Jackson, TN vs Chattanooga, 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: Jackson, TN leads with education at $2,554 per resident, while Chattanooga, TN leads with parks and recreation at $1,596.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Jackson, TN at 100% of total revenue, whereas Chattanooga, TN relies most on other revenue at 35%.
Summary
Chattanooga spends 86.7% 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 | $0 | $82 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $301 |
| Intergovernmental | $280 | $597 |
| Other | $0 | $13,286 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $235 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $0 | $1,061 |
| Highways & Roads | $20 | $212 |
| Education | $2,554 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $0 | $895 |
| Health | $10 | $436 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $697 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $1,596 |
| Housing | $198 | $4,908 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $175 |
| Utilities | $112 | $1,629 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $2,068 |
| Other | $90 | $10,474 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.