Chattanooga insider/local's guide?

[Creekcat]

Who's taking the 4th spot?

[shinestx]

When I say "soon", it's really more like the next 6-8 years. And that assumes Clarksville will continue growing at the same rate is has grown over the past 20 years. For example, since 2000 it has grown by apx 45%, or 43,000. And that has accelerated over the past five years, with an estimate of 3400 additional residents per year. Some of that has come from annexation, but mostly from relocations, including many military retirees. With a current estimated populaton of 150,000, if that rate continues for the next 6-8 years, then that would put Clarksville at around 180,000 in 8 years.

Now looking at Chattanooga, which has seen an uptick in growth in the past 5-7 years; the city has not annexed many residents over the past decade (there has been a lot of intra-county resistance). Assuming there won't be any significant annexations of residents, the city will grow at a rate of about 1250 per year. At an estimated 175,000 today, it should have about 185,000 in 8 years. So at some point soon after that, Clarksville will pass Chattanooga. Of course, Hamilton County will remain significantly larger than Montgomery. By that time, Hamilton should be around 400,000, while Montgomery will have about 230,000. So Chattanooga's sphere will still be much greater.