As anyone who regularly drives on I-75 during rush hour in Chattanooga knows, or any other interstate across the region for that matter, Tennessee, like others in the South, is a growing state.
Much of this can be attributed to out-of-state transplants, especially from states like California and Florida. And the appeal is clear. There is a strong economic incentive to relocate to the Volunteer State.
The cost of housing is relatively cheap compared to other states. There is a low tax burden for property owners and workers, given the lack of a state income tax in Tennessee.
The state legislature, despite its abhorrent policy about issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, has done a commendable job managing the state’s finances. As touted by Republican state Sen. Bo Watson of Hixson in September, Tennessee’s debt is the lowest per capita in the country.
“We’re not as big as Texas or Florida or California or New York, so their numbers are going to look a lot differently,” Watson said at a Hamilton County Pachyderm Club meeting, “but in terms of our capacity to take on debt if we needed to, we have incredible capacity.”