Quick answer (as of November 2026) The best place to live in Tennessee is the one that fits your budget and your daily drive. In Middle Tennessee, start with Franklin, Thompson's Station, Spring Hill, College Grove, Brentwood, Columbia and Nashville. Across the rest of the state, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City, Collierville and Germantown are worth a look. Census home values and commutes for all 14 are below.
Most "best places to live in Tennessee" lists score towns on a formula you can't see and hand you a number out of 100. That number won't tell you what a house costs, how long you'll sit in the car or what the tax bill looks like, and those are what decide whether a town works for you.
I live in Canterbury in Thompson's Station, and I help buyers and sellers from Franklin down to Columbia. My family and I love living here and wouldn't change it. If you're moving to Tennessee and want help picking the town, text or call me at 615-392-1186.
What are the best places to live in Tennessee?
Franklin, Thompson's Station, Spring Hill, College Grove, Brentwood, Columbia and Nashville are the seven places I'd put at the top of a Middle Tennessee search. All seven are within an hour of the State Capitol with no traffic, and their median home values run from $308,700 in Columbia to $1,031,300 in Brentwood.
Here's how they compare in the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, the newest 5-year figures as of November 2026.
| Place | County | Population | Median home value | Average commute | Drive to the State Capitol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin | Williamson | 87,133 | $705,400 | 23.9 min | 21 miles, 30 min |
| Thompson's Station | Williamson | 8,294 | $700,500 | 30.5 min | 32 miles, 44 min |
| Spring Hill | Williamson and Maury | 55,765 | $493,800 | 30.0 min | 36 miles, 47 min |
| College Grove (ZIP 37046) | Williamson | 7,310 | $979,900 | 33.5 min | 35 miles, 48 min |
| Brentwood | Williamson | 45,556 | $1,031,300 | 25.7 min | 15 miles, 22 min |
| Columbia | Maury | 45,441 | $308,700 | 28.0 min | 48 miles, 59 min |
| Nashville | Davidson | 690,130 | $413,600 | 24.7 min | Downtown |
| Tennessee | 7,066,383 | $286,700 | 25.7 min |
Population and home value come from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year summary file, tables B01003 and B25077. Average commute is the mean travel time to work for people who don't work from home (tables B08013 and B08303), so it measures where residents drive today, not the drive to Nashville. Nashville is the Metro government without its satellite cities. Drives to the Capitol were measured November 12, 2026 with OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM) from each place's Census internal point, with no traffic.
How was this list built?
The list starts with the seven Middle Tennessee places I work in and adds seven places from Tennessee's other big metro areas so you can compare. Every number on this page is a government figure with its year next to it.
Median home value is what owners told the Census their home was worth, collected over 2020 to 2024, so it runs behind today's asking prices. Small places carry wide margins of error. Thompson's Station's median is plus or minus $56,445, and College Grove's is plus or minus $82,088.
College Grove isn't an incorporated town and the Census doesn't draw a place boundary for it, so its row uses ZIP Code Tabulation Area 37046. That area takes in more country than the village itself.
What are the best places to live in Middle Tennessee?
Franklin, Thompson's Station, Spring Hill, College Grove, Brentwood, Columbia and Nashville lead my Middle Tennessee list, followed by Murfreesboro and Clarksville. The figures below are as of November 2026.
Franklin, Williamson County
Franklin is the Williamson County seat, with 87,133 people, a $705,400 median home value and the shortest average commute of my seven, 23.9 minutes. It's about 30 minutes from the State Capitol and 6 minutes from Williamson Medical Center.
What I love about Franklin is that it has exactly what you'd want out of a small city, with the community events and a small-town feel that's still there. Dickens of a Christmas is the one my wife, my kids and I never miss. We walk the booths and catch the performances, and the whole street feels like it's straight out of a movie.
Browse Franklin homes for sale by neighborhood and price. Already own in Franklin and moving up? See what your Franklin home is worth before you shop, and see how I work as a real estate agent in Franklin, TN.
Thompson's Station, Williamson County
Thompson's Station is a town of 8,294 people between Franklin and Spring Hill, with a $700,500 median home value. Its combined 2026 property tax rate of $1.403 per $100 of assessed value is the lowest of any city or town in the tax table below.
It's where I live. Thompson's Station is close to both Spring Hill and Franklin without the same congestion, and you're still close to everything. Tollgate Village has the shops and restaurants, and my kids love eating at Mojo's Tacos there. FirstBank Amphitheater sits inside the town limits even though its mailing address says Franklin.
See Thompson's Station homes and neighborhoods, including Canterbury, Tollgate and the newer communities.
Spring Hill, Williamson and Maury counties
Spring Hill straddles two counties, which changes your tax bill and your price. In the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, 36,770 of its 55,765 residents live on the Williamson County side, where the median home value is $524,400. The Maury County side has 18,995 residents and a $450,000 median.
Check the county on every address before you compare a single price. TriStar Spring Hill ER, a freestanding emergency room, is about 5 minutes from the city center, and Maury Regional Medical Center is about 21.
Fischer Park is one I know well. My kids have played soccer there, and they play football with the Spring Hill Hawks, who practice there. Search Spring Hill homes for sale on both sides of the county line.
College Grove, Williamson County
College Grove is unincorporated, so homes there pay the Williamson County property tax rate only, $1.30 per $100 of assessed value for 2026. ZIP code 37046 has 7,310 people and a $979,900 median home value, second on this page only to Brentwood.
My mom lives in McDaniel Farms in College Grove, and it's such a great area. My wife and I also love Arrington Vineyards, over in Arrington, for the landscape, some wine and the music.
See College Grove homes for sale, from newer communities to acreage.
Brentwood, Williamson County
Brentwood is a Williamson County city of 45,556 people between Franklin and Nashville, with the highest median home value on this page, $1,031,300. It's about 22 minutes from the State Capitol, the shortest drive on this list outside Nashville itself, and its combined 2026 property tax rate is $1.49 per $100 of assessed value.
See Brentwood TN homes for sale.
Columbia, Maury County
Columbia has the lowest median home value of my seven, $308,700, and it's about 59 minutes from the State Capitol, right at the hour line. Maury Regional Medical Center is about 3 minutes from downtown.
Columbia is a great place to own. I own a renovated historic house in Columbia's historic district, a few blocks from the square, so I know that market from the owner's side. The President James K. Polk Home & Museum is at 301 West 7th Street, and Mule Day 2027 runs April 1 to 3.
Start with Columbia, TN homes for sale, and see what I do as a real estate agent in Columbia, TN.
Nashville, Davidson County
Nashville is the big city of the group, with 690,130 people in Metro Nashville, not counting its satellite cities, and a $413,600 median home value. Nashville International Airport is about 17 minutes from downtown, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center is about 5.
Metro's property tax rate is the highest in the tax table below, $2.782 per $100 of assessed value in the General Services District, so price the tax with the house. Browse Nashville homes for sale across Davidson County.
Murfreesboro, Rutherford County
Murfreesboro has 161,445 people, a $402,100 median home value and about a 43-minute drive to the State Capitol. Middle Tennessee State University is there. See Murfreesboro homes for sale.
Clarksville, Montgomery County
Clarksville has 176,456 people and a $263,600 median home value, and it sits next to Fort Campbell, about 63 minutes northwest of the State Capitol. Austin Peay State University is in Clarksville. Here's my Clarksville moving guide and homes for sale.
What are the best places to live in East and West Tennessee?
Knoxville, Chattanooga and Johnson City are the East Tennessee cities to compare, and Collierville and Germantown are the Shelby County suburbs east of Memphis. Here are the same Census figures for them, next to Murfreesboro and Clarksville.
| Place | County | Population | Median home value | Average commute | Drive to the State Capitol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murfreesboro | Rutherford | 161,445 | $402,100 | 26.7 min | 31 miles, 43 min |
| Clarksville | Montgomery | 176,456 | $263,600 | 27.0 min | 48 miles, 63 min |
| Knoxville | Knox | 195,185 | $239,700 | 20.2 min | 180 miles, 3 hr 21 min |
| Chattanooga | Hamilton | 185,783 | $283,200 | 18.5 min | 139 miles, 2 hr 44 min |
| Johnson City | Washington, Carter and Sullivan | 72,222 | $268,200 | 18.7 min | 283 miles, 5 hr 14 min |
| Collierville | Shelby | 51,515 | $485,900 | 25.1 min | 206 miles, 3 hr 51 min |
| Germantown | Shelby | 40,673 | $470,800 | 22.1 min | 202 miles, 3 hr 49 min |
Same Census tables and routing as the first table. Knoxville is home to the University of Tennessee's main campus, Johnson City to East Tennessee State University, and Chattanooga sits on the Tennessee River near the Georgia line.
Knoxville has the lowest median home value of these seven, $239,700, and Chattanooga has the shortest average commute, 18.5 minutes. Collierville and Germantown have the highest medians of the East and West Tennessee places here, $485,900 and $470,800.
I don't work East or West Tennessee. If you're moving there, I'll interview agents in that market for free, look at their actual production and send you the ones with a real track record. The interviews are free to you. If you hire a Realtor I refer, I collect a referral fee from their brokerage.
Which of these places has the lowest property tax?
College Grove has the lowest rate in my area, $1.30 per $100 of assessed value for 2026, because it's unincorporated and pays only the Williamson County rate. Thompson's Station is next at $1.403. Tennessee taxes a home on 25% of its appraised value, so here's what each rate means in dollars.
| Location | 2026 rate per $100 assessed | Yearly tax per $100,000 appraised | At the Census median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| College Grove, unincorporated | $1.30 | About $325 | About $3,185 |
| Thompson's Station | $1.403 | About $351 | About $2,457 |
| Brentwood, inside the city | $1.49 | About $373 | About $3,842 |
| Franklin, outside the Franklin Special School District | $1.566 | About $392 | About $2,762 |
| Franklin, inside the Franklin Special School District | $2.2433 | About $561 | About $3,956 |
| Spring Hill, Williamson County side | $2.009 | About $502 | About $2,634 |
| Spring Hill, Maury County side | $2.108 | About $527 | About $2,372 |
| Columbia, inside the city | $1.9758 | About $494 | About $1,525 |
| Nashville, General Services District | $2.782 | About $696 | About $2,877 |
| Murfreesboro, inside the city | $2.2414 | About $560 | About $2,253 |
Rates come from Williamson County's 2026 rate chart, the City of Spring Hill, Maury County Resolution 07-26-29, Columbia Ordinance 4586, Metro Ordinance BL2026-1378 and Murfreesboro Ordinance 26-O-22. The last column uses the Census median value for each place (each county side for Spring Hill), which is owner-reported, not the assessor's appraisal.
A low rate on a pricey home can still be the bigger bill. Columbia's rate is higher than Franklin's outside the special school district, and its median-home tax is about $1,237 a year less.
Property tax figures are the county and city rates published for the year shown and are for planning only. Your actual bill depends on the assessed value, any exemptions and the city or district the home sits in. Confirm with the county assessor or trustee and your tax professional before you rely on a number.
Where should you live in Tennessee if you're moving from out of state?
Pick two or three places from the tables, then check one address at a time for county, city limits, tax rate and drive. Mailing ZIP codes don't always match city limits here, and in Spring Hill the county line splits the city, so the address matters more than the town name.
- Set the monthly payment you can live with, taxes included.
- Map where you'll drive most days, then compare commute and drive times.
- Narrow to two or three towns, then tour by address.
- Confirm county, city limits and tax district before you write an offer.
Can't get here to tour? I record a video walkthrough of the house and send you an unlisted YouTube link, so you can rewatch it as many times as you need. Here's my full guide to buying a house in Tennessee from another state.
Looking for retirement, the lowest prices or the big picture?
Each of these questions has its own page with the numbers:
- Best places to retire in Tennessee, with hospital and airport drives town by town
- Cheapest places to live in Tennessee, 15 cities ranked on Census home value, rent and tax
- Is Tennessee a good place to live?, the pros and cons of the state
- Cost of living in Tennessee, Tennessee against the U.S. on taxes, utilities and gas
Ready to pick your town?
Tell me your budget and where you'll be driving every day, and I'll narrow this list to the two or three places that actually fit, with the county and tax line on each address. I live in Thompson's Station and work Franklin, Spring Hill, College Grove, Brentwood, Columbia and Nashville.
Start with Franklin homes for sale or Columbia, TN homes for sale, or just reach out. Text or call 615-392-1186.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place to live in Tennessee?
The best place to live in Tennessee is the one that fits your budget and your daily drive. In Middle Tennessee, start with Franklin, Thompson's Station, Spring Hill, College Grove, Brentwood, Columbia and Nashville. All seven are within an hour of the State Capitol with no traffic.
What are the best cities to live in Tennessee?
Franklin, Spring Hill, Brentwood, Columbia and Nashville lead my Middle Tennessee list, with Murfreesboro and Clarksville close by. Elsewhere, compare Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City, Collierville and Germantown. Median home values in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey run from $239,700 in Knoxville to $1,031,300 in Brentwood.
What are the best small towns to live in Tennessee?
Thompson's Station and College Grove are the two smallest places on this list. Thompson's Station is a town of 8,294 people with a $700,500 median home value, and College Grove's ZIP code, 37046, has 7,310 people and a $979,900 median, in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey.
What are the best places to live in East Tennessee?
Knoxville, Chattanooga and Johnson City are the East Tennessee cities to compare. Knoxville has the lowest median home value of the three, $239,700, and Chattanooga has the shortest average commute, 18.5 minutes, in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey.
Which of these places has the lowest property tax?
College Grove has the lowest rate in my area, $1.30 per $100 of assessed value for 2026, because it's unincorporated and pays only the Williamson County rate. Thompson's Station is next at $1.403.
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