Ridgeside 01, 2026
Ridgeside’s story
Ridgeside in pictures
Census counts: 443 in 1940, 446 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2026 and 5 maps from 1935 on.
Explore the history →
Photo: Dclemens1971 · CC BY 4.0
Population
441
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$539K
−2.2% in a year
Household income
$191K
median
Median age
43.2
years
Jobs based here
16
A commuter town
Is Ridgeside a good place to live?
72% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Ridgeside, above both the Tennessee town median (23%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Only 3 of the 178 Tennessee towns we compare have a higher median household income than Ridgeside. Ridgeside has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
441 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 26 attractions →Ruby Falls and 18 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ridgeside. Close and well known come first.
5 mi WaterfallRuby Falls
14 mi MountainLookout Mountain
3 mi MuseumTennessee Valley Railroad Museum4 mi Theme parkLake Winnepesaukah
4 mi Zoo & aquariumTennessee Aquarium
in town National Military ParkChickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park972K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Ruby Falls: Oydman (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lookout Mountain: Teke, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum: TVSRR at English Wikipedia. Photo by Jason Trew /TVSRR, Public domain · Tennessee Aquarium: Ɱ, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park: Lhughesw5, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ridgeside: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ridgeside, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of Chattanooga12.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTennessee American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTrash dayTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHamilton County Election CommissionHamilton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code3741137411 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ridgeside.
Housing
The typical home in Ridgeside is valued at about $539K
In the year to September 2026, typical home values slipped 2.2%. Ridgeside: 93% of households live in a home they own, against 66% in Tennessee’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
$539KZillow home value
Typical home value
Ridgeside$539K
Tennessee$331K
−2.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Ridgeside stands out in Tennessee and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most
Of the losses FEMA expects in Ridgeside, 67% come from inland flooding and 16% from tornadoes. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Compared with most of Tennessee and the rest of the country, fewer of Ridgeside’s residents live below the poverty line
Ridgeside’s average commute comes in at 18 minutes. For half of commuters, work is under 5 miles away. The top destinations are Chattanooga (64%), East Ridge (4%) and Nashville (3%).
0%work in town
| Ridgeside | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Ridgeside0%
Chattanooga64%
East Ridge4%
Nashville3%
Knoxville2%
5 mi
median commute distance
16
jobs based in Ridgeside
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Ridgeside
Summer afternoons peak near 90° in July, and January nights bottom out around 31°; snowfall runs to about 4 inches a winter. The seasons in Ridgeside: mild winters, warm summers, with plenty of rain.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–53°
Spring48–72°
Summer67–88°
Fall50–73°
Nov 9
typical first frost
Mar 24
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Ridgeside is
In Ridgeside, 24% of adults say their health is fair or poor. Against the Tennessee average, Ridgeside comes out ahead on 5 CDC measures out of 31, and behind on 7. 15% of adults here have diabetes; 14% binge drink.
| Ridgeside | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 41% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
5 better19 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Ridgeside | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.4% | 13.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.8% | 16.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.9% | 14.6% |
Parkridge Medical Center
1.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ridgeside
16pages on Ridgeside
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Ridgeside
Richmont Graduate UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Chattanooga1.6 miThe University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaUniversity or college · Public · Chattanooga3.1 mi$10,448 in-state tuitionChattanooga State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Chattanooga4.5 mi$4,772 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Ridgeside residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Ridgeside for work
Where Ridgeside’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
16jobs based in Ridgeside
0%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ridgeside
City in Tennessee, United States
Ridgeside is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 446 at the 2020 census and estimated to be 432 in 2018. Ridgeside is an enclave, as it is completely surrounded by the city limits of Chattanooga. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Ridgeside's name is derived from its location on the eastern slope (side) of Missionary Ridge. Locally, the city is also known as Shepherd Hills, after the bigger of its two subdivisions, the other being Crescent Park.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 846 ft
- Area code
- 423
Questions about Ridgeside
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ridgeside, TN a good place to live?
Ridgeside has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.