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Chattanooga, GA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Chattanooga, GA is $1,390 per month, ranking #244 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $68,666, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 24.3% of income on housing. Rent in Chattanooga has increased 12.8% year over year. The area has a population of 569K, with 31.7% of households renting.

24.3%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,390
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$68,666
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,084
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+12.8%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
569K
Population
Census ACS
31.7%
Renters
of occupied housing
$246,000
Median Home Value
9.6%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
12.7%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,211
Studio
$1,263
1 Bedroom
$1,390
2 Bedroom
$1,734
3 Bedroom
$1,853
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Chattanooga, GA, a household earning the area median income of $68,666 would spend 24.3% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$55,600
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$27
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,084
$306 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+65.9% since 2021
$8382021$8832022$1,0672023$1,2322024$1,4262025$1,3902026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Georgia is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 147.5 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Chattanooga is 12.7%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
147.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
12.7%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Chattanooga is $246,000. At a median income of $68,666, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.6x. 9.6% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,722 est. mortgage
vs $1,390 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
9.6%
of housing units

Other Areas in Georgia

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
$1,820/mo
2BR FMR · 25.3% burden
Savannah
$1,680/mo
2BR FMR · 27% burden
Gainesville
$1,514/mo
2BR FMR · 23.5% burden
Morgan County
$1,442/mo
2BR FMR · 20.2% burden
Hinesville
$1,406/mo
2BR FMR · 28% burden

Compare Chattanooga

vs Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAvs Savannah, GAvs Gainesville, GA

Areas With Similar Rent to Chattanooga

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Chattanooga, GA is $1,390 per month. A studio is $1,211/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,263/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,734/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,084/mo.

Chattanooga has a rent burden of 24.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $68,666 would spend 24.3% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $55,600.

Chattanooga's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,390/mo is $140 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Chattanooga ranks #244 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Chattanooga without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $55,600, or a full-time hourly wage of $27/hour. The area median income is $68,666.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Chattanooga increased by 12.8% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.