Tennessee

Nashville

Nashville Neighborhoods The Gulch Area
Published on March 10, 2013

Nashville has become an art and college mecca, in addition to its 200 year old reputation as the Music City. Major music record labels have recording studios and distribution facilities in Nashville making the city one of the largest music production cities, second to New York City. Songwriters, musicians, singers and production talent make pilgrimages to Nashville to launch their career in hopes of being discovered globally. It’s no surprise that Rolling Stone Magazine named Nashville Best Music Scene. Pick up any local magazine and you will find the best places in Nashville for concerts, art exhibitions, theatre performances and festivals taking place in downtown and in the suburbs of the city.

Whether its nightlife or play days in the city, the local’s treasure what has become Nash Vegas, as much as the 10 million visitors who trek to visit Nashville for entertainment or colleges Nashville. Sports fans ignite the city’s energy even further during the football and hockey season. The Tennessee Titans NFL football team and NHL Predators compete from venues in downtown Nashville. 

The Cumberland River winds right through the center of the city leading to two beautiful Nashville lakes; Old Hickory Lake and the J. Percy Priest Reservoir. In addition to the rich culture and preserved outdoor playgrounds, Nashvillian’s are some of the friendliest people you will meet in the south.

Nashville is nicknamed Buckle of the Bible Belt with over 700 places of worship in the area. The city has built attractive Greenways which are linear parks and trails connecting Nashville neighborhoods, shopping and restaurants built along rivers, streams, scenic roads and places of interest throughout Nashville. In fact, there are over 1,000 restaurants and dining establishments in Nashville. As a pet friendly city, there are three dog parks in Nashville: Centennial Dog Park, Shelby Dog Park and Warner Dog Park. Let us know if you'd like to receive a Nashville Relocation Information and information about First Tennessee home loans.

The best places to live in Nashville include:

  • BRENTWOOD - The closest surburb south of downtown Nashville. The area includes gated golf communities and established neighborhoods with larger homes and acreage. Brentwood average home prices range in the high $400k's. Parts of Brentwood are located in Williamson County, a district known for the best public schools in the Nashville area.
  • COOL SPRINGS - Just south of Brentwood is the trendy suburb of Cool Springs. New office parks and large retail businesses can be seen from Interstate 65 including Nissan North American Headquarters. Cool Springs has grown so large, many folks consider it a city seperate from Nashville because it has all the big city conveniences. Cool Springs average new homes Nashville prices range in the high $300k's.
  • FRANKLIN - Located in the center of Williamson County, local's consider Franklin 'a bit out there'. Franklin is about an hour south of downtown Nashville, depending on traffic conjestion. None the less, well designed master planned communities are popping up here and there. There are plenty of shopping stores and restaurants along with charming downtown Franklin. This best small town could easily win a prettiest small town award. Franklin average home prices range in the high $200k's.
  • GALLATIN - Northeast of Nashville, 22,500 acre Old Lake Hickory draws folks to Gallatin because of its beautiful Tennessee lake. Folks living in the area prefer living away from the busier suburbs of Brentwood and Cool Springs. Rolling hills and farm land are more common in Gallatin along with master planned communities bordering Old Lake Hickory. Gallatin average home prices range in the mid $100k's.
  • GREEN HILLS -  Located southwest of downtown Nashville, Green Hills is where you'll find English Manors and mansion homes. The neighborhood is the city's most popular hip music destination. The Mall at Green Hills is a high end shopping center catering to affluent shoppers. Green Hills average home prices range in the mid $400k's. Buyer's purchasing older homes typically tear them down to build larger estate homes.
  • MOUNT JULIET - Named by some the Friendliest City in Tennessee, Mount Juliet is the gateway to the north and east via Interstate 40. Mount Juliet has the largest new shopping complex in Nashville named Providence Marketplace. Mount Juliet is also home to one of America's newest commuter rail lines. Mount Juliet average new homes Nashville prices range in the high $100k's.
  • THE GULCH - Within walking distance of Music Row in downtown Nashville, this redeveloped area of the city is spurring development of new contemporary high rise condominium buildings. You'll find trendy cafes and places to shop all within walking distance. Condominium prices range in the mid $200k's to over $500k.

Nashville neighborhoods feature Tudor, Spanish Mission, Minimal Traditional and Post-War architecture. The majority of the newer neighborhoods have a close knit footprint with zero lot line homes.

If you’re searching for where to retire in Tennessee, here's more reasons to consider Nashville real estate:

ARTS AND CULTURE

Built in 1892 and formerly the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium is still one of the hosting venues for top-selling musical artists because of its pitch-perfect acoustics. Country music legends perform at The Grand Ole Opry House. The Nashville Symphony performs at one of the best acoustic venues in the world, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The Noah Liff Opera Center is home to the Nashville Opera, Tennessee’s largest professional opera company. The Frist Center for the Visual Arts presents the finest art from regional, national and international artists. Art lovers can explore new art creations at one of the many art galleries along the 5th Avenue of the Arts during the First Saturday Art Crawl. The Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery features six major exhibitions each year along with displaying 6,000 permanent works of art.  

CLIMATE

At an elevation of 550 feet, the climate is generally mild to hot in Nashville. The average temperature December through February is in the high 30’s. The average annual snowfall is 10 inches. May through September, the average temperature ranges from the high 60’s to the high 70's. Nashville has four distinct seasons. March is generally the wettest month of the year and October the driest month. Tornados and flooding are Nashville’s biggest weather hazards.

LIFELONG LEARNING CENTERS

As a best college town in Tennessee, the city is home to 20 colleges Nashville. Nicknamed the Athens of the South, reminiscent of the ancient city of learning - Plato's Academy. Tourists are drawn Nashville to see the full size replica of the historic Greek structure, the Parthenon at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. More than 130 public schools, 50 private schools, 21 colleges and universities, 6 community colleges and 11 vocational technical schools are located in and around Nashville neighborhoods. 

Vanderbilt University offers exciting lifelong learning courses designed by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, specifically for students over 50 years of age. Courses include music appreciation, history, social issues and classes in the arts. Lipscomb University's also offers five-week Lifelong Learning Programs and enriching studies for active adults. First Tennessee home loans may offer student loans too. Be sure to check.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts and WAMB-AM present Senior Mondays, a series of events for those who admit their “senior” status. On these days, gallery admission is half price for seniors. The center also offers lectures in architecture, photography and the creative arts. The Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art offers adult eight week art classes and workshops at the museum. There are 25 MeetUp groups in Nashville who share in the interest of art. MeetUp groups are an excellent way to meet new friends and share common interests.

MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE

While Nashville is known for music and culture, the health care industry is actually Nashville's largest industry employing approximately 100,000 people throughout 250 health care companies. Baptist Hospital is Nashville’s largest hospital, second to Centennial Medical Center. Baptist Hospital is a member of Saint Thomas Health system and received an award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Care in 2012 which only 106 cancer facilities in the nationwide earn this honor. Both the Baptist Hospital and Centennial Medical Care are on the list of Top 10 Hospitals. The Vanderbilt University Medical Center is one of the nation’s leading teaching hospitals and has been ranked on the list of America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News and World Report. The hospital specializes in trauma care, organ transplants and advanced cancer care.

The Nashville Veterans Medical Center provides quality medical care in Nashville and support services for organ transplants. The Alvin C. York Campus is located in Murfreesboro is affiliated with Meharry Medical College providing additional medical care to Veterans.

RECREATIONAL SPORTS

Professional sports teams include the NFL Tennessee Titans where home games are played at LP Field, where the stadium seats 68,798 fans. The Predators are Nashville’s NHL hockey team where home games are played at Bridgestone Arena. Hermitage Golf Course has won numerous awards as Nashville’s best public golf course. The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is a popular jogging area or along Cumberland River at the Shelby Bottoms Greenway. Bicyclists can ‘check out bikes’ for free in many locations to ride around Shelby Bottoms park or along any of the city’s interconnected Greenways. The Centennial Sportsplex near Vanderbilt University is a multi-fitness recreation and sports facility near colleges Nashville. The center has 3 swimming pools, 15 tennis courts, 2 ice rinks and a 2,400 square foot fitness facility. Access to the Sportsplex is through annual membership. There are 109 community parks in and around Nashville, to enjoy the outdoors along with great fishing Tennessee lakes. 

SHOPPING AND DINING

As a large metropolitan city, just about every brand name retailer and big box store can be found in Nashville. The largest shopping malls include CoolSprings Galleria, The Mall at Green Hills, Opry Mills and RiverGate Mall. More unique shopping experiences can be found along The District and Hillsboro Village. The Nashville Farmer’s Market is open Friday - Sunday’s, adjacent to the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. According to Yelp, there are over 1,000 restaurants in the Nashville area. From five star fine dining restaurants to casual burger joints, Nashville offers just about every type of dining option your heart could desire. The best places in Nashville may seem endless in this foodie mecca and entertainment capital.

HOME AFFORDABLE AND TAXES

The average price of new homes Nashville vary because the city is so large. Generally speaking, home prices average $168,000 in Nashville. Places to live include fast growing busy urban cities like Brentwood, Cool Springs and Franklin located to the south. Folks who prefer a quieter way of life and gentle rolling hills can find beautiful neighborhoods in Mount Juliet and Gallatin to the north. Green Hills and Belle Meade is to the southwest of Nashville, where old money dug in its roots decades ago building breathtaking English Manor and mansion homes. The Gulch is walking distance from Music Row and is where you’ll find new urban condominiums in downtown.

The Greater Nashville area includes Davidson County, Williamson County and Sumner County. The estimated property tax millage rates range from 3.92 to 4.51 per 25% of $100. If you live within the city limits of Nashville, there is an additional estimated city tax of $1.47 per 25% of $100. Visit our library to find help and to learn how to calculate property taxes in Nashville Tennessee. If you're searching for where to retire in Tennessee, we find a number of Nashville neighborhoods of interest including those with award winning golf courses and on the best Tennessee lakes. 

Population: 1,600,000
Median State Property Tax: 0.68%
State Sales Tax: 7%
State Income Tax: 6.50%
Airports
  • Nashville International Airport (BNA)
  • Music City Executive Airport (XNX)
Arts & Culture
  • Belcourt Theatre
  • Cheekwood Botanical Garden
  • Frist Center for Visual Art
  • Grand Ole Opry
  • Hermitage - President Andrew Jackson's home
  • Minnie Pearl's Museum
  • Museum of Art
  • Nashville Ballet
  • Nashville Children's Theatre
  • Noah Liff Opera Center - Nashville Opera
  • Schermerhorn Symphony Center - Nashville Symphony Orchestra
  • Tennessee Performing Arts Center
  • Tennessee Repertory Theatre
  • Tennessee State Museum
  • Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery
Events & Festivals
  • Nashville Shakespeare Festival - JAN
  • Antique and Garden Show - FEB
  • Music City Blues Celebration - MAR
  • Country Music Marathon - APR
  • Nashville Film Festival - APR
  • Nashville Gay Pride - APR
  • Iroquois Steeplechase at Percy Warner Park - MAY
  • CMA Music Festival - JUN
  • Free Summer Concert Series by Metro Parks - JUN-AUG
  • International Country Music Fan Fair - JUN
  • Fourth of July at Riverfront Park
  • Music City Pig Fest - AUG
  • Tomato Art Festival - AUG
  • African Street Festival - SEP
  • Tennessee State Fair - SEP
  • Southern Festival of Books - OCT
  • Country Music Association Awards at Bridgestone Arena - NOV
Hospitals & Healthcare
  • Baptist Hospital
  • Centennial Medical Center
  • Kindred Hospital
  • Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
  • Nashville Veterans Medical Center
  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  • Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Colleges & Universities
  • Volunteer State Community College
  • Tennessee State University
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Belmont University
  • Lipscomb University
  • Trevecca Nazarene University
  • Meharry Medical College
  • Watkins College of Art & Design
  • O'More College of Design
  • Nashville School of Law
Shopping & Retail
  • 100 Oaks Mall
  • CoolSprings Galleria
  • Hickory Hollow Mall
  • Opry Mills
  • Rivergate Mall
  • The Arcade
  • The Factory at Franklin
  • The Mall at Green Hills
Sports
  • Centinennial Sportsplex
  • Music City Motorplex - NASCAR
  • Nashville Predators - NHL
  • Nashville Sounds - PCL Baseball
  • Nashville Metros - PDL Soccer
  • Nashville Speedway USA
  • Seven public golf courses
  • Stock Car Racing
  • Tennessee Titans - NFL
State & National Parks
  • 14,000 acre Percy Priest Lake
  • 22,500 acre Old Hickory Lake
  • Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
  • Bledsoe Creek State Park
  • Edgar Evans State Park
  • Hamilton Creek Park
  • Montgomery Bell State Park
  • Peeler Park
  • Percy Warner Park
  • Radnor Lake State Natural Area
  • Riverfront Park
  • Shelby Park
Top Employers
  • Vanderbilt University & Medical Center
  • State of Tennessee
  • Government of Nashville & Public Schools
  • U.S. Government
  • HCA (Hospital Corporation of America)
  • Saint Thomas Health Services
  • Nissan North America
  • Wal-Mart
  • Cracker Barrel Old Country Store