Best Cities to Live in Tennessee

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by Chamber of Commerce Team
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As one of the main culture and music hubs of the south and home to some of the loveliest natural areas in the United States, you’ll be surprised to discover that Tennessee has some of the most affordable real estate in the country, as well as a very low cost of living. What more reason do you need to move to the Volunteer State? Have a glance at our rundown of Tennessee’s five best cities to live in for advice on where to establish yourself in the state.

1. Franklin

Franklin, an affluent, fast-growing city of nearly 81,000 in Williamson County, is the best Tennessee city to live in.  The city has witnessed rapid development in recent decades, building up the healthcare and manufacturing sectors of its economy and providing tons of jobs to the community.

2. Millington

Millington is a small city in the southwest corner of the state that is best known as home to the Naval Support Activity Mid-South naval base, which provides over 7,000 jobs to residents in the area and is one of the largest employers in Tennessee.

3. Germantown

Third in the ranking is Germantown, a wealthy suburb of Memphis with a high median household income owing to a strong commercial and retail-based economy. Germantown residents enjoy a large number of scenic parks housing numerous amenities that are great for weekend outings.

4. Brentwood

Brentwood is an idyllic suburb of Nashville located in Williamson County, one of the most affluent counties in the country. The city is home to the headquarters of major companies like LBMC and EMI Christian Music Group.

5. Collierville

Filling out the top five is Collierville, another affluent suburb of Memphis that is home to a historic town square once voted “Best Main Street” in America by Parade Magazine.  

Best Cities to Live in Tennessee

RankCity
1Franklin
2Millington
3Germantown
4Brentwood
5Collierville
6Ooltewah
7Oak Ridge
8Hixson
9Lenoir City
10Crossville
11Arlington
12Hendersonville
13Cordova
14Clarksville
15Murfreesboro
16Bristol
17Jonesborough
18Johnson City
19Hermitage
20Greeneville
21Gallatin
22Kingsport
23Spring Hill
24Memphis
25Soddy Daisy
26Powell
27Mount Juliet
28Antioch
29Goodlettsville
30Clinton
31Maryville
32Morristown
33Tullahoma
34Jackson
35Mcminnville
36Knoxville
37Smyrna
38Shelbyville
39Cookeville
40Manchester
41Elizabethton
42Madison
43Dyersburg
44Columbia
45Lebanon
46La Vergne
47Sevierville
48Cleveland
49Springfield
50Dickson
51Chattanooga
52Nashville

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Best Cities To Live Tennessee 2019 badge

Methodology

We ranked a total of 2,509 qualified cities (those with populations above 25,000 and enough data for analysis) by five factors: employment (number of establishments, median earnings); housing (owner-occupied housing with a mortgage, monthly housing costs); quality of life (work commute, poverty levels); education (percentage with a bachelor’s degree or higher); and health (obesity ratios).

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