Due to a robust economy, a vibrant music scene, plenty of corporate headquarters, cutting-edge medical centers and lots of higher education institutions, Nashville is a popular place for transplants.
Nashville offers cosmopolitan sophistication paired with southern charm. A diverse city, this is a place of great community spirit, where newcomers can expect to be welcomed with open arms. Whether you’re looking for a suburban, family-forward vibe or a hip, professional singles playground, Nashville’s got it all in spades with panache and charm to boot.
Here are the 10 best neighborhoods in Nashville for you to call home.
12 South
In the summertime, the sidewalks in the quaint area labeled 12 South are full of single hipsters and young families with strollers. Bar hopping is big here, but so is playing at the playground in Sevier Park. Regardless of your preferred recreational activities, everyone eventually ends up at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams to close out the evening.
Bellevue
Bellevue is booming these days, going from a sleepy suburb to a trendy hub for shopping and dining. It’s a place where recently relocated single professionals and established families with kids mingle happily. You’ll find a ton of community-based activities, festivals and markets, as well as lots of support for local businesses.
More than 60 percent of Bellevue is green space protected by the Land Trust for Tennessee and Nature Conservancy. As a result, the areas’ lucky residents enjoy beautiful spaces for hiking, canoeing, trail riding and communing with the great outdoors.
Charlotte Pike
Source: Rent. / The Sylvan
With Sylvan Park on one side and The Nations neighborhood on the other, Charlotte Pike is sitting pretty as one of Nashville’s up-and-coming places to settle in. It’s a walkable area with residential streets surrounding the main drag, where you’ll find awesome breweries, cool coffee joints and fun shopping.
Donelson – Hermitage – Old Hickory
Source: Grand Ole Opry
The beautiful, green community of Donelson – Hermitage – Old Hickory is one of Nashville’s rising hipster meccas. The Hip Donelson Farmers Market has become a popular draw for the area, as has the “hip eats” initiative, showcasing some unique, locally-owned institutions like Homegrown Tap Room and Marketplace, McNamara’s Irish Pub and Phat Bites.
Its affordability, abundant green spaces, active city centers and quiet neighborhoods make this place an area on the rise for families and singles alike.
The neighborhood is also home to Nashville’s famous Grand Ole Opry.
Germantown
Just a few blocks north of Downtown, Germantown is a great mix of family-friendly and urban chic. With award-winning restaurants and bars, it’s perfect for a night out. With the Nashville Farmers’ Market a short walk away, it’s also ideal for a day spent shopping and picnicking at the beautiful Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.
Green Hills
Source: Rent. / 4000 Hillsboro Pike
If you’re looking for an affluent neighborhood with upscale shopping galore, Green Hills is the place for you. Posh shops like Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton and Jimmy Choo inhabit the Mall at Green Hills. World-class dining is within walking distance of its luxury high-rise apartment buildings.
You’ll pay a pretty penny for all that glamour. It’s seen steadily increasing rent prices for years. But you’ll also see plenty of celebs mingling in its gorgeous bars and restaurants.
Midtown
Midtown is practically a part of the Vanderbilt University campus and medical center. On any given day, the sidewalks see a diverse rush of students, visiting academics, business executives and lots of healthcare professionals.
You’ll see plenty of Vandy students letting off some steam at some of the many bars crowding the city blocks, but Midtown has its share of family-friendly side streets, as well. Because it’s so walkable to Downtown and Music Row, there’s an abundant selection of hotels and fine dining in the area for tourists to enjoy.
Music Row
On the other side of Vanderbilt, you’ll find Music Row. If music is what draws you to Nashville then you may seriously want to consider moving to this beautiful neighborhood. You’ll have to look closely to spot the most historic recording studios here. Most are tucked in unassumingly between the residential homes along the tree-lined streets.
Some of the world’s most famous feet have walked the shady sidewalks of Music Row, including (but not limited to) Elvis Presley, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Dylan … we could really go on and on.
SoBro
The sidewalks in SoBro are packed with locals coming and going to work and with tourists taking in the sights and sounds of Downtown Nashville (SoBro literally begins on Broadway, Downtown’s main drag.). There are a ton of gorgeous restaurants to visit, and the Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn Center is just a short block or two from it all.
Sylvan Park
Source: Rent. / The Blackstone
Sylvan Park is a tight-knit community that’s family-friendly and full of charming locally-owned shops and restaurants. Spend a sunny afternoon at Richland Park or the McCabe Golf Course, then catch dinner and an adult beverage at Chaatable or M.L. Rose.
Find the best Nashville neighborhood for you
If you’re having a tough time deciding which Nashville neighborhood is right for you, take heart. Any native Nashvillian will be more than happy to give you the rundown on our great communities. We’ll also be glad to answer any questions you might have.
(For example, “Why is there a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Centennial Park?” The answer: It’s because Nashville’s the Athens of the South, complete with a Greek-revival-style state capitol building.)
Interested? There’s tons more neat stuff where that came from, so come for a visit to Nashville and see for yourself. We’ll keep the music live, the craft beer cold and the biscuits warm for you.
