A Complete Guide to Moving to Nashville

Nashville is a southern city with many amenities and has the potential to be an exciting new place for you! If you are thinking about moving there, it’s time to do your research. This article provides all of the information that you need to know before deciding whether moving to Nashville is right for you. Check out our checklist on how to prepare for your move, learn more about traffic conditions in Nashville, or find out what things cost in this beautiful city!

Overview of Nashville

Nashville, otherwise known as Music City, is a popular area for people to move to. So much so that according to real estate experts, around 82 people a day are moving to Nashville, and that number is steadily growing! 

If you’re thinking about becoming a resident before you decide moving to Nashville is the right place to live, it’s important to learn more about the city and all it has to offer. 

Below is a brief overview of the Nashville area to help you learn more about this exciting city. 

• Nashville is a city in the U.S. and is the state capital of Tennessee. The current metro area population of Nashville in 2021 is 1,272,000 residents. The city’s population has grown by more than 517,000 people since 2000. That’s a lot of Nashville residents! 
• Nashville is home to several colleges and universities, including Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, Tennessee State University (TSU), and Fisk University. 
• Over the last few decades, Nashville has seen considerable growth with major development projects like Music City Center (2012), Bridgestone Tower (2010), and Nissan Stadium (1999). Even now, the city is expanding like crazy with an estimated $4.6B worth of construction value being added to the area and over 11,400 building permits being issued between 2020-2021 alone! Three large projects that are currently underway are the River North, Neuhoff in Germantown, and Nashville Yards developments. 
• Nashville has several professional sports teams, including the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, and Nashville Sounds. We even have a football club -Nashville SC.
• The city is a major center for the music industry, especially country music, and is often referred to as America’s Country Music Capital. Popular country music attractions include the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Belcourt Theater, Ryman Auditorium, and the Bluebird Cafe. 
• The Broadway strip located in downtown Nashville features live music clubs and honky-tonk bars with live performances by up-and-coming artists. 

Nashville has plenty of local job opportunities, great school districts, affordable real estate prices, and no state income tax. With all that Nashville has to offer, it’s no wonder the city is a hot spot, and so many people are moving to the mid-south area. 

Checklist for Moving to Nashville

Now that you’ve learned all about the area before moving to Nashville, you may want to start packing. But before you get too ahead of yourself, make sure to check out this checklist for moving to get prepared to relocate. 

Moving Checklist: 

✓-Plan a trip to Nashville to scope out the area. Before you break your lease or sell your current home, you’ll want to visit the area to determine if moving to Nashville is a good fit for you and your family. So plan a trip first before making your next move. 

✓-Research different neighborhoods and learn about their schools, parks, and public transportation. Just a little hint, if you have kids, Williamson county schools are some of the best in the state. So you’ll want to check out areas like Brentwood, Franklin, Thompson Station, Spring Hill, and Nolensville. 

✓-Decide what to do with your current home. Do you need to sell? Do you want to keep your home and rent it out? You’ll want to make a plan before moving and get started as soon as possible. Selling a house can take some time, especially if you need to get your home ready to sell (repairs, cleaning, decluttering, staging). If you decide to rent out your home, you’ll also need to get the house ready, find a reputable tenant, and hire a property management company. 

✓-Find a place to live before moving to Nashville. First, decide if you’d like to buy or rent. If you choose to purchase, be prepared to make an offer quickly. Nashville’s current housing market is very competitive. 

✓-Notify your old utility companies of your move and set up service in your new home. 

✓-Change your address with the post office and update your driver’s license and registration.

✓-Take inventory of your belongings and decide what you want to take with you and what you would like to sell or donate. 

✓-Interview moving companies and hire one or rent a moving van.

✓-Start packing, label all your boxes and have plenty of packing tape on hand. 

→ Pro Packing Tip! Number your moving boxes and keep a notepad with a detailed description of the contents in each box. This will make it easier for you to track down items after you move into your new place. 

✓-Pack essentials for when you first arrive, such as toiletries, bedding, and a change of clothes. 

✓-Pack your items strategically so that you can fit everything in your moving truck or rental van.

✓-Enroll the kids. If you have children make sure to get them enrolled in school and activities. 

✓-Figure out a place for the pets. If you have a pet, figure out a place for them to stay during moving day. 

Things You Might Not Consider When Moving to Nashville

Moving to Nashville TN, is pretty exciting, but like with any city, there are a few things to consider when moving to the area. Below we’ll take a look at some things you might not consider when moving to Nashville that you probably should before selling your house and moving to Music City. 

• Climate – Nashville has hot and humid springs and summers. These weather conditions bring plenty of thunderstorms and rainfall, so much so that Nashville sees 51.7 days out of the year with severe weather and averages 47 inches of rainfall which is more precipitation than Seattle, Washington! 
• Crime– Nashville has a higher crime rate than similarly sized metro areas.
• Traffic– Although not as bad as neighboring Atlanta, GA, Nashville’s traffic isn’t great. 
• Green Spaces– Nashville has several parks and trails located all over the city; a few you’ll want to check out include Shelby Park, Radnor Lake State Park, and Centennial Park, where you’ll find a replica of the Parthenon right in the center of Nashville.
• Festivals– There is always something going on in this city to keep you occupied. With multiple events and festivals happening every month, there is more to this city than just music. Some of the annual events that you’ll want to check out include CMA Fest, ACM Awards, Nashville Oktoberfest, Bonnaroo Music, and Arts Festival, and Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival.

Pros and Cons of Living in Nashville

Still not sure if you’d like to move to Nashville. Below we’ll break down some of the pros and cons of living in Nashville to help you decide. 

Some of the pros to living in Nashville, TN include:

– Affordable real estate

– Good public school system (Williamson County Schools)

– Low crime rates in Nashville suburbs (Brentwood, Franklin, Green Hills, Mt. Juliet, Murfreesboro) 

– Excellent entertainment opportunities

– Many parks and nature preserves for outdoor enthusiasts

– An International Airport (BNA)

-Top Healthcare Services in Nashville (Vanderbilt University Medical Center, St. Thomas Health, TriStar Centennial, Williamson Medical)  

-No state income tax in Tennessee

Some of the cons to living in Nashville, TN include:

-Real estate prices are higher than they might be in other cities 

-The cost of living in Nashville is relatively high when compared to other cities in the U.S. 

-Traffic can be a bit of a challenge, especially during rush hour, and there are few public transportation options outside of buses. 

-Crime in Nashville isn’t great, but that’s mainly noticed in the downtown area.

-Many out-of-state people are moving to the area, which can be looked at as good and bad. 

–Tennessee has the greatest percentage of nighttime tornadoes.

Costs of Living in Nashville

It’s important to learn more about the cost of living before moving to a new city, as this will give you a better idea of what to expect. This information can help you budget for your move, and it can also help you find a job and housing in Nashville.

The cost of living in Nashville is relatively high compared to some other cities in the United States. However, compared to other large cities (NY, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle) Nashville has a low cost of living.

The average rent for an 889 sq ft apartment is around $1,644, and the average price for a gallon of gasoline is currently around $3.01.

If we were to give the U.S. an average score of 100 and anything above 100 would mean it’s more expensive than the U.S. average, and anything below 100 would mean that it’s less expensive than the U.S. average, Nashville currently comes in at 101.4. 

Data from ​​BestPlaces.net

Housing Market in Nashville

Home prices in TN have been rising, and Nashville has been booming with many new developments. 

Now is a great time to buy or sell real estate in the Nashville area. 

In November 2021, the median listing home price in Nashville, TN, reached $400K, which is an 11.1% increase year over year. The median listing home price per square foot is $243. The median sold price for a condo was $298,000, up 21.5% from last year. 

Housing market statistics show that despite the pandemic-led economic slowdown, there was a healthy demand to purchase homes in the Nashville real estate market. 

Nashville has also seen an increase of buyers moving from larger markets like California, Chicago, New York, and Seattle. Another draw for out-of-state home buyers is that TN is one of only 7 states that doesn’t impose an income tax and one of two that does not collect tax on earned income. 

This has increased the demand for housing in the Nashville metropolitan area. However, high demand and low inventory have caused home prices in Nashville to rise rapidly. Other reasons home prices are on the rise include low-interest rates, low inventory, and changing demographics in larger cities. Therefore, this is an ideal time for sellers in the greater Nashville area to consider a home sale. 

Of course, selling a house is a process, especially if you need to make some repairs and improvements, declutter, clean, and stage. And then there is hiring a listing agent or selling for sale by owner instead. If you’d prefer to sell an easier way and avoid the hassle of getting your home ready to list and figuring out a selling strategy, you may want to consider selling to cash home buyers in Nashville instead. 

Nexus Homebuyers is a local “Buy My House Nashville” investor that buys houses in as-is condition, doesn’t charge realtor commissions, and closes quickly. 

Find out more about this “We buy houses Tennessee” company or visit their website to learn how it works. 

Nashville Education Opportunities 

Nashville is called the Athens of the South due to its large educational institutions and vibrant cultural scene. The city is home to numerous colleges and universities, including:

• Vanderbilt University
• Belmont University
• Lipscomb University
• Middle Tennessee State University
• Fisk University

In addition, Nashville boasts a thriving arts and entertainment community with a renowned music scene, museums, and theaters.

Nashville is home to many highly-rated individual schools, such as those listed on the Best High Schools in Nashville, TN Area by US News. There are several top-rated school districts in the Nashville area, including:

• Williamson County Schools
• Wilson County School District
• Franklin County School District
• Sumner County

The Metro Nashville Public Schools system also offers neighborhood and magnet schools a range of programs and opportunities for students. 

Traffic and Public Transport

With more people moving to Nashville, that means more people on the roads. So at times, traffic can be rough getting around town. But truth be told, Nashville does not have a pleasant rush hour, and it’s not as bad as the worst traffic indexes in the country. Monday through Friday, drivers can expect to encounter traffic jams between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Besides driving, using Nashville Public Transportation is also available. The WeGo Public Transit is the primary way that people travel around on public transport. It costs $2 per ride and has more than 50 routes stretching out across the entire city, including the Gulch, Germantown, Midtown, Music Row, West End, and The Nations. Discounts are offered for passengers under the age of 19 and over the age of 65. Kids under 4 years old can ride for free.

Most of the buses in Nashville go into operation at 5:30 a.m. and run into the evening, although the exact times vary depending on the route.

Another option to get around town also includes Uber and Lyft. 

Overall the downtown area is pretty walkable. 

Key Amenities

Nashville is known as Music City, and this is due to the number of iconic venues for music. This includes the Grand Ole Opry House, which is a theater that hosts live performances. There are also many different outdoor concerts and events in Nashville throughout the year. These include major festivals such as CMA and the Fourth of July celebrations.

It has many attractions, such as the Belle Meade Plantation, the Parthenon, and Civil War battle sights. 

There are also great restaurants in Nashville, such as Prince’s Hot Chicken and Loveless Cafe, that have been included on lists for best diner-style food in the United States. You’ll also find some great breweries like Fat Bottom Brewery and coffee shops like the Frothy Monkey. 

The nightlife in Nashville is also great, and there are many different bars and music venues to choose from. Some of the most popular ones include Robert’s Western World, The Patterson House, and Honky Tonk Central. Finally, Nashville is a great place to raise a family with plenty of activities for kids, such as the Adventure Science Center and Nashville Children’s Theater.

Crime Rate in Nashville

With any major metro city, crime and safety can be an issue. Although Nashville doesn’t compete with the size of Chicago or New York, as a growing mid-south city, we do have a high crime rate. 

Currently, Nashville has a D+ grade, meaning the crime rate is higher than the average US metro area. In addition, the Nashville Metro area is in the 29th percentile for safety, meaning 71% of metro areas are safer, and 29% of metro areas are more dangerous. However, this analysis only applies to the Nashville metro area’s proper boundaries and Davidson County. 

The rate of crime in the Nashville metro area is 37.25 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. People who live in the Nashville metro area generally consider the east Nashville part of the metro area to be the safest.

Final Takeaways 

There are so many reasons to be excited about moving to Nashville, TN. The city has a booming economy, great job market, exciting music scene, nice shopping centers, and outdoor activities. Nashville is a great area for both young professionals and those looking to retire. After reading this article on what makes Nashville such a great place to live, you should be ready to pack your bags and start exploring the city!