ABOUT CLEVELAND
The City of Cleveland is a fast-growing community that has retained its "hometown" feel. Convenient to numerous tourist attractions ranging from whitewater rafting and mountain climbing to shopping and big-city culture, Cleveland offers a high quality of life to its residents.
Cleveland has a growing economy facilitated by a strong industrial base and fast-evolving retail 
market. The area is home to 11 Fortune 500 manufacturing companies as well as increasing the tourism component of the economy, with its proximity to the mountains, whitewater rafting, and Cherokee Indian heritage. Its location along the Interstate 75 corridor offers 
transportation advantages to residents and industries. Regional educational and vocational opportunities, anchored by a wide selection of area private and public colleges and universities, provide a competitive advantage for future workers. A solid secondary educational system, funded in part by the City, ensures a fresh supply of qualified college- and workforce-bound individuals.
With the breath-taking beauty of the area, high standard of living and friendly, "hometown" feel, coupled with the community's unwavering commitment to ensure an even brighter future, Cleveland is a great place to live, work, play and visit.
The average elevation is 875 feet above sea level, the terrain being the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
The average annual rainfall is 54.6” and the relative humidity is 72%. The City is a short distance from the Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest, site of the 1996 Olympic canoe and kayak events on the scenic Ocoee River. Outdoor recreational activities are plentiful.
The City of Cleveland is the county seat of Bradley County, Tennessee, located in the extreme southeastern corner of the state. Cleveland is located 28 miles northeast of Chattanooga, 82 miles southwest of Knoxville, 124 miles north of Atlanta, 172 miles north of Birmingham, and 181 miles southeast of Nashville. It is located on Interstate 75, US Highways 11 and 64, and State Routes 60, 74, 40 and 2.
The City was incorporated on February 4, 1903, with a population of 400. The county is bordered on the south by Whitfield County, Georgia, to the west by Hamilton and Meigs counties, to the north by McMinn County, and to the east by Polk County, which is adjacent to North Carolina.
The state-certified population for 2000 was 37,192. The City and County are both growing at a moderate rate. Commercial growth has exceeded the previous year total in spite of the slower national economy. The City has shown consistent growth throughout its history, as the following table demonstrates:
Census Population
City of Cleveland Bradley County
Population Square Miles Population Square Miles
1930 9,136 2.0 22,870 338
1940 11,357 2.0 28,498 338
1950 12,605 4.0 32,338 338
1960 16,196 7.0 38,324 338
1970 21,446 9.2 50,686 338
1980 26,415 13.3 67,547 338
1990 30,354 19.5 73,712 338
2000 37,192 25.0 87,965 338
According to the 2000 census, the City’s population is 89.0% Caucasian, 7.0% African-American, 2.9% Hispanic, and 1.1% Asian or Other. The median age is 34.0. Those 19 years of age and younger are 26.4% of the population, and those 55 years of age and older are 23.2%. The median income per household is $32,257 and the per capita income is $25,572. The housing stock totals 17,116 units, of which 8,866 (51.8%) are owner-occupied. The rental vacancy rate in 2000 was 9.8%. The median value of owner occupied units was $98,000. Housing costs in Cleveland and Bradley County are 16.6% below the national average as reflected in the third quarter 2007 ACCRA cost of living survey. The unemployment rate has remained very low for at least the last six years. The unemployment rate for Cleveland in February 2008 was 5.7%. The unemployment rate for Bradley County was 5.5%, the State of Tennessee was 5.3% and the national average was 5.0%. The cost of living is 16.8% below the national average, and 1.06% above the state average.
INDUSTRY
The City has a highly diversified economy, having the sixth largest number of manufacturing companies of any community in the state, and being a regional shopping destination and health care provider for surrounding counties in Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. 
Among the major private-sector employers in the area are: Arch Chemicals, Inc., Bowater Newsprint – Calhoun Operations, Brown Stove Works, Charleston Hosiery, Cleveland Chair Co., Duracell USA, Hardwick Clothes, Jackson Manufacturing, Johnston Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Master Foods, Whirlpool, Newlywed Foods, Olin Corporation, Peyton’s Southeastern, President Baking, Rubbermaid, Schering Plough, and United Knitting.
Wacker Chemie AG announced February 26, 2009 the purchase of property in Bradley County, in the State of Tennessee. The Munich-based chemical group acquired land of almost 550 acres for a new integrated silicon-based manufacturing site. The purchase price totals almost $20 million.
WACKER expects a mid-term investment in the Cleveland, TN area of around $1 billion to set up the new plant, creating about 500 new jobs. This is a preparatory step for the Company’s mid-term plans to construct a new integrated hyper pure polycrystalline silicon manufacturing facility in the United States.
Just a few miles south, Volkswagen is building a $1 billion plant that will also provide jobs for Clevelanders.
TRANSPORTATION
Cleveland is served by Southern Railway, Greyhound bus line, numerous common freight carriers, and barge service from the Hiwassee River by Charleston Marine Transport, Inc. and Cleveland's Urban Transit System, offering reguarly scheduled fixed routes throughout the City.
The City owns Hardwick Field, a general aviation airport. A new modern airport is now under construction with groundbreaking in 2009 to add services to its general aviation offerings to local business and industry.
Chattanooga’s Lovell Field, with both general aviation and commercial aviation capability, is approximately thirty minutes south on Interstate 75.
EDUCATION
The City has two institutions of higher learning: Lee University, a 4-year liberal arts school, and Cleveland State Community College, a 2-year technical and community college.
Lee University is a private, comprehensive university located in Cleveland, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Lee is emerging as a leader in higher education in the southeastern region and was ranked in 2009 in the “Top Tier” in the South by U.S. News & World Report (Comprehensive Medium- Size Universities).
Lee is also ranked by Princeton Review’s “Best Colleges” and is now one of the 136 colleges named Best in the Southeast. The university’s growing reputation as a quality institution can be seen in the high caliber of faculty, students, and friends who are drawn to the campus.
This marks the 22nd straight year of increased enrollment under
the leadership of president, Dr. Paul Conn.
Cleveland State Community College is an accredited public comprehensive community college committed to quality education and open access. The college operates within the governance of the Tennessee Board of Regents.
Approximately 3,500 credit students and 1,500 non-credit students enroll in Cleveland State Community College in a typical fall semester. The credit student population is split about evenly in the choice of transfer or career-technical programs.
The average age of all students is 28 years. The college is under the leadership of president, Dr. Carl Hite.
The City School System has one primary school, five elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and one alternative school.
The school system consistently ranks among the top ten public systems in the state on the American College Test (ACT) for college entrance.
MEDICAL
SKYRIDGE MEDICAL CENTER, with two locations in Cleveland, recently completed a $45 Million Investment into a Medical Center. That expanded its current facility by 106,875 square feet. It houses a 43-bed emergency department, 10 bed ICU unit, eight surgical suits with a day surgery area and 31 private rooms in a medical surgical unit. This, in addition to its existing facility is a major investment in medical services for this region.
Skyridge has more than 1200 employees with a staff of over 150 physicians on staff.
RECREATION
Cleveland is home to 8 City-owned and maintained recreational parks, including a handicap park and a nature park. The City also owns and maintains 2 community centers, a soccer complex, a golf course and a greenway with 2 miles of walking paths.
UTILITIES
Utilities are provided by the following within the City:
Cleveland Utilities Electricity, water, and wastewater
Volunteer Energy MC Electricity in some annexed areas
Cleveland Gas Products Natural Gas
AT&T Telecommunications
Charter Communications Cable Television
There are six local radio stations, WBAC, WCLE, WALV, WOCE, WDNT, WHJK, WAYA and WDRZ; one daily newspaper, the Cleveland Daily Banner; one weekly newspaper, the Bradley Weekly; and one monthly newspaper, The People News. In addition, the Chattanooga Times Free Press, and the Knoxville News Sentinel report on news in Cleveland. Cleveland has its own local television channel with the local cable television provider Charter Communications. Four television stations in Chattanooga also cover Cleveland regularly: WRCB (NBC), WTVC (ABC), WDSI (F0X), and WDEF (CBS). Four public television stations are also available in the area, WTCI and WFLI in Chattanooga, WTNB in Cleveland, and WCLP in Atlanta.
The City operates under the Council-Manager form of government, established by an amended Private Act Charter in 1993, following a referendum. There are five council-members elected from districts. The Mayor and two council-members are elected at large. All elections are non-partisan, and the terms are for four years, with half the members elected every two years. The City Council then appoints the City Manager to head the administrative functions of city government.