Jobs, pay and daily life in Signal Mountain, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Signal Mountain is a city in Tennessee with 8,860 residents. The median household earns $141,008 a year and the median rent is $1,852 a month, which is 15.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 268,750 jobs.
How Signal Mountain compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Signal Mountain is #73 by population, #2 for college degrees (#1 = most), #4 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #5 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Hamilton County, is #7 of 95 counties for average pay ($66,004).
Signal Mountain has 8,860 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 8 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,059 people per square mile. The median age is 44.3, 14% older than the state median (44.3 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $1,852 a month (rent plus utilities), 56% above the state median ($1,852 against $1,189). Over a year that is 15.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $544,300, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($141,008); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 87.9% of households own their home, 31% above the state average (87.9% against 66.9%).
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan area has 268,750 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,700 a year, 8% below the national median ($46,700 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (33,970 jobs, median $44,630); transportation and material moving (28,050 jobs, median $38,920); production (26,250 jobs, median $45,470). The area is most specialised in production (1.8 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($107,810) and computer and mathematical ($81,890). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hamilton County was 3.1%. 56.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Hamilton County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 70.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.2% walk, 26.1% work from home. 10.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 33% below the state average (10.2% against 15.2%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
72.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 134% above the state share (72.8% against 31.1%). 2.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 55% below the state share (2.8% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 3.3%, 76% below the state rate (3.3% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 37°F (2.9°C). About 1,362 mm (54 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (142 mm) and Oct the driest (91 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Red Bank (3 miles, rent 31% lower); Chattanooga (8 miles, rent 32% lower); Middle Valley (9 miles, rent 36% lower); Harrison (11 miles, rent 34% lower). Rent differences are against Signal Mountain; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideHamilton CountyTennessee rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Tennessee (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Tennessee →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 8,120 | 3.34 | $45,330 | $24,290 | $72,880 | +2% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 7,770 | 1.17 | $27,140 | $21,700 | $34,320 | -13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 7,730 | 1.52 | $37,830 | $30,880 | $47,350 | -6% |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,020 | 1.04 | $31,460 | $23,010 | $47,430 | -11% |
| Registered Nurses | 6,460 | 1.11 | $79,770 | $65,150 | $102,930 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 5,530 | 1.03 | $28,440 | $21,490 | $34,390 | -14% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,120 | 1.14 | $45,030 | $31,180 | $59,060 | +1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 4,790 | 1.22 | $24,240 | $15,080 | $46,970 | -31% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,690 | 0.77 | $102,920 | $48,370 | $226,950 | -3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,410 | 0.90 | $34,410 | $29,960 | $45,760 | -8% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 4,370 | 1.23 | $57,440 | $39,440 | $74,730 | -2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 4,140 | 1.08 | $31,760 | $27,970 | $42,080 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 3,940 | 1.59 | $64,150 | $43,790 | $99,990 | -8% |
| Office Clerks, General | 3,920 | 0.92 | $37,860 | $26,340 | $56,590 | -16% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 3,590 | 2.16 | $38,640 | $31,490 | $56,890 | -16% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 3,500 | 2.06 | $49,990 | $29,450 | $54,060 | +11% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,920 | 1.23 | $46,920 | $34,510 | $64,780 | -7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 2,840 | 1.08 | $47,170 | $33,790 | $71,640 | -5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,560 | 0.34 | $32,670 | $28,880 | $37,720 | -9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 2,520 | 1.19 | $39,220 | $29,110 | $62,290 | -11% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 660 | 0.57 | $152,980 | $86,230 | $228,830 | -13% |
| Financial Managers | 1,280 | 0.88 | $151,530 | $84,480 | $293,890 | -9% |
| Lawyers | 740 | 0.56 | $147,640 | $65,000 | $355,460 | -8% |
| Pharmacists | 750 | 1.35 | $132,240 | $86,520 | $168,280 | -6% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 670 | 1.47 | $130,540 | $73,520 | $201,030 | +14% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 680 | 1.60 | $121,670 | $79,090 | $186,160 | -3% |
| Sales Managers | 990 | 0.89 | $118,720 | $62,300 | $216,820 | -20% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,000 | 1.79 | $116,480 | $96,480 | $132,400 | -12% |
| Software Developers | 990 | 0.34 | $106,750 | $64,230 | $163,130 | -21% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 510 | 1.00 | $106,660 | $75,880 | $157,030 | +2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,690 | 0.77 | $102,920 | $48,370 | $226,950 | -3% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,150 | 1.12 | $102,920 | $68,180 | $205,400 | -17% |
| Industrial Engineers | 930 | 1.47 | $99,410 | $75,380 | $143,000 | -3% |
| Physical Therapists | 520 | 1.12 | $99,120 | $73,210 | $125,410 | -4% |
| Management Analysts | 1,010 | 0.65 | $96,870 | $63,450 | $164,130 | -5% |
| Civil Engineers | 670 | 1.06 | $95,630 | $64,290 | $162,550 | -5% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 710 | 0.79 | $93,350 | $59,530 | $142,040 | -12% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,320 | 1.23 | $91,300 | $49,860 | $167,480 | -36% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,750 | 0.95 | $87,240 | $56,450 | $149,430 | -15% |
| Registered Nurses | 6,460 | 1.11 | $79,770 | $65,150 | $102,930 | -18% |
These figures are for the whole Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,700 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 18.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 14.4% |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% |
| Public administration | 6.0% |
| Other services | 5.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 4.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 3.7% |
| Retail trade | 3.5% |
| Construction | 3.5% |
| Information | 0.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Signal Mountain lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 376,192 | $37,279 million | $99,096 | 221,207 | 13,611 | $66,004 | +1.6% | 3.1% | 200,733 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 33,683 | 17.0% | $68,413 | 1.06 |
| Manufacturing | 29,368 | 14.8% | $75,036 | 1.62 |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,738 | 11.0% | $25,797 | 1.08 |
| Retail trade | 21,086 | 10.6% | $39,123 | 0.95 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14,795 | 7.5% | $73,402 | 1.58 |
| Administrative and waste services | 14,007 | 7.1% | $45,218 | 1.08 |
| Finance and insurance | 12,124 | 6.1% | $103,202 | 1.35 |
| Construction | 11,806 | 5.9% | $80,558 | 1.02 |
| Professional and technical services | 10,625 | 5.4% | $96,706 | 0.69 |
| Wholesale trade | 6,915 | 3.5% | $81,957 | 0.79 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6,875 | 3.5% | $50,394 | 1.03 |
| Educational services | 3,767 | 1.9% | $45,785 | 0.82 |
| Real estate and rental | 3,293 | 1.7% | $68,439 | 0.96 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 3,270 | 1.6% | $30,796 | 0.88 |
| Information | 2,702 | 1.4% | $117,109 | 0.65 |
| Management of companies | 1,855 | 0.9% | $105,999 | 0.50 |
| Utilities | 288 | 0.1% | $110,127 | 0.34 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 191 | 0.1% | $56,057 | 0.11 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 38 | 0.0% | $88,944 | 0.05 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 70.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 26.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $141,008 |
| Income per person | $80,244 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,852 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.8% |
| Median home value | $544,300 |
| Homeowners | 87.9% |
| Poverty rate | 3.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,700 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 99.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 72.8% |
| Born abroad | 2.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 56.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.9 | 37 | 112 |
| Feb | 5.0 | 41 | 129 |
| Mar | 9.7 | 49 | 119 |
| Apr | 14.6 | 58 | 120 |
| May | 19.3 | 67 | 116 |
| Jun | 23.7 | 75 | 104 |
| Jul | 25.5 | 78 | 123 |
| Aug | 25.4 | 78 | 96 |
| Sep | 22.0 | 72 | 102 |
| Oct | 15.5 | 60 | 91 |
| Nov | 9.0 | 48 | 108 |
| Dec | 4.8 | 41 | 142 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bank | TN | 3 mi | 12,010 | $63,983 | $1,283 |
| Chattanooga | TN | 8 mi | 185,783 | $64,523 | $1,256 |
| Middle Valley | TN | 9 mi | 12,187 | $95,000 | $1,180 |
| Harrison | TN | 11 mi | 8,011 | $89,395 | $1,216 |
| East Ridge | TN | 12 mi | 22,070 | $62,247 | $1,147 |
| Soddy-Daisy | TN | 13 mi | 13,231 | $75,113 | $1,047 |
| Collegedale | TN | 18 mi | 11,330 | $70,246 | $1,581 |
| Cleveland | TN | 27 mi | 48,829 | $58,559 | $1,034 |
| Dalton | GA | 33 mi | 34,538 | $63,577 | $996 |
| Winchester | TN | 43 mi | 9,799 | $62,782 | $974 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
8,860 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,852 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.8% of the median household income.
$141,008 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Hamilton County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.