r/movetonashville

26 year old guy, got a job offer in Nashville. White collar engineering position, I would be making a little north of 80k.

I currently live in Indianapolis. Salary is 71,500. Currently live alone, paying 1550 total (base rent + all utilities, internet, parking). No debt (planning on buying a car soon however, already planned out financially), I save an average of 1200 a month and able to max my Roth IRA every year.

With that pay in Nashville (also knowing my take home would be more because no income tax in TN) would this lifestyle still work financially? Looking at spending no more than 1800 for everything on a studio or 1 bedroom. My job would be right next to the Legislative Plaza downtown, would like to walk to work if possible. However especially if rent and parking downtown is generally crazy high I’d be ok with a 10-15 minute commute. Besides downtown, please suggest are some areas within this price range that would have a decent population of young professionals in 20s. I have heard traffic is pretty bad for a smaller city so preferably somewhere I could get downtown from without using the freeway.

While the job situation seems ok (lateral move, would be slightly better or the same as my current one), Nashville and Tennessee in general doesn’t excite me and does not seem like a huge upgrade over Indy based on my research.

What is the dating scene like for a 20s young professional? In Indy a lot of women my age are more conservative/religious and looking to just settle down quickly which narrows down the compatible dating pool quite a bit. I still get 1-2 dates per month here from using the apps which I think is good as it gets for a shorter indian guy.

My main gripe with Indiana in general is the Bible Belt culture. Even in the city asking "are you married" and "what church do you attend" are common icebreaker questions. And outside of the city it's safe to assume that basically everyone is the type who spends every sunday in church/bible study or at the very least is from a religious upbringing. It really seems like in Tennessee this would be very similar or worse. This type of thing is not a dealbreaker for me but it definitely feels othering as a non-christian brown guy so I'd prefer my next city to not be in a bible belt-y area which is why I'm a little bit skeptical of choosing Nashville.

In general, is it worth it for someone my age? I get the impression that Nashville is mainly a tourist town (don't drink or go to bars much and not into live music, but both are things where I'd tag along if I knew someone who was doing it) and most of its reputation comes from being a fun place to visit, but I also see it's consistently on the list of top cities for young professionals.

I recently accepted a job in Nashville, roughly the Midtown area. My girlfriend will be moving too, we’re a mid-20s couple with no kids. No idea where in the city she will be working yet unfortunately.

Priorities for us are safety and a reasonable commute, and we would like easier access to nature without being awfully far from the city, which seems to push us towards Brentwood or Bellevue based on what I’ve read on this sub. Are there any deciding factors between the two that would make us lean a certain way or any other areas we should look into?

Also if anyone has had any good experiences with particular apartment complexes in those areas, recommendations would be great, looking to stay under 2k.

i’m going to be graduating august 2027 with my bsn and currently live in ohio but looking to move after i graduate. i am wanting some advice on some of the cities i’ve been looking at moving to. i’ve been doing research looking at reddit and tiktoks to see people that actually live in these cities. the cities i’ve been looking at are DC, Charleston, Wilmington, Boston (might be too expensive), Nashville or close by. the main things that i really want are a city where there are lots of things to do and has to be on the eastern side of the country so i can get back to my hometown easier. i live in southeastern ohio currently and there is never anything to do. i also want somewhere that has a lot of people in their mid 20s because i will be 25 when i graduate. i would like a city that is walkable or at least walkable neighborhoods. i’m not a huge drinker so definitely looking for a place that has other activities than drinking. if anyone has any advice or other places i should look at please let me know!

Hi. Still trying to narrow down our search. There are two of us and we have very different needs. We are seeking:

• safe and quiet units
• well maintained
• pet-friendly (dog 18lbs)
• within 2 miles of a major shopping center (retail mgr seeking job)
• AND within 30 minutes from VUMC (high medical needs)
• Franklin occasionally for medical visits./surgeries

I feel like I have exhausted Google, but finding something that meets the criteria is difficult!

I see things that I like I are near VUMC, but not near a large shopping mall. Or vice versa.

Wanting to narrow down what areas I need to be looking into and the shopping center. Thanks!

Hello everyone,

I’m moving to Nashville and wanted to live in East Nashville. I found fairly new apartment called Park24 and wanted to see if anyone had any insight to this place or its surrounding area. All the photos online are graphic renders and there isn’t much really history to work with. I’m 22F and safety is priority. Location wise, it seems very close to the city.

Thank you!!

I have been offered an excellent job in Nashville, but it would require me to relocate from another state. Could I get some reviews of what it is like to live there for a mid thirties professional with children?

I would work in downtown, I lean left but not extremely so, and I prioritize family time and education for my kids.

I can purchase around 800-1.2.
I would like a 20 min commute.
Looking for a house.

I am planning to move to Nashville soon amd will be working at Vanderbilt. I saw The Presley Apartments (281, Cumberland bend) and I'm getting a good deal for the unit i like.

Has anyone lived there or is living there currently? Would love some reviews as I am moving from out of state and will need to apply without touring the place.

Hi all, I’m looking to move to the Nashville area this year, looking for a fresh start and a good church community.

I (28F) currently work as a high school special education teacher in Jacksonville FL at a title 1 school where I co-teach/support a geometry classroom, so I’m familiar with rough kids, absenteeism, school threats, fights, etc. None of that particularly bothers me (not that I’m not concerned for my safety, but these are not dealbreakers for me if the staff is good). I like my current job and my responsibilities are manageable. My admin is pretty hands-off, trusts that I’ll get my work done, but will get me support and training if I need it. I have a caseload of 40 kids this year, and five years of overall teaching experience in algebra 1/geometry and ESE.

I’ve already started the licensure process, am taking the literacy course now, and got my transcripts and certificate sent over.

I’ve heard MNPS is easier to get a job in and pays more, but WCS has better kids (but worse parents, which doesn’t bother me either, I’m good with high-maintenance parents). I haven’t explored any of the other surrounding districts but am open to them, especially if they have a good community of people in the 25-40 age range. The Franklin and Smyrna areas seem nice.

What high schools would you recommend I reach out to? Any to avoid? Any good apartments in the 1500 and under range? What neighborhoods should I avoid for sure? I’d love a consistently sub-30-minute commute.
Could someone point me to or tell me what my expected salary would be? Any red flags to look out for or questions to ask at every interview?

Any additional advice is welcome. Share my post with your friends. I want all the advice I can get. Feel free to dm as well if you don’t want to directly comment, I know school stuff can feel sensitive to post about.

I am fine with another title 1 school if it’s a similar workload and admin situation to my current job. Otherwise, anywhere without micro-management will be fine.

**editing to say I’d prefer public school suggestions, not charter or private

*editing again to narrow the scope, I’m looking specifically at MNPS now. Advice for Nashville area apartments and MNPS public high schools is what I need. Thanks 😊

Hey everyone! 👋

My wife and I are relocating from Seattle to Nashville for work this fall. Would love some local perspective.

What we're looking for:

• Single-family home, 3-4 bedrooms, ideally newer construction
• Budget ~$500K (would love to stay under but flexible up to ~$550K)
• Commute to downtown Nashville, 4 days a week — hoping for 30-40 mins or less in rush hour
• Safe area — we don't have kids yet but planning ahead
• Good schools would be a plus (even though no kids yet, we want resale/rental value)
• Yard and garage are important to us

The "investor" angle: There's a chance we may get relocated again in a couple years, so we want something that would rent well if we ever moved out. Think "live now, rent later" — so areas with strong rental demand and growing neighborhoods would be ideal.

Currently on our radar:

• Mt. Juliet
• Donelson
• Goodlettsville
• Old Hickory (specifically the Canebrake at Hickory Hills / Wilson County school zone side)
• Antioch (Cane Ridge new construction area)
• Bellevue
• Hermitage (newer subdivisions)

Questions for locals:

1. Are we on the right track with these areas, or are we missing something obvious?
2. Any neighborhoods that check these boxes that we haven't considered?
3. For those who commute to downtown — which area has the least painful rush hour drive?
4. Any areas on our list you'd steer us away from? (Be honest!)
5. Any new construction communities you'd recommend or avoid?

Coming from Seattle we're excited about what Nashville has to offer 😄

Thanks in advance — really appreciate any insights!

Hi there! I recently drove (a bit) around these two areas because I’m looking for large, lush yards and diversity in neighbors, but also safety and affordability, creativity and some local fun things to do would be great as well. After visiting, I’m leaning towards Madison because of Dee’s lounge, haha, and the cute retro bowling alley. Is it fairly safe around “pleasant acres” I think it’s called on the map? Thought Glencliff was beautiful this time of year, too. I’ll be working from the airport and probably going out in East Nashville (when I do go out) thanks for your help!

hello everyone! i have been on this sub before to ask some questions but our situation has changed and we are possibly looking at a different area.

we are a small family, looking to not be in a small town, and would like to be close to stores like aldi, target, etc. we would also like to be by libraries and parks for our young kids. possibly even good schools? we are looking to rent around 2.6-2.8k a month. my husbands job is about 15 mins southwest of lebanon, kinda in between lebanon and mt. juliet, just about 10 mins south of these towns.

here is my question! we are looking at smyrna, murfreesboro, and mt. juliet for places to live, but we know NOTHING about smyrna and murfreesboro. what is there to know? what is worth noting? we really need some insight if anyone could please help! thank you 😊

Hi everyone, I will be relocating my family to Nashville from France - it’s a big move! So I would like some opinons on Brentwood or Franklin school options if you would be so kind.

I will be working on the east side of I-65 by Cool Springs. I’d like a commute of 15 to 20 minutes max (with traffic) and am looking to rent first with a budget around $6K per month. My kids will be 6 & 8 and are bilingual, with slight French accents when speaking English. I have scoped out Crockett and Kenrose elementary schools as the zone I would like to stay in. Does anyone have any feedback or advice on these schools? Or any elementary schools in Franklin? In France my son has homework every night since 1st grade and I’m looking to avoid that, if possible…

Seen mainly great reviews but wondering if there any issue with noise since it’s close to the plant ? Asking since I had seen similar concern with the LC apartment near by

Hey! I am a Tennessee native from the Old Hickory/MJ area. I currently am renting an apartment in MJ, but my lease is up this fall. I am considering moving into a house either to rent or to own. What areas around Nashville would be best?

Background info: I work in Goodlettsville, and freelance often in Nashville so I would like to stay close. I am 23, so I may not immediately be able to own a house, but just so I can get a good idea of where to start looking. I also would probably prefer to stay out of Davidson county, but I am not entirely against it!

Thanks!!!

I found a new development home on Hart Lane & Dickerson. By this new hotel called Salt Ranch. Ive driven by it most times during the day and it seems relatively calm. I haven’t seen any homeless or crack heads maybe just a few people walking through out the day in Dickerson. I dont have kids, me and my wife think its a great deal home is in the 400s and its literally a minute away from Ellington Pkwy, Gallatin, and minutes from downtown.

But I hear a lot about Dickerson pike being dangerous so I want to ask of thats still currently the case.

Hello! My husband and I are from Louisiana and we are wanting to relocate to the Nashville area. My husband has a Bachelor and Master’s degree in accounting and he has 18 years experience of being an accounting director/manager. Any tips or job search leads/advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Edited to add per sub rules: we will be needing a family friendly suburb as we have a one year old, are looking for around or (preferably) under an hour commute, and we currently spend around $4,500 per month (mortgage+utilities).

I’m relocating from Chicago for work, where rental requirements have gotten genuinely insane. I’ve seen studio apartments asking for 4-6x income, 750+ credit. I was personally denied somewhere for having a $500 collections account from two years ago and not being above a 720.

My situation: income is $75k, credit sits in the high 600s to low 700s depending on the bureau, and yes I have a couple blemishes but nothing serious.

Is Nashville as aggressive with screening, or is it more reasonable? Just trying to get a realistic picture before I start applying so I’m not wasting app fees.

Hello! We are considering buying a home in glencliff & my only concern with the area is safety as I’ve seen mixed opinions. This is tucked pretty deep in the neighborhood away from Thompson & Nolensville. What are your honest thoughts on the area? Things you love & things you don’t love? Do you think this would be a good neighborhood for children (in the future)? Thanks in advance for any feedback!