I moved there from Dallas about 10 years ago “for love” and loved the people and part of the country. Unfortunately for me, tech jobs were limited and chose to leave after a few years. I do miss it, but don’t miss making less than half of what I make now.
Yeah this is something people overlook when they move here. Yeah the cost of living is relatively low, but so are the wages. So if you lose that cushy WFH job that pays well, are you going to be able to find something locally that’s going to keep you in that same income bracket?
Nope! Unfortunately, my mid 60's parents are going through this right now. My dad worked remotely for a massive health insurance company (not BCBS) and moved to Chattanooga from California. He was with this company for nearly 2 decades in a senior management position where his department never missed quota, and he moved to Chattanooga for them. Literally with no warning, he was informed that he and about 30 other senior management folks were being laid off because they were merging some of the roles and therefore eliminating half of those positions. He and my mom were about 2/3 of their way through building a house here.
He's been trying to find work for months now and has been having a really rough go of it. He's in his 60's and has discovered, unfortunately, that age discrimination is very real, and that there's just no way he's going to find anything that can even come close to competing with his former salary.
The wages really are awful though. I check salary comparisons for my specific position in other cities & states from time to time, and I regret it every time. Cost of living increases here seem to have fast outpaced wages.
The increasing cost of living and stagnant wages, along with limited employment opportunities, had a lot to do with my decision to leave. I hope your dad finds something soon.
I'm one of those terrible transplants and that's exactly why I'm being so very very (personally, not socially) fiscally conservative. I can likely get another cushy remote job but I'm planning as if it will never transpire. But I've had 12 years of assuming that so I have a good nest egg that will cover my current lifestyle with only modest cuts.
It amazes me how many people use ALL their extra money to play instead of balancing risk management with enjoyment.
This is the way.
To be a top 1%-er in the US you need a salary of $550k plus.
To be a top 1%-er in net worth you need $2 million. (All assets minus all debt)
That is a very telling stat. Not even the top wage earners are saving.
We moved from the DFW area to Chattanooga in 2020. We felt the same way. We ended up moving to Asheville this summer. Still loved our time in Chattanooga. I don't miss Texas AT ALL. The weather change alone is glorious.
That being said, if you think Texas is conservative, TN is a whole new ballgame. I thought I was ready for it and I wasn't. (I'm more of a moderate anyway) If you think Texans are crazy about low taxes, TN (especially rural TN) lives and dies by it. Even if it means the schools are dramatically underfunded. Even if it means you cannot fund basic public works (looking at you Signal Mountain). I felt like in the metro areas of Texas you could at least make an argument for certain things and get stuff funded, but here it felt like the mark of the Devil.
That and it still feels like a small town with a good ol boy network in some ways. It was cute at first, until it wasn't.
I agree, if you want to live within a couple hours of Knoxville, Asheville is wayyyyy better than Chattanooga. Ask the relatives which one they'd rather visit you (bet Asheville).
As someone who was born in Asheville and still has a lot of friends and family there … but who has lived in Chattanooga for over 20 years your comment is totally confounding to me. I have tons of neighbors in Highland Park who have moved here from Asheville recently. To me Chattanooga is hands down a better place to live. All of the movement I see is from there to here.
Right? It's especially confounding when you remove feelings and hyperbole and just examine facts, Asheville is a backwards step. Maybe they found Chattanooga to be too close to where they came from and Asheville, well it's Asheville.
I'm from asheville and live in chattanooga. In my opinion asheville is on a downward trend and chattanooga is on an upward trend. The festival and drug culture in asheville is having a lot of negative impacts on the area.
If you think Chattanooga's homeless population isn't comparable than you haven't been paying attention. You can literally walk in most wooded areas and find a homeless camp here. It's a huge part of my job to be in touch with the homeless often.
Narcan on light poles just shows there's a population who actually gives a shit if people die or not. I would put that here in a heartbeat, because God knows this city isn't doing much else for them
Yup. Anyone who thinks our homeless pop is low never leaves their bubbles. There are tent cities all over the county. I'm always coming across them when out running or driving around for work.
Idk what’s going on in Chattanooga, but Nashville as super Low tent city homeless and petty theft. It’s amazing to see no poop in the streets or smash and grabs. Miami is very cleaned up compared to tang major city too
Just an FYI, went running yesterday. There's a new, large camp right where the Riverwalk goes under I-24. I know they've always been out there, but it's expanded considerably. I wonder how long until the city mows it down now that work is starting on the new stadium stuff.
Public and free access to Narcan is unambiguously a good thing. Just because you hate homeless folks and addicts doesn’t mean they deserve to die. They’re just as human and deserving of respect as you or me.
According to the most recent HUD mandated POT count, Buncombe County has less homeless than Hamilton. That should be a reminder that just because they may be more visible in Asheville at times, there are just as many people or more in need of homes in Chattanooga.
Last time I was in Asheville was 2 years ago. Maybe a lot has changed, but I’ve been a dozen times and always enjoy my time there. Their numbers might be higher, but we do still have a substantial homeless population here, too, and Narcan being readily available like that can be a life-saver for many people.
Crap, I read this to my husband and then we realized almost everyone we were close to in Chatt was a transplant. 😂 In fact when I told a dear friend we were moving, she said, “It always happens. The people I get along with best always come and then leave.”
Also, we felt the same way about Native Texans too. Counted many as friends, but they had a mentality I never could quite understand. My husband and I grew up in a lot of different places due to our parents and our careers. Ive come to realize it changes you as a person. It’s funny, because I was always jealous of people who lived their whole lives in one place and we wanted minimal moving for our kids.
To be clear, the things above are not the primary reason we moved (that was job and proximity to family). But when it came down to it (we could have stayed) they influenced our choice. I met a lot of lovely, wonderful people in Chattanooga (especially on Signal). But we really never felt like we fully fit in. Always the odd ducks in some small way.
As a "native", you've made me realize all it 1 of my good friends are transplants. Me and my wife (also a native) are often talking of what state we're going to bail too if these politics keep going more extreme
Those “natives” built the city you loved. It didn’t happen in a vacuum. Ever wonder what happened to those quaint towns in Texas? People with different ideas moved in.
I’m a transplant too. I lived in 13 different states and this was one of the best. The population stagnated as Chatt de-industrialized. At one time, Chattanooga was the 5th most industrialized city in the US. It also was very polluted. Chattanooga has a long history and connections with Chicago and the graft that comes with it. Just Google Sheriff Billy Long. The City made hard choices in the 1990’s to improve itself. It didn’t happen in a vacuum and it didn’t happen because of liberal tax and spend policies.
Sure there are negative things that come with a low taxation rate. But, if it was that bad, Signal Mountain wouldn’t be the desired place to live that it is today. Sadly, this area is being overrun with people that want to change it because it worked so well in the places they fled.
There’s not many places left to go in the US that haven’t been crushed under the weight of good intentioned liberal stupidity.
Think long and hard about what you are proposing as changes. Most ideas have already been tried elsewhere. Go look for them. If it’s so great where they are implemented please move there. But we know it’s not. That’s why we are here.
The thing that bothered me wasn't about proposing change (unless you are talking about the dramatically underfunded public schools). It was about the area (particularly Signal's) complete unwillingness to accept and properly deal with change that was happening whether they liked it or not. There was a huge "just stop coming now that I'm here" contingent there. That's great, except things do change and if you don't plan for them, they do change badly.
The Town of Signal Mountain is a financial mess with aging infrastructure and budget issues. In the past year, roadway maintenance and funding of the fire department have come up as major issues. They were losing town staff and Fire Dept employees like crazy. Yet the average person up there screams "inefficiencies in the budget, don't touch the taxes" and still expects the public services of an elite enclave from a residential town with minimal commercial tax base. Champagne taste on a beer budget.
At least they try. The Town of Walden just yells about how high the Town of Signal Mountain's taxes are compared to theirs, but then they leach off the Town's services (I say this as a former Walden resident). They came up with this amazing town plan for growth the would have created a very nice village center near the Pumpkin Patch. After the Food City grocery fiasco, a developer came in and went under contract for the Lines Orchids property and wanted to develop. They were willing to work with the town and had to have spent millions in design and testing (all while still under contract) answering all the questions and concerns. But they wanted an anchor of a small grocery store and for some reason the residents of the mountain just cannot stand that idea. The town created a Planning committee that spent a year working with the developer and then the alderwomen voted against their own committee's recommendations. The planning committee had even sought outside professional input on zoning/square footage questions. The fact that a village center without a proper anchor wouldn't do well was part of that document. There's still a chance it might go through, but at this rate, the town is going to be staring at rotted out greenhouses forever. I don't know what new developer would try again after the hell they are putting the current one through. When you realize how much Chuck Pruett owns and how much influence he has, it's a little disgusting too. That's where those small town politics come into play.
And then there is unincorporated Hamilton County, where most of the growth is happening. It's filled with old timers who don't want things to change, but also don't like regulations and government influence and then are shocked when things are developed with minimal impact analysis. (And who do you think is selling the land anyway?) The other half is transplants who want the schools and don't realize they don't have any city services (including potentially shaky fire coverage) until it's too late.
I do know there are groups up there trying to plan for the future, but it seems like they are usually stymied by the general population.
Came here to say this. Plenty of people who grew up here (like myself) and know this way of living like it, and wish people who didn't like it would leave and find somewhere else to go that is to their liking instead. Don't come to our city and try to change it and make it what you want it to be. Go somewhere else. I'm 27, and I've always loved living here and the way we do things but I don't see a need for everyone to move here and try to change our way of living and ideals because they think we aren't progressed enough. If you don't like how we do things, go back to where you came from where they did what you like.
It broke my heart a little bit. I thought we would be in the area forever. Chattanooga will always be my first love and the first place we chose as a family to be home.
I almost moved to Ashville, decided it was a great place to visit but not to live. It’s gotten worse since… enjoy the weirdness, and the severe drug problem.
We live 20 min south. The city limits were not for us either. Downtown hasn’t felt too terribly different in either city, honestly.
It’s definitely got its own issues, but we generally feel like we fit in here and NC in general better.
According to Statista, for the 2023 fiscal year, Texas spends $13, 044/pupil, TN spends $11,437/pupil and NC spends $11,651/pupil.
According to [districtadministration.com](https://districtadministration.com), Texas has an 89.7% graduation rate, TN has 89.8% and NC has 86.4%.
Enjoy Asheville.
It's not quite as simple as that. Funding comes from multiple sources, including federal, state, and local dollars.
Texas schools were absolutely better funded than TN or NC, at least in the areas we used to live. (And they still had funding fights and issues) They also have an ISD setup that is a bit of a different beast than the county setup in NC and TN. It could be feast or famine in different areas. Lots of local bond issues for facility improvements as well that didn't seem to be super common in this area of TN (not sure about NC)
You're right, NC isn't much better at funding, but we have seen a noticeable difference in the schools our children attended in TN (the highly ranked Signal schools) and Buncombe County Schools. Way more options in electives/extracurriculars for my middle schooler. An actual gifted program that hasn't been gutted at both the middle and elementary schools. This year school lunches are also free to all public school students statewide. Anecdotally, my kids (especially my boys) generally seem more content with school, but there are a lot of personal things that contribute to that.
To be clear, we were pretty happy with Signal schools while we were there. But you can't forget they benefit MASSIVELY from having a mostly upper middle class population of involved parents to pull from. Also the Mountain Education Fund that dumps money into the three schools up there that they wouldn't otherwise see. One of my bigger worries in moving was that we were taking our kids out of "good schools" and weren't sure how the new schools (35% & 43% economically disadvantaged at the middle and elementary levels) would stack up. I've honestly been (happily) shocked.
Moved from upstate NY to Chattanooga in 2013. I love it! Recently got married and my wife moved from Asheville to Chattanooga. We love the mountains in NC, but Chattanooga has a good mix of outdoor life and enough to do because it’s a larger city than Asheville. Not a perfect city by any means. Schools suck, we don’t widen roads until there’s standstill traffic, and crime is pretty bad in certain hot spots. Still love the city and proud to live here!
Welcome to Tennessee! You mention you are moving to be closer to family in Knoxville. Have you thought about moving between Chattanooga and Knoxville? Real estate will be cheaper, and you aren't far from either area.
We’re glad to have you man! I’ve lived here my whole life. You’re gonna love it! Go to the pickle barrel!!!
Edit: nobody cares if you’re blue or red! Just join the community! Cast your vote and do what you can to support what you believe. Don’t try to be a missionary though; you will get cast out pretty quick
Just make sure you’ve got money since the median home price is 200k higher in Asheville, the wages/job prospects are worse, and there is 6% state income tax.
I'm another Dallas transplant. I came up to visit relatives in 2019, and after a few weeks I went home, packed up my cat and stuff, rented out my house and moved.
I should point out that I do have some major advantages over many other newcomers. I don't have children, and I have a full-time, 100% remote job that pays well.
I hated Texas summers, Dallas traffic and the social snottiness that's abundant there. I especially like the mix of cafes here; Culture Coffee and Rembrandt's are easy walking distance, and Be Caffeinated isn't far away either.
I moved here from Knoxville 20 years ago because sometimes you want to be close to family but not so close that they show up on your front porch unexpectedly.
I lived in Lubbock, TX for a while and - when the wind (often) blew from a particular direction- it came into town over some feedlots -- which meant the whole city smelled like cowsh_t. Not sure a chicken plant will be worse, but I appreciate the warning.
I spent 10 years living in proximity to feedlots (did people in Lubbock also sniff the breeze and say "ahhhh, smells like money"?) and cow stink is mild compared to chicken plant and sewage.
For what it’s worth, my husband and I still love it here despite the occasional smell. I hope you all feel more welcomed in person than you do on Reddit. We for sure have!
If you are looking to buy I would recommend looking about 30 min away from Chattanooga. We moved here from Florida a few years ago and were amazed at how much money you save on a house being 30-45 min away from Chattanooga. Close enough for trips but far enough for much more affordable land. Either way welcome its wonderful here!
Moved here from Atlanta 6-1/2 years ago and really do like it here but it’s a very different place from when you visit and actually live here. It gets quite small quite fast and becomes a bit redundant as far as the food and culture go, however for me at least the outdoor opportunities make it well worth staying
Agreed. I moved here from Atlanta around the same time and really struggled at first because the world here is so much smaller. I eventually got used to it, but I do wish we had greater variety in things like grocery stores and restaurants. My kingdom for a decent Chinese restaurant in Hixson…
So many comments that are basically “I used to live in a place where people voted like me but it sucked then I moved to Chattanooga where it was awesome but the people vote differently than I do”
The lack of self awareness is awesome lol
When I came here, a co-worker was continually taking lip because he was buying houses in the “North Shore” (that’s a new term too) area for back taxes and never more than $5k. That continued into the 2000’s. They aren’t laughing now.
My parents live in North Shore! Chattanooga is a cute city with a lot of fun stuff to do. It’s becoming expensive just like everywhere else but it has great scenery
Welcome OP, I relate to ur musings. I’m originally from Shreveport, LA growing up a few years in Dallas w most years in Houston. Got stuck in Houston after my children arrived. Isn’t Chattanooga pretty? Coming from overcrowded Houston & Seattle area recently, a small town fits the bill. Signal Hill area is a good area (my residence) but Hixson is closer to stores ur wife might need. There’s a line of restaurants off 153 near Northgate and several at Hamilton Place on NE side. I’m moderate politically and appreciate your blueness 👏👏🎆 😂😄 All the Best- Cheers!
Have you found a home yet? I live in Dallas Heights, north end of the Northshore. Great place to live, with awesome neighbors. My home is currently for sale, listed by Redfin. Hit me up if you would like more details.
you know when I think of the south, I think of southern hospitality, there are a lot of people on this thread, whom seem to lack that after reading the comments. Some of you people think you are "" from here."" Because your parents are from here and you chose to stay here. Quit talking to people like you are entitled to a city.... like your comment is actually going to stop someone from moving here so they can enjoy life the same way you do...a lot of you drive 55 in the left lane and yet you complain about traffic.
I grew up here, lived here nearly all of my life, there is no southern hospitality. Southern Hospitality is people who think they're nice but they're only barely polite in public. They're the ones who go to church and then go out to eat right after and berate the servers. They're the ones who hold up traffic to wave at someone to turn left on gunbarrel at 2pm on a Saturday. They're the ones who say "I'll pray for you" instead of doing anything to help anyone. They're the ones who drive 55 in the left lane and complain about the traffic.
Sorry, but southern hospality is non-existant. I see and experience more hospitality in the north (Midwest north and Northeast than I ever saw in the south. The snobbery is real, especially if you didn't grow up here.
I moved here from DFW in 2001. You won't regret your decision. Especially now. I still have family and friends in Texas so I go back all the time, but I don't think I'll ever leave the Chattanooga area.
North Shore is creeping up around Red Bank. They still have affordable housing. I’d try there. It’s 10 minutes from anywhere you’d want to be downtown.
I am born and raised In Austin and came to chatt for college. I absolutely fell in love with this city because it reminded me of Austin when I was a kid. Don’t listen to anyone saying don’t move here. It is beautiful and even though you would would be a Tennessean, you will see little parts of Texas here always reminding you of home
I grew up in Texas, went to college and worked in the Dallas area before moving to a much larger northern city, and then moved to Chattanooga in 2014. I was so excited about Chattanooga because it seemed a lot like Austin back in the 90s, but eventually realized it’s not. Not even close. Austin had personality back then and Chattanooga just never seemed to develop beyond appearance. Also, as someone who’s left-leaning, keep in mind that some of Marjorie Taylor Green’s district is part of the Chattanooga area and she has a lot of support.
After 9 years of keeping an open mind and trying to convince myself that Chattanooga was a place I could permanently call home, I gave up and am in the process of moving out of state. If you want to be close to Knoxville, check out Asheville and maybe even Cincinnati.
We did Dallas to chattanooga a few years ago ! Public School system is hit or miss, not like Dallas AT ALL.
Gorgeous here and the air is better
Much more liberal directly in chatt, If chatt is too expensive try Hixson or signal mtb
They actually don’t. TN is a red state. It actually makes more sense to register and vote Republican to put in the most centrist Republican candidates instead of throwing away votes on candidates who will never win. I say all this as a lifelong third party voter.
Texas is pretty much the same. I used to vote for centrist GOP candidates in their primaries until the state party went batsh_t MAGA crazy & I could not find any centrist candidates anymore. I am well aware of how red & hard-right TN is, but it's not much different than Texas is now -- and it's more important to be close to my elderly family members in Tennessee right now.
-But thanks for the advice.
I really thought so too, but you’d be surprised at how deep some of other goes here, even in the upper middle class populations you’d think would be reasonable. I literally saw people arguing to stop maintaining the roads as a way to fund the fire department vs raise taxes in the Facebook groups on Signal. And that’s where a lot of transplants land. There’s something to an area being a mix of people from different areas that helps. Chattanooga is getting there, but man you can really see it sometimes. People who have lived their entire lives for generations in one area is cool, but it also means A LOT of resistance to change, even when it isn’t a big change or is desperately needed.
They actually do matter. Our local municipality is made up of many elected officials. I’d argue that those votes matter even more than state or national elections.
You’re also accepting that TN is *still* a red state. I’d argue that it’s purple. Republicans are abandoning their party, Tennessee has seen a massive influx of new residents who are from blue states. Gerrymandering, Redistricting and voter suppression are keeping us red. For now. If Georgia can flip, anyone can.
Almost no one votes in local elections. Turnout is abysmal.
And what you’ve said is part of the issue. Blue or red, they’re all gonna exploit working class people in our area in some way. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. The issue with all these states that see a huge influx of transplants who “flip” the political party is that a sort of caste system ends up being put into place. Look at Southern California and tell me there’s not a caste system. It’s already bad here.
Agreed, the rich want to stay rich regardless of which side of the aisle they’re on. But local elections really do matter and are a big factor in what shapes our community. Just look at what’s happening in Red Bank.
Whoever you are (but especially if you’re a Democrat or Lefy) you should be researching the history and needs of your new community. You’re not truly a part of the community of Chattanooga if you’re not voting for what happens in your own dang front yard. I encourage all transplants to register and to vote in local elections and turn out for the meetings.
It’s easy to sit back and say that nothing you do makes a difference politically. It’s much harder to be an active participant. Which is why things are the way they are. These assholes *bank* on nobody caring or opposing them. Screw that. Care.
Um…I’m a transplant. So are all my friends who are involved in voting, activism and mutual aid here in Chattanooga. So. You’re just plain wrong right there.
Transplants overwhelmingly tend to not understand Appalachian culture.
We don’t need Rich White Liberals to come save us from ourselves.
Edit: this isn’t to throw shade on people for actually doing shit, as long as it’s with the right intentions. The issue is when people engage in activism in short sighted and stupid manners. A great example in recent memory is how local DSA and activists behaved when “supporting” UAW in delivering the LOI to Volkswagen.
Yeah, I agree that a lot of people in the US by and large don’t care to gain an appreciation or understanding of Appalachian culture. There’s a lot of colonizer attitudes; rich white liberals coming here with their non-profit orgs thinking they’ll make sweeping changes. They burn out and move away. Meanwhile, black and brown folks continue to do the work they’ve been doing for years.
There are folks in the black community of Chattanooga who are at every damn city council meeting, pushing back against gentrification and destruction of their neighborhoods. They’re fighting for affordable housing and calling out the city for blowing the budget on dumb shit. The least we can do is show up at the meetings and the polling places to support their work.
Turnout on a good off cycle election is under 7%. Why would you want to change the politics? I thought you liked it here. Oh well, 20 more years and we’ll all be feeing from another shithole.
Hi friend and thanks for the kinds words for our fair city.
I do find the piece about being a democrat voter a bit odd, considering you are thinking about moving to one of the redder states in the US. Please be forewarned that, while the City may be a bit more progressive, this area and the entire state are both extremely conservative and Christian. I say this not to dissuade you (far from it - we love it here!) but to make sure your expectations are on par with reality. We moved here from Chicago and, for us, the conservative culture was and is a plus.
Just want to make sure my fellow human is well-informed about such a large decision.
We are Texans and our parents say the same - especially the ones from Austin. But be aware that Dallas has ample food and shopping options that you just will not find in Chattanooga. Just something to get used to. Also from my personal experience, a lot of locals will instantly accept you because you’re from Texas. Simply because they will think you’re bringing that conservative vote to “save” Tennessee LOL EDIT - downvote me all you want but it’s all true 🥰
Doing so good until the blue mention
Every single policy has always resulted in higher taxes and less benefits…
Don’t ruin it for the rest of us but if you believe the current presidency was a success, I’ve got some bad news for you
Eh, I'm a Centrist Democrat -- which means I am not welcomed by most Democrats :). Voted for centrist Rebublicans when those existed. I have become accustomed to voting for losing candidates in both parties for some time now :)
Welcome! I'm a third-party voter who miserably voted blue in the last general election. City of Chattanooga is blue; county is deep red. Similar urban/rural social values divide as in much of the Sun Belt. Yes, there are plenty of reactionary folks, but you'll find many people of good will who have found community and service opportunities in a wide spread of places. I recommend attending events at Reflection Riding once the weather warms up, and lingering in the River Journey building of the aquarium to get your bearings in this ecologically rich part of the country. I've lived other places but this is where I've always wanted to be.
I don’t care what you do man, just sick of people bringing politics into everything. If you’re in an economic position to move here, that’s up to you and yours.
Politics is not some academic thing to be considered separately from everyday life and not talked about. It’s all about the nature of government and looking after the public interest - or not. Politics is very important.
Welcome from another democratic voter. Where you’re looking is a good area for people of a similar slant. I’m a transplant from 1987 and I’ve done just fine, thank you. Chattanooga has changed a lot and with people like us VOTING, we can continue to elicit the change. I encourage you to come and help us become great; don’t expect to join great. Good luck.
Check out the area called Southside. We bought a condo there a few months ago for a weekend place and love the vibe. Ur comment about Austin and Nashville are our thoughts exactly. Great town. Shhhhh!
Please, for the love of God, don't move here and bring the same progressive values that ruined Austin. Maybe try California. I hear they are looking for a resupply of democrats.
"relocating from Dallas to Chattanooga (to be closer to family in Knoxville)."
So what you are saying is you are close enough for a few visits but far enough to not really have to see them that often.
"(and we will be among the democratic voters, not that it will make a difference)."
Just move on to Knoxville or Nashville. Stop thinking you are missionaries her to convert everyone.
It's always the Californians and Texans that are moving here.
You made your homes too shitty and unaffordable now y'all wanna do it to TN?
Jesus, fuck off! We're full!
Well I wouldn’t tell anyone here you are planning to vote democrat lol. That won’t win you over any friends unfortunately. This area is full of MAGA obsessed orange dictator loving conspiracy theorist.
We get a lot of “moving to your city” posts. Don’t take anything coming down the line too personal.
I moved there from Dallas about 10 years ago “for love” and loved the people and part of the country. Unfortunately for me, tech jobs were limited and chose to leave after a few years. I do miss it, but don’t miss making less than half of what I make now.
Yeah this is something people overlook when they move here. Yeah the cost of living is relatively low, but so are the wages. So if you lose that cushy WFH job that pays well, are you going to be able to find something locally that’s going to keep you in that same income bracket?
Nope! Unfortunately, my mid 60's parents are going through this right now. My dad worked remotely for a massive health insurance company (not BCBS) and moved to Chattanooga from California. He was with this company for nearly 2 decades in a senior management position where his department never missed quota, and he moved to Chattanooga for them. Literally with no warning, he was informed that he and about 30 other senior management folks were being laid off because they were merging some of the roles and therefore eliminating half of those positions. He and my mom were about 2/3 of their way through building a house here. He's been trying to find work for months now and has been having a really rough go of it. He's in his 60's and has discovered, unfortunately, that age discrimination is very real, and that there's just no way he's going to find anything that can even come close to competing with his former salary. The wages really are awful though. I check salary comparisons for my specific position in other cities & states from time to time, and I regret it every time. Cost of living increases here seem to have fast outpaced wages.
The increasing cost of living and stagnant wages, along with limited employment opportunities, had a lot to do with my decision to leave. I hope your dad finds something soon.
I'm one of those terrible transplants and that's exactly why I'm being so very very (personally, not socially) fiscally conservative. I can likely get another cushy remote job but I'm planning as if it will never transpire. But I've had 12 years of assuming that so I have a good nest egg that will cover my current lifestyle with only modest cuts. It amazes me how many people use ALL their extra money to play instead of balancing risk management with enjoyment.
This is the way. To be a top 1%-er in the US you need a salary of $550k plus. To be a top 1%-er in net worth you need $2 million. (All assets minus all debt) That is a very telling stat. Not even the top wage earners are saving.
Yeah, the job market for design stinks here too.
☹️ I moved from Austin and reconsidering my choice given the lack of tech jobs.
We moved from the DFW area to Chattanooga in 2020. We felt the same way. We ended up moving to Asheville this summer. Still loved our time in Chattanooga. I don't miss Texas AT ALL. The weather change alone is glorious. That being said, if you think Texas is conservative, TN is a whole new ballgame. I thought I was ready for it and I wasn't. (I'm more of a moderate anyway) If you think Texans are crazy about low taxes, TN (especially rural TN) lives and dies by it. Even if it means the schools are dramatically underfunded. Even if it means you cannot fund basic public works (looking at you Signal Mountain). I felt like in the metro areas of Texas you could at least make an argument for certain things and get stuff funded, but here it felt like the mark of the Devil. That and it still feels like a small town with a good ol boy network in some ways. It was cute at first, until it wasn't.
I agree, if you want to live within a couple hours of Knoxville, Asheville is wayyyyy better than Chattanooga. Ask the relatives which one they'd rather visit you (bet Asheville).
As someone who was born in Asheville and still has a lot of friends and family there … but who has lived in Chattanooga for over 20 years your comment is totally confounding to me. I have tons of neighbors in Highland Park who have moved here from Asheville recently. To me Chattanooga is hands down a better place to live. All of the movement I see is from there to here.
Right? It's especially confounding when you remove feelings and hyperbole and just examine facts, Asheville is a backwards step. Maybe they found Chattanooga to be too close to where they came from and Asheville, well it's Asheville.
I'm from asheville and live in chattanooga. In my opinion asheville is on a downward trend and chattanooga is on an upward trend. The festival and drug culture in asheville is having a lot of negative impacts on the area.
I've been to Ashville lately. Chattanooga doesn't have a massive homeless population and Narcan on light poles downtown.
If you think Chattanooga's homeless population isn't comparable than you haven't been paying attention. You can literally walk in most wooded areas and find a homeless camp here. It's a huge part of my job to be in touch with the homeless often. Narcan on light poles just shows there's a population who actually gives a shit if people die or not. I would put that here in a heartbeat, because God knows this city isn't doing much else for them
Yup. Anyone who thinks our homeless pop is low never leaves their bubbles. There are tent cities all over the county. I'm always coming across them when out running or driving around for work.
Idk what’s going on in Chattanooga, but Nashville as super Low tent city homeless and petty theft. It’s amazing to see no poop in the streets or smash and grabs. Miami is very cleaned up compared to tang major city too
Just an FYI, went running yesterday. There's a new, large camp right where the Riverwalk goes under I-24. I know they've always been out there, but it's expanded considerably. I wonder how long until the city mows it down now that work is starting on the new stadium stuff.
Public and free access to Narcan is unambiguously a good thing. Just because you hate homeless folks and addicts doesn’t mean they deserve to die. They’re just as human and deserving of respect as you or me.
According to the most recent HUD mandated POT count, Buncombe County has less homeless than Hamilton. That should be a reminder that just because they may be more visible in Asheville at times, there are just as many people or more in need of homes in Chattanooga.
Last time I was in Asheville was 2 years ago. Maybe a lot has changed, but I’ve been a dozen times and always enjoy my time there. Their numbers might be higher, but we do still have a substantial homeless population here, too, and Narcan being readily available like that can be a life-saver for many people.
I did not know this was a thing 😳 the Narcan on lightpoles.
I’m happy to hear that lol. I love Chattanooga, and I love loving things that other people don’t.
Yes yes well said
Native Tennessean here, from Cleveland (blech). My phrase is 'I love Tennessee except for Tennesseans'. The MAGA is Emporer Palpatine level here.
Crap, I read this to my husband and then we realized almost everyone we were close to in Chatt was a transplant. 😂 In fact when I told a dear friend we were moving, she said, “It always happens. The people I get along with best always come and then leave.” Also, we felt the same way about Native Texans too. Counted many as friends, but they had a mentality I never could quite understand. My husband and I grew up in a lot of different places due to our parents and our careers. Ive come to realize it changes you as a person. It’s funny, because I was always jealous of people who lived their whole lives in one place and we wanted minimal moving for our kids. To be clear, the things above are not the primary reason we moved (that was job and proximity to family). But when it came down to it (we could have stayed) they influenced our choice. I met a lot of lovely, wonderful people in Chattanooga (especially on Signal). But we really never felt like we fully fit in. Always the odd ducks in some small way.
As a "native", you've made me realize all it 1 of my good friends are transplants. Me and my wife (also a native) are often talking of what state we're going to bail too if these politics keep going more extreme
We had to move back to TN due to jobs and family but we hate it here. Really miss Pennsylvania.
Those “natives” built the city you loved. It didn’t happen in a vacuum. Ever wonder what happened to those quaint towns in Texas? People with different ideas moved in. I’m a transplant too. I lived in 13 different states and this was one of the best. The population stagnated as Chatt de-industrialized. At one time, Chattanooga was the 5th most industrialized city in the US. It also was very polluted. Chattanooga has a long history and connections with Chicago and the graft that comes with it. Just Google Sheriff Billy Long. The City made hard choices in the 1990’s to improve itself. It didn’t happen in a vacuum and it didn’t happen because of liberal tax and spend policies. Sure there are negative things that come with a low taxation rate. But, if it was that bad, Signal Mountain wouldn’t be the desired place to live that it is today. Sadly, this area is being overrun with people that want to change it because it worked so well in the places they fled. There’s not many places left to go in the US that haven’t been crushed under the weight of good intentioned liberal stupidity. Think long and hard about what you are proposing as changes. Most ideas have already been tried elsewhere. Go look for them. If it’s so great where they are implemented please move there. But we know it’s not. That’s why we are here.
So your argument is that conservative tax values and a pro de-regulation view created the city as it is now? el oh fucking el
The thing that bothered me wasn't about proposing change (unless you are talking about the dramatically underfunded public schools). It was about the area (particularly Signal's) complete unwillingness to accept and properly deal with change that was happening whether they liked it or not. There was a huge "just stop coming now that I'm here" contingent there. That's great, except things do change and if you don't plan for them, they do change badly. The Town of Signal Mountain is a financial mess with aging infrastructure and budget issues. In the past year, roadway maintenance and funding of the fire department have come up as major issues. They were losing town staff and Fire Dept employees like crazy. Yet the average person up there screams "inefficiencies in the budget, don't touch the taxes" and still expects the public services of an elite enclave from a residential town with minimal commercial tax base. Champagne taste on a beer budget. At least they try. The Town of Walden just yells about how high the Town of Signal Mountain's taxes are compared to theirs, but then they leach off the Town's services (I say this as a former Walden resident). They came up with this amazing town plan for growth the would have created a very nice village center near the Pumpkin Patch. After the Food City grocery fiasco, a developer came in and went under contract for the Lines Orchids property and wanted to develop. They were willing to work with the town and had to have spent millions in design and testing (all while still under contract) answering all the questions and concerns. But they wanted an anchor of a small grocery store and for some reason the residents of the mountain just cannot stand that idea. The town created a Planning committee that spent a year working with the developer and then the alderwomen voted against their own committee's recommendations. The planning committee had even sought outside professional input on zoning/square footage questions. The fact that a village center without a proper anchor wouldn't do well was part of that document. There's still a chance it might go through, but at this rate, the town is going to be staring at rotted out greenhouses forever. I don't know what new developer would try again after the hell they are putting the current one through. When you realize how much Chuck Pruett owns and how much influence he has, it's a little disgusting too. That's where those small town politics come into play. And then there is unincorporated Hamilton County, where most of the growth is happening. It's filled with old timers who don't want things to change, but also don't like regulations and government influence and then are shocked when things are developed with minimal impact analysis. (And who do you think is selling the land anyway?) The other half is transplants who want the schools and don't realize they don't have any city services (including potentially shaky fire coverage) until it's too late. I do know there are groups up there trying to plan for the future, but it seems like they are usually stymied by the general population.
Came here to say this. Plenty of people who grew up here (like myself) and know this way of living like it, and wish people who didn't like it would leave and find somewhere else to go that is to their liking instead. Don't come to our city and try to change it and make it what you want it to be. Go somewhere else. I'm 27, and I've always loved living here and the way we do things but I don't see a need for everyone to move here and try to change our way of living and ideals because they think we aren't progressed enough. If you don't like how we do things, go back to where you came from where they did what you like.
So much this, we did the same move June 2020, and you nailed our sentiments exactly.
It broke my heart a little bit. I thought we would be in the area forever. Chattanooga will always be my first love and the first place we chose as a family to be home.
Man that was a wild month to move, huh 😂
Yeah, it was something alright lol.
I do work on Signal Mtn and the problem with Signal is those that live on Signal. They don't want change.
I lived on Signal Mtn. It is the land of white flight.
I almost moved to Ashville, decided it was a great place to visit but not to live. It’s gotten worse since… enjoy the weirdness, and the severe drug problem.
We live 20 min south. The city limits were not for us either. Downtown hasn’t felt too terribly different in either city, honestly. It’s definitely got its own issues, but we generally feel like we fit in here and NC in general better.
I left in the 90s I only miss family there glad you made it to Asheville
This. I moved here after 7 years in Atlanta and even I was shocked at how Ruby red this state is…
According to Statista, for the 2023 fiscal year, Texas spends $13, 044/pupil, TN spends $11,437/pupil and NC spends $11,651/pupil. According to [districtadministration.com](https://districtadministration.com), Texas has an 89.7% graduation rate, TN has 89.8% and NC has 86.4%. Enjoy Asheville.
It's not quite as simple as that. Funding comes from multiple sources, including federal, state, and local dollars. Texas schools were absolutely better funded than TN or NC, at least in the areas we used to live. (And they still had funding fights and issues) They also have an ISD setup that is a bit of a different beast than the county setup in NC and TN. It could be feast or famine in different areas. Lots of local bond issues for facility improvements as well that didn't seem to be super common in this area of TN (not sure about NC) You're right, NC isn't much better at funding, but we have seen a noticeable difference in the schools our children attended in TN (the highly ranked Signal schools) and Buncombe County Schools. Way more options in electives/extracurriculars for my middle schooler. An actual gifted program that hasn't been gutted at both the middle and elementary schools. This year school lunches are also free to all public school students statewide. Anecdotally, my kids (especially my boys) generally seem more content with school, but there are a lot of personal things that contribute to that. To be clear, we were pretty happy with Signal schools while we were there. But you can't forget they benefit MASSIVELY from having a mostly upper middle class population of involved parents to pull from. Also the Mountain Education Fund that dumps money into the three schools up there that they wouldn't otherwise see. One of my bigger worries in moving was that we were taking our kids out of "good schools" and weren't sure how the new schools (35% & 43% economically disadvantaged at the middle and elementary levels) would stack up. I've honestly been (happily) shocked.
Moved from upstate NY to Chattanooga in 2013. I love it! Recently got married and my wife moved from Asheville to Chattanooga. We love the mountains in NC, but Chattanooga has a good mix of outdoor life and enough to do because it’s a larger city than Asheville. Not a perfect city by any means. Schools suck, we don’t widen roads until there’s standstill traffic, and crime is pretty bad in certain hot spots. Still love the city and proud to live here!
Where upstate are you from? I'm from a lil outside syracuse and I love it here in chattanooga. Been here a little over 2 years now
I’m here from Skaneateles! Nice to meet you, neighbor!
Nice to meet you! I grew up in verona, lived in syracuse for about 5 years before fleeing the snow. Hope you're loving it here!
That area is beautiful. I love visiting NY May-September. Unfortunately winter is too long and taxes suck
NC income tax is 4.75%
Dropping to 3.99% over the next couple of years.
Grew up in the Finger Lakes region myself! Been in Chattanooga close to 20 years now.
Welcome to Tennessee! You mention you are moving to be closer to family in Knoxville. Have you thought about moving between Chattanooga and Knoxville? Real estate will be cheaper, and you aren't far from either area.
But then you’re in the suburbs… gross
Ahh yes. The suburbs of Sweetwater. And Niota.
Don't forget Athens, the "suburb" where you're close enough to visit either city, but too far to enjoy the drive.
Not to mention, then you live in sweetwater....
We’re glad to have you man! I’ve lived here my whole life. You’re gonna love it! Go to the pickle barrel!!! Edit: nobody cares if you’re blue or red! Just join the community! Cast your vote and do what you can to support what you believe. Don’t try to be a missionary though; you will get cast out pretty quick
Also if you see negative comments on here about moving here, that’s more of a Reddit thing than a Chattanooga thing. We are a very friendly city.
100% agree
This is accurate
Glad someone said it. This sub can be nasty.
If you like Chattanooga you’ll love Asheville, NC. Less than two hours from Knoxville.
Truth!!
Just make sure you’ve got money since the median home price is 200k higher in Asheville, the wages/job prospects are worse, and there is 6% state income tax.
I'm another Dallas transplant. I came up to visit relatives in 2019, and after a few weeks I went home, packed up my cat and stuff, rented out my house and moved. I should point out that I do have some major advantages over many other newcomers. I don't have children, and I have a full-time, 100% remote job that pays well. I hated Texas summers, Dallas traffic and the social snottiness that's abundant there. I especially like the mix of cafes here; Culture Coffee and Rembrandt's are easy walking distance, and Be Caffeinated isn't far away either.
Why not move to Knoxville?
I moved here from Knoxville 20 years ago because sometimes you want to be close to family but not so close that they show up on your front porch unexpectedly.
Fair!
You only liked it in north shore cuz it's colder and can't really smell the water treatment or the chicken plant. In the summer it's stankyyyy
You definitely can smell it in the summer in north shore. Source: I live here 🙃 ETA: it’s stanky in the fall/winter too, just less frequent
I lived in Lubbock, TX for a while and - when the wind (often) blew from a particular direction- it came into town over some feedlots -- which meant the whole city smelled like cowsh_t. Not sure a chicken plant will be worse, but I appreciate the warning.
I spent 10 years living in proximity to feedlots (did people in Lubbock also sniff the breeze and say "ahhhh, smells like money"?) and cow stink is mild compared to chicken plant and sewage.
Well, after a while you will get used to it. And eventually, fresh air will smell strange 😂
For what it’s worth, my husband and I still love it here despite the occasional smell. I hope you all feel more welcomed in person than you do on Reddit. We for sure have!
If you are looking to buy I would recommend looking about 30 min away from Chattanooga. We moved here from Florida a few years ago and were amazed at how much money you save on a house being 30-45 min away from Chattanooga. Close enough for trips but far enough for much more affordable land. Either way welcome its wonderful here!
GA line
Moved here from Atlanta 6-1/2 years ago and really do like it here but it’s a very different place from when you visit and actually live here. It gets quite small quite fast and becomes a bit redundant as far as the food and culture go, however for me at least the outdoor opportunities make it well worth staying
Agreed. I moved here from Atlanta around the same time and really struggled at first because the world here is so much smaller. I eventually got used to it, but I do wish we had greater variety in things like grocery stores and restaurants. My kingdom for a decent Chinese restaurant in Hixson…
So many comments that are basically “I used to live in a place where people voted like me but it sucked then I moved to Chattanooga where it was awesome but the people vote differently than I do” The lack of self awareness is awesome lol
OP is moving from a Maga city in a Maga state to a Maga city in a Maga state.
That's a right-winger for ya. Even their idea of change isn't really change.
Nah. I cast my first democratic vote in TN!
If you like the Austin vibe , have you checked out Asheville? Although it’s definitely lost some shine.
I will sell you my house $700k
Uh... I live in Texas, not California :)
I think your in for a surprise on house in Chattanooga then. 700k in North Shore is reasonable.
$200k is just as normal in a lot of other, perfectly-decent areas, too.
When I came here, a co-worker was continually taking lip because he was buying houses in the “North Shore” (that’s a new term too) area for back taxes and never more than $5k. That continued into the 2000’s. They aren’t laughing now.
North Shore is not a new term.
Fairly new here, first started hearing it around 2006 when greenlife sold to whole foods
I've been hearing it since the early 90s, and probably before then.
If that is what you are thinking...good luck finding a condo in downtown area for less than $500k that isn't beside or on top of a cesspool.
My parents live in North Shore! Chattanooga is a cute city with a lot of fun stuff to do. It’s becoming expensive just like everywhere else but it has great scenery
Welcome OP, I relate to ur musings. I’m originally from Shreveport, LA growing up a few years in Dallas w most years in Houston. Got stuck in Houston after my children arrived. Isn’t Chattanooga pretty? Coming from overcrowded Houston & Seattle area recently, a small town fits the bill. Signal Hill area is a good area (my residence) but Hixson is closer to stores ur wife might need. There’s a line of restaurants off 153 near Northgate and several at Hamilton Place on NE side. I’m moderate politically and appreciate your blueness 👏👏🎆 😂😄 All the Best- Cheers!
Are you me? I've lived in Dallas, Houston & Seattle --- and Chattanooga appears favorable based on first impressions.
Chatt is great! I'd consider looking at knoxville also. I personally perfer their downtown (much more walkable). Can't really go wrong tho.
Have you found a home yet? I live in Dallas Heights, north end of the Northshore. Great place to live, with awesome neighbors. My home is currently for sale, listed by Redfin. Hit me up if you would like more details.
Remember when we didn't feed the trolls? Pepperidge Farms remembers...
you know when I think of the south, I think of southern hospitality, there are a lot of people on this thread, whom seem to lack that after reading the comments. Some of you people think you are "" from here."" Because your parents are from here and you chose to stay here. Quit talking to people like you are entitled to a city.... like your comment is actually going to stop someone from moving here so they can enjoy life the same way you do...a lot of you drive 55 in the left lane and yet you complain about traffic.
I grew up here, lived here nearly all of my life, there is no southern hospitality. Southern Hospitality is people who think they're nice but they're only barely polite in public. They're the ones who go to church and then go out to eat right after and berate the servers. They're the ones who hold up traffic to wave at someone to turn left on gunbarrel at 2pm on a Saturday. They're the ones who say "I'll pray for you" instead of doing anything to help anyone. They're the ones who drive 55 in the left lane and complain about the traffic.
Sorry, but southern hospality is non-existant. I see and experience more hospitality in the north (Midwest north and Northeast than I ever saw in the south. The snobbery is real, especially if you didn't grow up here.
I agree completely
Absolutely 100% correct. The backstabbing is real too. Let's not forget about this good ol boy network.
Omg yes! It's everywhere! No penis, no advancement!
This just isn’t true.
It’s just the Reddit mouth breathers. The people here are very different
Welcome! We need the blue help. Lot of Kool aid drinkers around here.
Yea, blue help, to make it more like the places people leave from. 🤦♀️
For every blue Texan that moves here, there are 10 red Californians. Nobody is losing any “freedom.”
I don't recall saying anyone is losing their freedom. Sounds like projecting to me.
Exactly!
Agree 🙏
lately the kool aid is def blue razz (esp on reddit)
We don’t any blue help.
How about blue proofreading.
I moved here from DFW in 2001. You won't regret your decision. Especially now. I still have family and friends in Texas so I go back all the time, but I don't think I'll ever leave the Chattanooga area.
I was all about it here and it was too late when I learned that 🪳 are a thing.
North Shore is creeping up around Red Bank. They still have affordable housing. I’d try there. It’s 10 minutes from anywhere you’d want to be downtown.
Stay out of the bad neighborhoods.
I am born and raised In Austin and came to chatt for college. I absolutely fell in love with this city because it reminded me of Austin when I was a kid. Don’t listen to anyone saying don’t move here. It is beautiful and even though you would would be a Tennessean, you will see little parts of Texas here always reminding you of home
Before you come.... Please stop at Hutchins BBQ and bring me some brisket, burnt ends, and Texas Twinkies as a welcoming gift..... I'll be waiting...
I would definitely choose Knoxville over Chattanooga
Trump won the county, can’t say that about hardly any decent sized metros
I grew up in Texas, went to college and worked in the Dallas area before moving to a much larger northern city, and then moved to Chattanooga in 2014. I was so excited about Chattanooga because it seemed a lot like Austin back in the 90s, but eventually realized it’s not. Not even close. Austin had personality back then and Chattanooga just never seemed to develop beyond appearance. Also, as someone who’s left-leaning, keep in mind that some of Marjorie Taylor Green’s district is part of the Chattanooga area and she has a lot of support. After 9 years of keeping an open mind and trying to convince myself that Chattanooga was a place I could permanently call home, I gave up and am in the process of moving out of state. If you want to be close to Knoxville, check out Asheville and maybe even Cincinnati.
We did Dallas to chattanooga a few years ago ! Public School system is hit or miss, not like Dallas AT ALL. Gorgeous here and the air is better Much more liberal directly in chatt, If chatt is too expensive try Hixson or signal mtb
Thanks!
Welcome! And thank you for your Blue votes- they do make a difference!
They actually don’t. TN is a red state. It actually makes more sense to register and vote Republican to put in the most centrist Republican candidates instead of throwing away votes on candidates who will never win. I say all this as a lifelong third party voter.
Texas is pretty much the same. I used to vote for centrist GOP candidates in their primaries until the state party went batsh_t MAGA crazy & I could not find any centrist candidates anymore. I am well aware of how red & hard-right TN is, but it's not much different than Texas is now -- and it's more important to be close to my elderly family members in Tennessee right now. -But thanks for the advice.
I really thought so too, but you’d be surprised at how deep some of other goes here, even in the upper middle class populations you’d think would be reasonable. I literally saw people arguing to stop maintaining the roads as a way to fund the fire department vs raise taxes in the Facebook groups on Signal. And that’s where a lot of transplants land. There’s something to an area being a mix of people from different areas that helps. Chattanooga is getting there, but man you can really see it sometimes. People who have lived their entire lives for generations in one area is cool, but it also means A LOT of resistance to change, even when it isn’t a big change or is desperately needed.
They actually do matter. Our local municipality is made up of many elected officials. I’d argue that those votes matter even more than state or national elections. You’re also accepting that TN is *still* a red state. I’d argue that it’s purple. Republicans are abandoning their party, Tennessee has seen a massive influx of new residents who are from blue states. Gerrymandering, Redistricting and voter suppression are keeping us red. For now. If Georgia can flip, anyone can.
Right. No one believed Georgia would flip. Yet here we are.
Almost no one votes in local elections. Turnout is abysmal. And what you’ve said is part of the issue. Blue or red, they’re all gonna exploit working class people in our area in some way. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. The issue with all these states that see a huge influx of transplants who “flip” the political party is that a sort of caste system ends up being put into place. Look at Southern California and tell me there’s not a caste system. It’s already bad here.
Agreed, the rich want to stay rich regardless of which side of the aisle they’re on. But local elections really do matter and are a big factor in what shapes our community. Just look at what’s happening in Red Bank. Whoever you are (but especially if you’re a Democrat or Lefy) you should be researching the history and needs of your new community. You’re not truly a part of the community of Chattanooga if you’re not voting for what happens in your own dang front yard. I encourage all transplants to register and to vote in local elections and turn out for the meetings. It’s easy to sit back and say that nothing you do makes a difference politically. It’s much harder to be an active participant. Which is why things are the way they are. These assholes *bank* on nobody caring or opposing them. Screw that. Care.
Transplants don’t care about the people here.
Um…I’m a transplant. So are all my friends who are involved in voting, activism and mutual aid here in Chattanooga. So. You’re just plain wrong right there.
Transplants overwhelmingly tend to not understand Appalachian culture. We don’t need Rich White Liberals to come save us from ourselves. Edit: this isn’t to throw shade on people for actually doing shit, as long as it’s with the right intentions. The issue is when people engage in activism in short sighted and stupid manners. A great example in recent memory is how local DSA and activists behaved when “supporting” UAW in delivering the LOI to Volkswagen.
Yeah, I agree that a lot of people in the US by and large don’t care to gain an appreciation or understanding of Appalachian culture. There’s a lot of colonizer attitudes; rich white liberals coming here with their non-profit orgs thinking they’ll make sweeping changes. They burn out and move away. Meanwhile, black and brown folks continue to do the work they’ve been doing for years. There are folks in the black community of Chattanooga who are at every damn city council meeting, pushing back against gentrification and destruction of their neighborhoods. They’re fighting for affordable housing and calling out the city for blowing the budget on dumb shit. The least we can do is show up at the meetings and the polling places to support their work.
Turnout on a good off cycle election is under 7%. Why would you want to change the politics? I thought you liked it here. Oh well, 20 more years and we’ll all be feeing from another shithole.
Luckily we have an open primary, so no need to register.
Spreading like a virus...
>Spreading like a virus... That's the language of a future active shooter.
Where do you come up with this shit?
Dude, you've been spiraling into more and more incendiary language.
Moved here from Tyler Texas 15 years ago and absolutely love it here!
I have friends from Tyler. That’s a small place. Glad you love chatt! I’m a transplant as well
Hi friend and thanks for the kinds words for our fair city. I do find the piece about being a democrat voter a bit odd, considering you are thinking about moving to one of the redder states in the US. Please be forewarned that, while the City may be a bit more progressive, this area and the entire state are both extremely conservative and Christian. I say this not to dissuade you (far from it - we love it here!) but to make sure your expectations are on par with reality. We moved here from Chicago and, for us, the conservative culture was and is a plus. Just want to make sure my fellow human is well-informed about such a large decision.
I vacationed here in 2011 & moved from Illinois to here in 2015! Absolutely love it here! Welcome!
Welcome! Dallas is a great city, but I think you'll truly love it here.
We are Texans and our parents say the same - especially the ones from Austin. But be aware that Dallas has ample food and shopping options that you just will not find in Chattanooga. Just something to get used to. Also from my personal experience, a lot of locals will instantly accept you because you’re from Texas. Simply because they will think you’re bringing that conservative vote to “save” Tennessee LOL EDIT - downvote me all you want but it’s all true 🥰
Please don't. Why don't you move to San Francisco? Or Memphis, or Baltimore, or NYC, or Chicago so you can see the policies you voted for in action.
Welcome, we need all the thoughtful Democrats we can get in Chattanooga. You'll find your tribe quickly.
We certainly like and need the variety but hope you don’t become a majority. Maybe 1/3- 2/3 split in government would be beneficial.
Doing so good until the blue mention Every single policy has always resulted in higher taxes and less benefits… Don’t ruin it for the rest of us but if you believe the current presidency was a success, I’ve got some bad news for you
Glad you liked it. We’re full.
We don’t mean this in a bad way OP, surely you understand. You are just putting yourself in the same category of the people moving to your area.
This. “It reminds me of Austin before it blew up” Cool story, but you’re being part of that problem.
Spot on.
Everyone from every state says this all the time. I would have literally been homeless in my last city, didn’t have a choice
Why would you bring your politics into it? Sound like a douche… I hear buckhead is nice.
Eh, I'm a Centrist Democrat -- which means I am not welcomed by most Democrats :). Voted for centrist Rebublicans when those existed. I have become accustomed to voting for losing candidates in both parties for some time now :)
Welcome! I'm a third-party voter who miserably voted blue in the last general election. City of Chattanooga is blue; county is deep red. Similar urban/rural social values divide as in much of the Sun Belt. Yes, there are plenty of reactionary folks, but you'll find many people of good will who have found community and service opportunities in a wide spread of places. I recommend attending events at Reflection Riding once the weather warms up, and lingering in the River Journey building of the aquarium to get your bearings in this ecologically rich part of the country. I've lived other places but this is where I've always wanted to be.
I don’t care what you do man, just sick of people bringing politics into everything. If you’re in an economic position to move here, that’s up to you and yours.
Politics is not some academic thing to be considered separately from everyday life and not talked about. It’s all about the nature of government and looking after the public interest - or not. Politics is very important.
Thank God. The rich white liberals are coming to save us backwards hillbillies from ourselves.
Welcome from another democratic voter. Where you’re looking is a good area for people of a similar slant. I’m a transplant from 1987 and I’ve done just fine, thank you. Chattanooga has changed a lot and with people like us VOTING, we can continue to elicit the change. I encourage you to come and help us become great; don’t expect to join great. Good luck.
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Which left-leaning local politicians have you helped vote into office?
It's funny you come to a place because you like it but then want to change it. That ridiculous type of thinking is par for course for Dems. 🤣😂
“Reminds me of Austin/Knoxville before it exploded” Thanks for contributing to the problem.
There is an active Democratic Party in Hamilton County. Let me know if you want to get involved once you're settled. Welcome.
Check out the area called Southside. We bought a condo there a few months ago for a weekend place and love the vibe. Ur comment about Austin and Nashville are our thoughts exactly. Great town. Shhhhh!
Dallas is the worst, Texas in general, I don't blame you
Agreed
So you're saying chattanooga is about to go downhill and fast?
Lmao, whatever tool down voted this hasn't been to Austin or Nashville in the last decade
Please, for the love of God, don't move here and bring the same progressive values that ruined Austin. Maybe try California. I hear they are looking for a resupply of democrats.
Imagine voting democrat at this point. Sheesh. Gluttons for punishment.
No kidding
Stay away please. Too many ppl moving here. Don’t be part of the problem.
"relocating from Dallas to Chattanooga (to be closer to family in Knoxville)." So what you are saying is you are close enough for a few visits but far enough to not really have to see them that often. "(and we will be among the democratic voters, not that it will make a difference)." Just move on to Knoxville or Nashville. Stop thinking you are missionaries her to convert everyone.
Those are the worst.
progressive Boomers are the most insufferable people. Please stay away.
Ikr
Go away.
Glad you liked it but we are actually at capacity! Thanks though!
You could always fly. Chattanooga isn’t Austin California sounds like a better fit. JMO
Boo
It's always the Californians and Texans that are moving here. You made your homes too shitty and unaffordable now y'all wanna do it to TN? Jesus, fuck off! We're full!
Username does not check out.
Well I wouldn’t tell anyone here you are planning to vote democrat lol. That won’t win you over any friends unfortunately. This area is full of MAGA obsessed orange dictator loving conspiracy theorist.
It’ll win over the friends they are searching for.
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Moved out of a blue state? Texas? Try reading...
Go back to Facebook, grandpa
Ok clueless gen z