Nashville, also known as Music City, is home to the historic Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Masses flock to this city to “make it” in music, especially country, but ask any local, and they’ll tell you this rapidly growing city is a good place to live for all walks of life. Read on to see why Nashville remains one of the fastest-growing large metropolitans in the nation.
Looking to make Nashville your new home? AptAmigo built a better way to find your dream apartment. With local insight, apartment expertise, and knowledge of all the best deals, we can make your apartment hunt stress-free — and maybe even a little fun.
Related to “Is Nashville a Good Place to Live?”: Best Apartment Coworking Spaces in Nashville
Why Is Nashville a Good Place to Live?
Nashville’s Quality of Life
If you’re contemplating a move to the South and and prefer a more urban environment, Nashville presents the obvious answer due to its high quality of life and low cost of living. For many, Nashville serves as the perfect opportunity to live in a big city without decimating your bank account. You won’t sacrifice on culture either because Nashville’s renowned music and food scene draws visitors from around the world.
Nashville’s job market continues to rank a little better the national average, so many opportunities do pop up here. Amazon, among other giant corporations, call it home, and the city has attracted numerous tech startups as well. Creatives flock to East Nashville, where WeWork and Launch operate from, and which also houses Five Points Alley Shops, a collection of niche retailers, as well as digital agency SnapShot Interactive, who transformed a former church into their office.
Overall, Nashville offers the perks of a metropolitan city with affordable housing that gives residents space to breathe. Transplants from New York City and Los Angeles will agree that they couldn’t have imagined themselves enjoying a half acre while living a mere six-minute drive from downtown.
Things to Do in Nashville
As the city grows, so does the incredible food and drink scene. Nashville’s darling, Chef Sean Brock, opened Joyland in East Nashville, which represents just one of the latest star-studded restaurants to grace the landscape. Chauhan Ale & Masala House in Downtown, led by Maneet Chauhan (known for her role as a judge on the show Chopped), combines Indian fare with traditional Southern dishes. She serves up globally influenced Indian cuisine that highlights elements of the culinary scene not only in Mumbai or New Delhi, but also Nashville as well. Plus, for more opportunities to eat like a local, you’ll want to try every establishment on our list of Nashville’s Best Hot Chicken and then wash down the spice with some unique cocktails.
If you know anything at all about Nashville, you know of its unbeatable music scene. There are plenty of places, both indoors and outdoors, to catch a live show, from The Bluebird Cafe to the historic Ryman Auditorium. Pretty much anywhere you go in Nashville, you’ll encounter the chance to hear live music.
Main Attractions
On your first trip to Nashville, you simply cannot miss the Country Music Hall of Fame. It is one of the world’s largest research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American music. The in-house museum has amassed one of the world’s most extensive musical collections.
Experiencing the Grand Ole Opry and the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center should also go at the top of your bucket list. The Grand Ole Opry dates back to Nov. 28, 1925 when an announcer on Nashville radio station WSM introduced fiddle player Uncle Jimmy Thompson as the first performer on a new show called “The WSM Barn Dance.” Now, nearly 100 years later, the show goes on. It has launched countless country music careers (Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, and Thomas Rhett, to name a few) and paved the way for Nashville to become Music City.
The nearby Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center should also not be missed, boasting close to 50,000 plants in the resort’s atrium as well as a 12,500 sq. ft. indoor lake with a boat for guests.
To discover even more things to do in Nashville, see our in-depth article on the best things to do in downtown Nashville.
How to Get Places
While public transportation does exist, Nashville residents still predominantly get around by car. Ask any local “how long to get from point A to point B”, and they’ll always answer, “15 minutes.” While neighborhoods sit just close enough, this growing city is still spread out.
Locals who have watched the city grow complain about the traffic — but again, drivers can reach almost any destination in just 15 minutes. Talk to a transplant from L.A. about Nashville traffic, and you’ll hear them gush about how amazingly easy it is to get around.
As far as public transportation, WeGo buses make it quite easy get into downtown. Bikes and scooters are available for rent in almost any neighborhood, and ride-shares cost significantly less than in other large metropolitan areas.
Related: Moving to Nashville from Chicago.
Is Nashville Expensive?
As with any growing population, this kind of development comes with a price tag. While Nashville remains more affordable than other comparable U.S. cities, it does rank as more expensive than fellow Southeastern cities Atlanta and Orlando. The average cost of rent in Nashville is $1,830 per month, and the median income between 2020-2024 was $77,371.
Read more about the Cost of Living in Nashville.
What’s the Job Market Like?
Nashville maintains a strong job market, with an unemployment rate well below the national average. With a growing startup scene, tech headquarters like Amazon, and a huge healthcare hub (including Vanderbilt University Medical Center), job growth in Nashville continues, but depends, in large part, on the industry or job type you choose. Demand for employees varies by occupation, favoring certain sectors more than others.
So, is Nashville a good place to live? Hands down, yes! And, we think you can see why now.
Find Your Dream Nashville Apartment
Ready to discover for yourself why Nashville is a good place to live? If you’re planning to move to this amazing city, but don’t know where to start, reach out to AptAmigo. Our apartment experts will stay right by your side throughout the entire process. All you need to do is tell us your preferences and budget, and we will compile a list of buildings that are perfect for you. Once you send back your favorites, we will schedule tours, take videos of available units, and answer all your questions and concerns. The best part? It’s absolutely free!
Up Next: Best Cafes for Work and Play
* The original version of this article was first published on July 20, 2020.
Taylor Small is a New York transplant now residing in Nashville, TN, with a background in social media, public relations, and marketing. She freelances and runs her own interior plant design business, Oasis Design. On the weekends she can be found riding around in her 1971 Ford searching for the best antique mall or hiking with her dog, Oliver.
