The Chattanooga Times Free Press covered the 2025 CRER Forecast Breakfast held on October 22:
Howard Wall, the director of the Center for Regional Economic Research, told local officials he expects an average growth of 3,000 jobs by the end of 2025. Next year, however, he foresees a decent level of growth at 6,500 jobs.
Wall predicted a range of possibilities, including a more optimistic forecast of 7,900 jobs in 2026 and a more pessimistic estimation of 3,400. Those are based on results from an economic indicator survey of 50 forecasters. About 5,000 jobs is the minimum for what Wall would consider an “OK year,” he said.