See also Chattanooga Choo Choo by Glenn Miller (1941).
During the American Civil War on November 23, 1863 the Battle of Chattanooga began when Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant reinforced troops at Chattanooga and counter-attacked Confederate troops. The next day the Battle of Lookout Mountain was fought near the town.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 370.8 km² (143.2 mi²). 350.2 km² (135.2 mi²) of it is land and 20.6 km² (8.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.56% water.
The most prominent natural features in and around Chattanooga are the Tennessee River and the surrounding mountains. A Tennessee Valley Authority dam creates Chickamauga Lake north of the downtown area. 4 vehicular bridges, 1 railroad bridge, and one pedestrian bridge cross the river.
There are 65,499 households out of which 25.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% are married couples living together, 17.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% are non-families. 33.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.29 and the average family size is 2.92.
In the city the population is spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $32,006, and the median income for a family is $41,318. Males have a median income of $31,375 versus $23,267 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,689. 17.9% of the population and 14.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 27.0% are under the age of 18 and 13.8% are 65 or older.Geography
The city is located at latitude 35°4' North, longitude 85°15' West.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 155,554 people, 65,499 households, and 39,626 families residing in the city. The population density is 444.2/km² (1,150.5/mi²). There are 72,108 housing units at an average density of 205.9/km² (533.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 59.71% White, 36.06% African American, 0.29% Native American, 1.54% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 2.11% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.