Clear Estimates Research ·
The limits of cost per square foot: what it really costs to build a house in every U.S. ZIP code
- Cost to build the Cape Cod
- $473,500
- Median market: $528,300
- Cost to build the economy ranch
- $209,600
- Median market: $234,000
- Cost to build the brick colonial
- $1,153,600
- Median market: $1,260,000
- Cape Cod, dollars per square foot
- 197
- Median market: 220
Cost to build the Cape Cod in Chattanooga: $473,500, against $528,300 in the median market. Lower than in 313 of the 349 markets, and the 2nd highest of the 5 Tennessee markets.
Cost to build the economy ranch in Chattanooga: $209,600, against $234,000 in the median market. Lower than in 314 of the 349 markets, and the 3rd highest of the 5 Tennessee markets.
Cost to build the brick colonial in Chattanooga: $1,153,600, against $1,260,000 in the median market. Lower than in 307 of the 349 markets, and the 3rd highest of the 5 Tennessee markets.
Cape Cod, dollars per square foot in Chattanooga: 197, against 220 in the median market. Lower than in 312 of the 349 markets, and the 2nd highest of the 5 Tennessee markets.
Modeled cost to build a 1,200 sq ft economy ranch, a 2,400 sq ft mid-grade Cape Cod and a 4,000 sq ft premium brick colonial, median across the market's ZIP codes. Land not included.
Source: Clear Estimates pricing data, modeled project costs, October 2026.
