City comparison
Chattanooga, TN is about 90 miles (150 km) from Murfreesboro, TN in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 100 miles, or about 1 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Chattanooga, TN to Murfreesboro, TN takes about 10 min, covering roughly 90 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Chattanooga has a population of 181,288, vs 153,487 in Murfreesboro — about 1.2× larger by population. By land area, Chattanooga covers about 140 sq mi vs 65 sq mi for Murfreesboro.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chattanooga | Murfreesboro | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,066/mo | $1,272/mo | 19.3% higher in Murfreesboro |
| Median home value | $230,500 | $327,400 | 42.0% higher in Murfreesboro |
| Median household income | $57,703 | $70,451 | 22.1% higher in Murfreesboro |
| Groceries index | 96.2 | 96.5 | ≈ equal (Murfreesboro slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 76.1 | 74.0 | 2.8% higher in Chattanooga |
| Transportation index | 95.8 | 95.6 | ≈ equal (Chattanooga slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 95.3 | 95.1 | ≈ equal (Chattanooga slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chattanooga, you'd need $113,042 in Murfreesboro to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chattanooga, TN is about 11.5% cheaper overall than Murfreesboro, TN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 35% higher in Murfreesboro than in Chattanooga. If you earn $80,000 in Chattanooga, you'd need about $90,434 in Murfreesboro to keep the same standard of living.