For the past couple of years, Tennessee has been one of the main destinations on people’s radars who are relocating. Tennessee has a lot of advantages.
The biggest is its low cost of living and relatively affordable housing.
There’s no state income tax, and the property tax rates are among the lowest in the country, so you can stretch your money pretty far in the Volunteer State.
Of all the places to move and to raise a family in Tennessee, Nashville has been one of the most popular.
The popularity of Nashville for new residents has led to increases in the prices of houses and other necessities, but even so, it remains lower than national averages of most places.
Nashville is known as being the home of country music, with historic venues like the Ryman and the Grand Ole Opry, but the Music City has a lot more to offer.
The economy is thriving, there’s a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation, and it’s an exciting time to be a Nashville resident.
The following are some of the main things to know if you’re thinking about a move to middle Tennessee, specifically Nashville.
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1. The Cost of Living Compared to the National Average
We touched on the cost of living above, but it’s a big factor as to why people are moving to Nashville and Tennessee in general.
The cost of living is much lower than in cities like New York and San Francisco. Your money can go further, whether you’re going to rent or buy a home.
Nashville is more expensive than Tennessee cities like Knoxville and Memphis, though.
Paired with a low cost of living is a relatively high median household income of around $60,000. The job market in Nashville is also pretty strong, as is true throughout most of Tennessee.
2. You’ll Need a Car
If you’re coming from a bigger city like New York, one thing that you’ll have to budget for is transportation, and you’re probably going to need a car.
Public transportation is pretty much nonexistent in Nashville, and like many other big southern cities, everything tends to be spread out. It’s similar to Atlanta or Dallas in that way.
Along with needing a car and having to pay for the expenses that go along with that, you can count on a lot of traffic.
Nashville is growing fast, which means your commute is probably going to take up some of your otherwise free time.
3. There’s a Burgeoning Tech Scene
You might not think about a tech scene Nashville, but it’s actually growing rapidly.
In Nashville and the region surrounding the city, giants like Oracle, Facebook and Amazon are starting to establish a presence.
In 2020, Nashville was ranked as the number one market for tech job growth over the past five years by CBRE, a national commercial real estate firm.
TechIntoNashville is an effort that’s being used to draw in tech companies and employers. Companies in Nashville are actively working to woo tech employees from cities like Chicago and San Francisco.
Tech is only one component of Nashville’s growth. The healthcare industry is also growing in the area. Other startups outside of tech and finding a home in the city too.
4. The Neighborhoods
The Gulch has a younger feel with high-rise apartments and condos and bars, and restaurants.
Downtown is where you’ll find many of the city’s attractions drawing in tourists, like Bridgestone, the Riverfront, and the Ryman.
Hillsboro Village has more single-family homes than The Gulch or Downtown, but it’s still convenient to the heart of the city.
If you want to be somewhat out of the city a bit but still enjoy what it has to offer, there are appealing suburbs, many of which have some of the state’s best schools.
Brentwood is a family-friendly Nashville suburb that’s around 15 minutes away from downtown. Brentwood has high home prices, but with it comes convenience and amenities.
Brentwood is also where some of the biggest country stars call home.
Spring Hill is a suburb that’s one of the most sought-after in the area. It’s around 30 minutes from downtown, and a lot of the people who call the community home are new arrivals.
There are an abundance of reasonably priced homes that are new construction, and this is arguably one of the Nashville area’s most family-friendly places to live.
Franklin has its own historic downtown district with Victorian homes, and the schools are extremely highly-rated. This does make Franklin expensive to buy a home in.
Hendersonville is a community that centers around lakeside living, and it’s around 30 minutes from downtown. There are a lot of waterfront properties, and the cost of living is surprisingly affordable.
5. The Job Market
The unemployment rate is well below the national average and has been for quite a while. Vanderbilt University Medical Center serves the needs of around two million patients a year, and it’s a major academic medical center in the Southeastern part of the country, with more than 20,000 employees.
The Kroger Company employs thousands of Nashville residents, as does Nissan North America.
6. Things to Do
Along with being home to country music venues like The Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and more, there are family-friendly festivals and events and outdoor activities.
The city is home to Shelby Park on the Cumberland River, with amenities like golf courses and playgrounds. Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is a good place to enjoy the outdoors, as is the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere.
Just a few hours’ drive away is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well, the most visited in the country.
7. The Weather
Finally, if there was one downside to Nashville for a lot of people, it might be the weather. The winters can be great because they’re mild, and temperatures are often in the 50s and even 60s.
The summers, however, aren’t so pleasant. It gets very hot and extremely humid, so you have to endure around four months each year when it’s tough to even go outside.
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