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Chattanooga (population 170,000) is located along the banks of the Tennessee River in southeastern Tennessee, just above the Georgia border, and it has had a checkered history. The city was shelled during the Civil War, helped inspire Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo Choo" in 1941 and was noted as having the worst air pollution in the country in 1969. In the 1980s, deteriorating infrastructure and racial tensions took their toll, causing 10% of the city's population to flee.
Since the 1980s, though, things have turned around, thanks to city leaders spending a lot of money to improve Chattanooga's reputation. Today, this Southern metropolis offers numerous amenities to keep nearly any retiree busy, and several attractions are world-class, including the Tennessee Aquarium and the Hunter Art Museum (home to one of the largest collections of American art).
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The overall cost of living is roughly 20% below the national average, and the median home price is $125,000, also significantly below the national average. Homes range from stately Victorians to very modest bungalows, but generally, a housing dollar really stretches here. Health care is provided by ten hospitals and medical centers, and the number of doctors per capita is twice the national average. The city's Department of Education Arts and Culture operates the Eastgate Senior Activity Center, which offers recreation classes, activities, trips and cruises. Broadband Internet service is available, and CARTA (Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority) is the public bus system (the city is bike friendly, too).
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River Gallery is a collection of smaller galleries along the river, and Hamilton Place is Tennessee's largest shopping mall; there are also plenty of small trendy shops. The historic Tivoli Theater is home to the Chattanooga Symphony and the Chattanooga Opera, and the city boasts a lively music scene, as well as plenty of festivals. The University of Tennessee offers opportunities to attend lectures, classes and sporting events. As might be expected, this is a conservative spot, and there are more than 350 churches. Of the population, 23% is age 45 to 64, and 15% is age 65 and better.
Dining options are many and encompass all cuisines (although BBQ and Southern style are the most prevalent). The surrounding mountains provide good opportunities for camping, hiking and fishing.
Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and it is humid (the city receives 4 to 6 inches of rain per month). Winter temperatures are in the 30s, 40s and 50s.
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There are, though, some worrisome drawbacks to Chattanooga. The primary one is that the city has a crime rate that is twice the national average, although our research shows that most crime occurs in the southern areas of the city and this skews the overall crime stats. The air pollution has improved greatly since the 1960s and 1970s, but it is still a problem, and people with allergies or respiratory problems will be uncomfortable here. The city is segregated, and racial tensions are still somewhat of an issue.
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Plenty of amenities, outdoor recreation, solid medical facilities, low cost of living, affordable housing and senior programs are all pluses, but air pollution and a high crime rate are strong drawbacks.
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CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO
Glenn Miller
- from "Sun Valley Serenade"
- words by Mack Gordon and music by Harry Warren
Pardon me, boy
Is that the Chattanooga choo choo?
Track twenty-nine
Boy, you can gimme a shine
I can afford
To board a Chattanooga choo choo
I've got my fare
And just a trifle to spare
You leave the Pennsylvania Station 'bout a quarter to four
Read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore
Dinner in the diner
Nothing could be finer
Than to have your ham an' eggs in Carolina
When you hear the whistle blowin' eight to the bar
Then you know that Tennessee is not very far
Shovel all the coal in
Gotta keep it rollin'
Woo, woo, Chattanooga there you are
There's gonna be
A certain party at the station
Satin and lace
I used to call "funny face"
She's gonna cry
Until I tell her that I'll never roam
So Chattanooga choo choo
Won't you choo-choo me home?
Chattanooga choo choo
Won't you choo-choo me home?
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