Chattanooga, TN vs Jackson, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chattanooga, TN outspends Jackson, TN by a wide margin per resident — $24,150 versus $3,221, a 650% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Chattanooga, TN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 78/100 (grade B) against 57/100 (grade C) for Jackson, TN — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Chattanooga, TN leads with parks and recreation at $1,596 per resident, while Jackson, TN leads with education at $2,554.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Chattanooga, TN at 35% of total revenue, whereas Jackson, TN relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Chattanooga spends 649.8% more per capita than Jackson ($20,929/person difference). Chattanooga, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 78/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $82 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $301 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $597 | $280 |
| Other | $13,286 | $0 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $235 |
| Fire Protection | $1,061 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $212 | $20 |
| Education | $0 | $2,554 |
| Public Welfare | $895 | $0 |
| Health | $436 | $10 |
| Hospitals | $697 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,596 | $0 |
| Housing | $4,908 | $198 |
| Sewerage | $175 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,629 | $112 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $0 |
| Other | $10,474 | $90 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.