Billy and Jane Pritchard's home sits on top of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Pritchard home enjoys a view of Chattanooga from it's location near Cravens Terrace.

WHO WE ARE

• Median age in Hamilton County is 39 years old
• 11.3 percent of the population are veterans
• 60 percent of those living in Hamilton County were born in Tennessee
• 5.4 percent speak a language other than English
• Median family income in Hamilton County in 2009 was $58,045

Source: U.S. Bureau of Census

HOW WE LIVE

• Two-thirds of Hamilton County residents live in owner-occupied homes
• One-third rent their homes
• The median home price in the Chattanooga area in 2010 was $121,400, down from $122,600 the previous year
• Average household size is 2.42 people
• Average family size is 3.03 people

Source: U.S. Bureau of Census

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee dominates Cameron Hill in downtown Chattanooga.

LARGEST EMPLOYERS

Tennessee's biggest health insurance company, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, is also Chattanooga's biggest employer.

Rank/Employer Employees

1- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee: 4,458

2- Hamilton County schools: 4,297

3- Tennessee Valley Authority: 3,715

4- Erlanger Health System: 3,359

5- McKee Foods Corp.: 3,060

6- Unum Corp: 2,800

7- Memorial Health Care System: 2,796

8- City of Chattanooga: 2,266

9- Cigna Healthcare: 1,953

10- Hamilton County government: 1,867

Source: Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce

WHERE WE WORK

In the six-county metropolitan Chattanooga area in 2010:

Total employment: 229,600

• Government jobs: 36,300 (16 percent)
• Health & education services: 31,800 (14 percent)
• Manufacturing: 27,400 (12 percent)
• Retail trade: 25,400 (11 percent)
• Hospitality: 23,100 (10 percent)
• Professional services: 22,300 (10 percent)
• Financial activities: 17,600 (8 percent)
• Construction: 9,100 (4 percent)
• Wholesale trade: 8,000 (4 percent)
• Information: 3,600 (2 percent)

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

New Ford F150 trucks sit on the lot for sale Mountain View Ford Lincoln Mercury.

VEHICLE SALES

Annual new car and truck licenses granted in Hamilton County peaked in 2004:

2010 : 9,512

2009 : 7,939

2008 : 13,236

2007 : 16,215

2006 : 14,202

2005 : 16,951

2004 : 17,685

2003 : 15,944

2002 : 15,727

2001 : 14,846

Source: Hamilton County Clerk's Office

Dalton, Georgia.

CITY POPULATIONS

The biggest cities in the Chattanooga area include:

City / 2009 population/ Change since 2000

• Chattanooga: 171,350, 10.2 percent
• Cleveland: 40,261, 8.3 percent
• Dalton, Ga.: 33,604, 20.3 percent
• East Ridge: 19,985, -3.2 percent
• Soddy-Daisy: 12,859, 11.5 percent
• Red Bank: 11,765, -5.3 percent
• Fort Ogelthorpe, Ga.: 9,868, 42.2 percent
• LaFayette, Ga.: 7,529, 12.3 percent
• Signal Mountain: 7,253, -2.4 percent
• Collegedale: 8,195 ,25.8 percent
• Dayton: 6,921, 12.0 percent
• Dunlap: 5,569, 33.4 percent
• Rossville, Ga: 3,390, -3.4 percent
• South Pittsburg: 3,104, -5.8 percent
• Jasper: 3,079, -4.2 percent
• Ringgold, Ga.: 2,850, 17.7 percent
• Trenton, Ga.: 2,358, 21.4 percent
• Spring City: 2,142, 5.8 percent
• Walden: 2,125, 8.4 percent
• Lakesite: 1,940, 5.1 percent
• Lookout Mountain, Tenn.: 1,898, -5.1 percent
• Lookout Mountain, Ga.: 1,517, -6.2 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Census

Ridgeland High School Nancy Edwards, left, a French teacher, helps Katrina Golden, a 12th grader, during French class.

EDUCATION

Among adults age 25 and older in Hamilton County:

• 4.9 percent have less than a ninth-grade education
• 16.1 percent don't have a high school diploma
• 33.4 percent have some college degree, including 2-year associate degrees
• 26.8 percent have at least a 4-year college degree
• 8.7 percent have a graduate or professional degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Census