | 1,500 | $68,413 |
| Manufacturing | 29,368 | 626 | $75,036 |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,738 | 1,086 | $25,797 |
| Retail trade | 21,086 | 1,568 | $39,123 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14,795 | 426 | $73,402 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 14,007 | 743 | $45,218 |
| Finance and insurance | 12,124 | 838 | $103,202 |
| Construction | 11,806 | 1,000 | $80,558 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 33,683 jobs, 15.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Hamilton County
How many businesses are in Hamilton County?
- Establishments, all industries9,883
- Employment at those establishments205,761
- Annual payroll$11.69 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Hamilton County
Building permits in Hamilton County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,130
- Declared construction value permitted$397.6 m
- Single family units authorized1,537
- Multifamily units authorized593
- Multifamily share of units27.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$186,647
- Units authorized per 1,000 households13.8
Single-family homes are 72.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Hamilton County
SBA loans in Hamilton County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded283
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$200.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$708,878
- Median 7(a) approval$296,900
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,122,560
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,810
- Jobs per approval9.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active73
- Distinct industries receiving approvals121
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms47
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter215
- Franchise loans91
- Franchise share of approvals32.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (14)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (45)
- 504 approvals recorded82
- 504 gross approval dollars$71.1 m
- Average 504 approval$867,488
- Median 504 approval$483,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval12.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.9
- Most active CDCBrightbridge, Inc. (78)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$271.7 m
The average approval of $708,878 sits well above the median of $296,900, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hamilton County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Hamilton County
Do SBA loans in Hamilton County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded46
- Paid in full41
- Charged off5
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans10.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure179
- Status: Paid in full41
- Status: Cancelled45
- Status: Charged off5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed13
Of the 46 loans that have reached a final outcome, 10.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hamilton County
SBA lending by place in Hamilton County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending11
- Chattanooga, approvals200
- Ooltewah, approvals33
- Hixson, approvals25
- Signal Mountain, approvals11
- East Ridge, approvals3
- Birchwood, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | 200 | $154,914,700 |
| Ooltewah | 33 | $9,901,800 |
| Hixson | 25 | $25,399,900 |
| Signal Mountain | 11 | $2,726,100 |
| East Ridge | 3 | $4,357,400 |
| Birchwood | 2 | $1,986,000 |
| Collegedale | 2 | $740,000 |
| Harrison | 2 | $316,500 |
| 3 other borrower cities | 5 | $270,000 |
Chattanooga accounts for 200 approvals against 33 in Ooltewah. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hamilton County
How large is Hamilton County?
- Land area542 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Tennessee counties27th of 95
- Width, east to west29.9 mi
- Height, north to south32.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary10
- Residents per square mile of land694
- Establishments per square mile18.23
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Hamilton County
Flood risk in Hamilton County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Hamilton County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 470071
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Hamilton County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Hamilton County (community 470071), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Hamilton County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Hamilton County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Hamilton County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024376,192
- Households154,181
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$76,183
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Hamilton County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Hamilton County, Tennessee?
The Census Bureau estimates 386,256 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 376,192, in 154,181 households, ranking 4th of 95 Tennessee counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Hamilton County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.29 percent since the 2020 census base of 366,837, to 386,256 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 4,438 births against 3,979 deaths, with net migration of 4,501. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Hamilton County?
$76,183. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $312,800, which is 4.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,253 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Hamilton County?
9,883 establishments, employing 205,761 people with an annual payroll of $11.69 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Hamilton County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 33,683 jobs, 15.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 221,207 jobs at an average annual pay of $66,004, or $1,269 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Hamilton County?
283 7(a) approvals totaling $200.6 m since FY2020, across 73 lenders, with a median approval of $296,900, plus 82 504 approvals worth $71.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Hamilton County get paid back?
Of the 46 loans that have reached a final outcome, 41 were paid in full and 5 charged off, a charge-off rate of 10.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Hamilton County?
2,130 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $397.6 m. Multifamily was 27.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Hamilton County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Hamilton County come from?
The largest single origin is Catoosa County, with 605 households. Arriving households report an average income of $92,528 against $67,158 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Hamilton County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Hamilton County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Hamilton County
Cities and places in Hamilton.
19 Census places lie wholly or partly in Hamilton County. All 19 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | city | 185,783 | 200 | Wholly in this county |
| East Ridge | city | 22,070 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Soddy-Daisy | city | 13,231 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Middle Valley | CDP | 12,187 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Red Bank | city | 12,010 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Collegedale | city | 11,330 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Signal Mountain | town | 8,860 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Harrison | CDP | 8,011 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Apison | CDP | 4,271 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Sale Creek | CDP | 2,955 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Falling Water | CDP | 2,315 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lakesite | city | 2,168 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lookout Mountain | town | 2,111 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fairmount | CDP | 2,110 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Walden | town | 1,845 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mowbray Mountain | CDP | 1,721 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Flat Top Mountain | CDP | 1,004 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ridgeside | city | 879 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ooltewah | CDP | 578 | 33 | Wholly in this county |
A further 29 of the county's 283 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Hamilton County, the largest being Hixson (25), Birchwood (2), Mc Donald (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.