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 Chattanooga’s domestic migration from 2021 to 2025.
Confirming the popular hypothesis at least on its face, the largest share of out-of-state transplants in that time span — over 10,500 people — came from California.
Given the strain population growth puts on Chattanooga — whether it’s traffic congestion, overcrowded schools or a rise in housing costs — the blame is often placed upon opportunistic Californians seeking to cash in on low-cost property relative to skyrocketing land values out west.