It’s no secret that people love Tennessee because the state offers something for everyone. Its low cost of living, no state income tax, low property taxes, and booming job market make Tennessee an attractive pick for budget-minded families looking for a change of scenery.
Speaking of scenery, that’s another big draw. Tennessee is home to gorgeous lakes, rolling hills, peaceful farmland, and of course, the Great Smoky Mountains. And the moderate temperatures of the Volunteer State make spending time outdoors possible all year round.
What you might not know is that Tennessee is almost four times as long from east to west (440 miles) as it is wide from north to south (120 miles.) For that reason, the state has three distinct regions, East, Middle, and West Tennessee. Each area has it its own unique character and stunning landscapes.
Today, we wanted to share a few out-of-the-ordinary places to live in each region to give you a glimpse into what moving to Tennessee might offer you and your family.
East Tennessee is home to some of the country’s favorite destinations, including Pigeon Forge (Dollywood, naturally), and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States, with 12.1 million visitors each year. Known for mountains, musical roots, and the Tennessee Volunteers, there are many large and small towns worth considering.
Knoxville is a well-known Tennessee city that’s often on the list of places to live and visit. Home to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, there is no shortage of fun things to do, great restaurants, live music, and sporting events to attend in Knoxville. And Knoxville ranked third in the nation in 2020 for top cities that added jobs during the pandemic, making it an attractive place for families to relocate to for work.
But big-city life may not be for you, and the recent housing shortage and desire to live and work from home outside the city have caused a renewed interest in the Greater Knoxville Area. One town just a short drive from Knoxville you might not know about is Loudon, Tennessee.
Loudon rests just outside Knoxville off I40 and offers a small-town experience within easy reach of everything your family might need, including private and public schools, top-notch healthcare options, and proximity to dining and shopping opportunities for everyone. Its quaint downtown is filled with antique shops and charming cafes, and the city and surrounding county are filled with outdoor parks, walking trails, and lakes with mountain views.
Despite its beautiful natural beauty, Loudon is a bit of a hidden gem because it’s home to some of the most affordable luxury living in East Tennessee. Tennessee National, for example, is a lake and golf community located on Watts Bar Lake and the Tennessee River. The community offers lake and golf lovers gorgeous lake and golf vistas, unique lakefront walking trails, lake access, and world-class amenities such as a marina with boat slips, a pool, and an onsite clubhouse, an outdoor event venue, and a brand new restaurant.
Since 2021, the community developers have invested greatly in the community with additional amenities currently under construction and in development, including a Top Tracer Driving Range and dining experience, a waterfront restaurant, a spa for salon and spa services, and pickleball courts, among others. Communities like these allow residents to experience resort living without sacrificing the southern charm Tennessee is known for.
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Chattanooga is always a top city to consider for people who are thinking about moving to East Tennessee. Signal Mountain is a progressive, affluent suburb just north of Chattanooga named one of the Bloomberg best towns to raise a family. The town is also known for having excellent schools and a highly educated population, with more than two-thirds of the adult population over 25 years old holding at least a bachelor’s degree.
With its close proximity to popular state attractions such as Lookout Mountain, the Chattanooga Choo Choo, and the Tennessee Aquarium, many residents work for these attractions, remotely from home, or commute into Chattanooga.
Besides Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain is also known for outdoor attractions and rich, beautiful scenery, parks, and mountain views.
Located in the center of the state, Middle Tennessee offers residents urban and suburban living at its finest. Beautiful landscapes, a vibrant music and arts scene, and an easily accessible travel hub in the Nashville International Airport make Middle Tennessee attractive to families and young professionals alike. Nashville, the state capital, has been named one of the top 10 growing cities in the US, with nearly 100 people moving to the city each day. With so many people moving and the rising housing costs and traffic have many people moving into the suburbs. Here are a few worth looking into.
Murfreesboro is a growing suburb approximately 40 minutes from music city. It’s no small town though. With nearly 160,000 residents, it’s the largest city on our list. Murfreesboro is also home to Middle Tennessee State University college students, families, professionals, and retirees. It has everything you need in a major city and even offers many local parks, a greenway hiking trail system, recreation facilities, and entertainment venues. It’s also home to the historic Stones River National Battlefield, a US Civil War battle site and cemetery, which draws more than 200,000 visitors annually.
In addition to MTSU, Murfreesboro offers various education options for children. It boasts two top private schools, Providence Christian Academy and Middle Tennessee Christian School, two school districts, and a host of public schools magnet school programs, and homeschooling options.
Franklin is another Nashville suburb located in Williamson County, about 30 minutes from downtown Nashville. It, too is historically significant and brings thousands of tourists every year to visit the site of the Battle of Franklin, Carnton Plantation, and the Carter House, among others.
With an abundance of natural beauty and all the modern conveniences, Franklin touts itself as a city “where progress and history give you a unique sense of place” and offers both suburban and rural surroundings. Don’t let the humble start fool you though. Home prices, while 9% lower than the national average, are higher than the rest of Tennessee, second only to its neighbor Brentwood, 20 minutes away.
For entertainment, it also offers a rich arts and high-end dining scene, with many unique casual and fine dining restaurant picks. Downtown Franklin is rich with coffee shops, boutiques, art galleries, and cafes.
About an hour outside Nashville, you’ll find another small town, Winchester, located on beautiful Tims Ford Lake, which rests inside Tims Ford State Park. The state park is 3,546 acres of lush greenery, a stunning lake, and beautiful wildlife. Residents of Winchester and a few of the nearby towns can enjoy watersports, swimming, fishing, and hiking in one of the most scenic parks in the state.
Downtown Winchester offers an eclectic blend of antique shops, boutiques, cafes, and public art, leaving no secret as to why it makes it to our best towns list.
Nestled inside Winchester is another resort community, Twin Creeks Marina, Resort & Village. A popular retirement destination, Twin Creeks offers residents good times and great memories with amenities such as a marina and ship store, an RV resort, a wedding and events venue, community pools, community fire pits, and a floating restaurant, among others. The community offers townhomes, single-family homes and employs a custom homes division for high end new construction at an affordable cost.
West Tennessee is comprised of the area between the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers and is the smallest of the three Grand Divisions in Tennessee. Due to its place inside the Mississippi Basin, it’s known for rich farmland and flatter terrain than the rest of Tennessee.
Germantown is a sparse suburb outside of Memphis in Shelby County. Even though much of West Tennessee is comprised of rural towns and farmland, Germantown is known for its high-end shopping, healthcare options, and a wealth of outdoor parks and recreation activities. Many people own homes in quiet, pretty neighborhoods
Families love Germantown because of the award-winning schools and assistance programs available for children and adults with disabilities.
Germantown’s cost of living is about 9% higher than the national average and, when compared to some of the other affluent suburbs on our list, ranks third highest behind Franklin and Signal Mountain, respectively.
If you’re thinking about calling Tennessee home, it’s a good idea to visit a few places in one or more regions to see which one will be best for you and your family.
We think you can’t go wrong moving to Tennessee, and if you’re interested in a close knit community that loves having it all, we invite you to come check out Tennessee National. You never know, your dream home could be waiting. Contact us at 865-408-9992 to schedule your private tour.
