CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall was among the Chattanooga Times Free Press’s notable quotables this week: “You’re not moving to Tennessee to turn it into a liberal paradise. You’re leaving California to get a place that fits you more politically.” – Howard Wall, author of a paper on migration into and out of the Chattanooga…
5/31/26: Transplant Californians Aren’t the Problem. It’s Our Homegrown Politicians in Tennessee
A Chattanooga Times editorial responded to the debate about the influx of Californians that was documented by a recent CRER white paper, “Where Y’all From? Chattanooga’s Domestic Migration, 2021-25“. Much of this population growth can, in fact, be attributed to new residents moving here from states like California and Florida, according to a recent UTC study analyzing…
5/26/26: California Leads Out-of-State Migration to Chattanooga, UTC Study Finds
Local 3 News has a story about the most recent CRER white paper looking at domestic migration into and out of the Chattanooga metro region: A new UTC study shows California leads all out-of-state origins for people moving to the Chattanooga area, reflecting a broader trend of migration to the Scenic City driven by affordability,…
5/26/26: Chattanooga Region Wages Rise, Still Trail National Average
Local 3 News covered wage trends in Chattanooga and asked CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall about his work on the issue: The average wage in the greater Chattanooga area is increasing, but families say their paychecks still aren’t keeping up with the rising costs of living. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows…
5/26/26: California is Chattanooga’s Top Source of Out-of-State Migrants
An article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press looks at the findings of the latest CRER while paper on domestic migration: Although many new Chattanooga residents still come from elsewhere in Tennessee, California has been the Scenic City’s largest out-of-state source of transplants over a five-year period. A net total of nearly 6,500 Californians moved…