Rental market data · 2024 Census estimates

Chattanooga, TN-GA rental yield and cash flow

In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro, the median owner-occupied home was valued at $324,500 and the median gross rent was $1,265 a month in 2024. That is a gross rent yield of 4.68%, rank 61 of the 100 largest metros we track.

$324,500Median home value (±$8,501)

$1,265Median gross rent / mo (±$41)

4.68%Gross rent yield

21.4Price-to-rent ratio

0.55%Median taxes ÷ median value

33%Renter-occupied homes

0.39%Monthly rent ÷ price (1% rule)

0.59MMetro population

Does the median home cash flow at today's rate?

We priced a hypothetical rental at the metro medians: $324,500 purchase, $1,265 rent, 25% down, a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac's 30-year average for the week of October 1, 2026), $1,785 in annual property taxes, insurance at 0.5% of price, and 5% vacancy, 10% repairs and 8% management.

At these assumptions the median-priced home runs about $975 a month short of covering its costs (DSCR 0.41). Rent would need to reach about $2,531, 100% above the median, to break even, or the price would need to be near $120,812 for a 1.25 DSCR. Net operating income is about $8,281 a year, a 2.55% cap rate, against $19,982 of annual debt service.

Investment-property loans usually price above the owner-occupant average this survey reports, and your insurance quote, tax bill and rent will differ from a metro median. Change any input below.

Run your own numbers for Chattanooga

Analyze a real Chattanooga listing freeSave up to five deals in a free account.

How Chattanooga compares

Metros with the nearest gross yields among the 100 we track. * Cash flow uses the same assumptions as above.

Rank	Metro	Median value	Median rent	Gross yield	Price-to-rent	Cash flow / mo*
58	Charleston, SC	$430,300	$1,714	4.78%	20.9	-$1,217
59	Charlotte, NC-SC	$400,400	$1,594	4.78%	20.9	-$1,207
60	Hartford, CT	$367,100	$1,458	4.77%	21.0	-$1,446
61	Chattanooga, TN-GA	$324,500	$1,265	4.68%	21.4	-$975
62	Kiryas Joel, NY	$434,900	$1,688	4.66%	21.5	-$1,789
63	Phoenix, AZ	$470,600	$1,819	4.64%	21.6	-$1,367
64	Las Vegas, NV	$451,000	$1,739	4.63%	21.6	-$1,343

What these numbers leave out

Census gross rent includes utilities when the tenant pays them, so it can overstate what a landlord collects. Median value describes owner-occupied homes, not the rental stock, and a metro median hides wide neighborhood differences. Treat this page as a screen, then underwrite the specific property.

Sources

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25064 (median gross rent)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25077 (median value, owner-occupied housing units)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25103 (median real estate taxes paid)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25003 (housing tenure)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B01003 (total population)
Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (30-year fixed average, week of October 1, 2026)

Data snapshot October 7, 2026. Methodology: all metros.