Newschannel9 in Chattanooga reported on the latest white paper from the Center for Regional Economics on trends in housing affordability. The research was done by CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall, who was interviewed for the story. “House prices rose about the same or the median house price, then the affordability problem, at least…
10/23/25: After a Flat Year, Chattanooga Economist Says Region Could See Weak Job Growth
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…
10/23/25: The 2nd Longest Government Shutdown Continues to Impact More in Tennessee Valley
CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall was interviewed for a story on Local3News about the continuing Federal government shutdown: “You hear about and you talk to people who run nonprofits that provide meals or rent assistance, things like that. And once like, the chain of payment from the federal government through nonprofits to families…
10/23/25: Housing Affordability Trends in Chattanooga
A new research paper from the CRER examines housing affordability in the Chattanooga metro area. It looks at a variety of measures of housing affordability that account for increases in the median price, rising household incomes, smaller housing units, and the sharp increase in mortgage rates. It concludes that house affordability remains a problem relative…
10/22/25: CRER Releases Fall Forecast of Chattanooga Metro Employment
The CRER produces quarterly forecasts of the growth of nonfarm payroll employment in the Chattanooga MSA. Forecasts depend on the consensus forecast of the U.S. economy from the Blue Chip Economic Indicator survey. Our new forecast is a net gain of twelve hundred jobs in the third quarter, and for growth to rise throughout 2026.…