HomeSnacks used concrete data and empirical evidence to bring you a list of the best places to raise your family in Tennessee for 2026.
But first, how did we do it? We consulted the US Census on places in The Volunteer State with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 55 family friendly Tennessee places that any family would be lucky to call home. That’s right, If you can picture your family tapping their toes in Nashville, hiking the trails in Knoxville, or spending the day at Dollywood in PIgeon Forge, then you should definitely think about choosing one of Tennessee’s best places to raise a family to live.
Incidentally, Tennessee has great places for every type of family on every type of budget. There are places like Martin for families who can afford to live in the most expensive places the state has to offer. There are places like Chattanoogo, for families who love the outdoors, and there are places like Franklin for the family just starting out.
So, before you take a gamble with your family’s happiness, we suggest you take a look below at HomeSnacks’ list of the top ten most family places in Tennessee.
$119,528 median income · 32.7% households with kids
Located in
Williamson County, Tennessee
Franklin is a city in, and the county seat of, Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. Located about 21 miles south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area. Since 1980, its population has increased more than fivefold and, based on its 2013 estimated population of 68,886, it is ranked as the seventh-largest city in Tennessee.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$182,088 median income · 39.9% households with kids
Located in
Williamson County, Tennessee
Brentwood is a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee; located in Williamson County, it is known for its rolling hills as well as being one of the wealthiest cities in America relative to average cost of living. The population was 37,060 as of the 2010 U.S. Census, and estimated at 40,982 in 2014.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$149,920 median income · 34.5% households with kids
Located in
Shelby County, Tennessee
Germantown is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 38,844 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$70,246 median income · 14.1% households with kids
Located in
Hamilton County, Tennessee
Collegedale is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 8,282 at the 2010 census and 10,729 in a 2014 estimate. Collegedale is a suburb of Chattanooga and is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Collegedale is home to Southern Adventist University. The median household income is among one of the highest in Hamilton County. It has been ranked as one of the best and safest places to live in Tennessee.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$112,013 median income · 41.0% households with kids
Located in
Williamson County, Tennessee
Spring Hill is a city in Maury and Williamson counties, Tennessee, located approximately 30 miles south of Nashville. Spring Hill’s population as of 2014 was 34,269.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$177,148 median income · 53.6% households with kids
Located in
Williamson County, Tennessee
Nolensville is a town in Williamson County, Tennessee. The population was 5,861 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$81,963 median income · 33.5% households with kids
Located in
Blount County, Tennessee
Maryville is a city and the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Maryville’s population was 27,465 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$138,598 median income · 40.1% households with kids
Located in
Shelby County, Tennessee
Collierville is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a suburb located in the Memphis metropolitan area. The town had a population of 43,965 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$60,979 median income · 32.3% households with kids
Located in
Franklin County, Tennessee
Tullahoma is a city in Coffee and Franklin counties in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 18,655 at the 2010 census. In 2014 the population was estimated to be 18,899. It is the principal city of the Tullahoma micropolitan area, which consists of Coffee, Franklin, and Moore counties and is the second largest micropolitan area in Tennessee.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$89,663 median income · 40.6% households with kids
Located in
Tipton County, Tennessee
Atoka is a town in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. Historians and genealogists can trace Atoka’s origins back to the 1838 charter of Portersville. Atoka adopted Portersville’s charter as its own. World War I Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Joseph B. Adkison lived in Atoka, and he is buried nearby.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Tennessee’s statewide median.
Tennessee statewide median: $69,595
Tennessee statewide median: $333,651
On the map
Where Tennessee’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Tennessee anyways?
To give you the places in Tennessee that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Tennessee, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Tennessee, that meant a total of 55 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Tennessee.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Tennessee
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | 87,133 | $119,528 | $922,855 | 32.7% |
| 2 | Brentwood | 45,556 | $182,088 | $1,393,273 | 39.9% |
| 3 | Germantown | 40,673 | $149,920 | $485,879 | 34.5% |
| 4 | Collegedale | 11,330 | $70,246 | $418,364 | 14.1% |
| 5 | Spring Hill | 55,765 | $112,013 | $523,264 | 41.0% |
| 6 | Nolensville | 15,074 | $177,148 | $836,736 | 53.6% |
| 7 | Maryville | 32,392 | $81,963 | $390,045 | 33.5% |
| 8 | Collierville | 51,515 | $138,598 | $509,893 | 40.1% |
| 9 | Tullahoma | 21,103 | $60,979 | $293,828 | 32.3% |
| 10 | Atoka | 10,385 | $89,663 | $350,767 | 40.6% |
| 11 | Fairview | 10,009 | $91,131 | $560,109 | 40.0% |
| 12 | Gallatin | 48,532 | $77,518 | $435,264 | 28.4% |
| 13 | Hendersonville | 63,091 | $97,200 | $521,094 | 32.0% |
| 14 | Mount Juliet | 42,073 | $107,068 | $562,745 | 42.1% |
| 15 | Martin | 10,915 | $43,381 | $214,361 | 21.6% |
| 16 | Murfreesboro | 161,445 | $80,108 | $426,292 | 33.1% |
| 17 | Lebanon | 44,788 | $72,848 | $443,605 | 31.5% |
| 18 | Bartlett | 56,876 | $102,070 | $321,267 | 31.1% |
| 19 | White House | 14,631 | $90,019 | $388,293 | 39.2% |
| 20 | Elizabethton | 14,374 | $46,975 | $229,442 | 26.7% |
| 21 | Portland | 13,449 | $72,647 | $332,794 | 41.0% |
| 22 | Dickson | 16,424 | $69,678 | $344,966 | 36.4% |
| 23 | Greeneville | 15,646 | $49,889 | $248,040 | 23.8% |
| 24 | Cookeville | 36,088 | $51,375 | $320,762 | 24.5% |
| 25 | Lawrenceburg | 11,844 | $42,343 | $240,472 | 28.3% |
| 26 | Paris | 10,338 | $41,012 | $213,854 | 24.1% |
| 27 | Oak Ridge | 32,693 | $72,311 | $322,990 | 29.1% |
| 28 | Columbia | 45,441 | $63,719 | $374,476 | 31.7% |
| 29 | Springfield | 19,255 | $59,465 | $331,464 | 34.8% |
| 30 | Shelbyville | 24,661 | $55,073 | $313,350 | 34.3% |
| 31 | Soddy-Daisy | 13,231 | $75,113 | $359,449 | 29.9% |
| 32 | Athens | 14,471 | $53,929 | $260,344 | 32.9% |
| 33 | Cleveland | 48,829 | $58,559 | $311,237 | 26.4% |
| 34 | Jackson | 68,435 | $53,032 | $227,078 | 32.1% |
| 35 | La Vergne | 40,243 | $81,313 | $346,622 | 41.6% |
| 36 | Smyrna | 56,692 | $81,926 | $403,723 | 38.7% |
| 37 | Goodlettsville | 17,597 | $70,758 | $389,925 | 25.5% |
| 38 | Clarksville | 176,456 | $69,303 | $318,206 | 35.0% |
| 39 | Lewisburg | 12,861 | $48,341 | $299,243 | 32.7% |
| 40 | Manchester | 12,944 | $57,500 | $325,769 | 30.8% |
| 41 | Chattanooga | 185,783 | $64,523 | $319,579 | 23.7% |
| 42 | Red Bank | 12,010 | $63,983 | $307,145 | 19.1% |
| 43 | Clinton | 10,239 | $68,882 | $332,661 | 26.9% |
| 44 | Knoxville | 195,185 | $54,039 | $369,216 | 21.4% |
| 45 | Crossville | 12,428 | $48,802 | $304,997 | 27.2% |
| 46 | Sevierville | 18,397 | $52,421 | $417,023 | 24.5% |
| 47 | Dyersburg | 15,979 | $52,064 | $165,487 | 31.1% |
| 48 | Bristol | 27,636 | $58,162 | $234,603 | 27.4% |
| 49 | East Ridge | 22,070 | $62,247 | $257,872 | 24.7% |
| 50 | Morristown | 31,527 | $47,917 | $266,073 | 35.8% |
| 51 | Millington | 11,289 | $49,979 | $238,393 | 27.6% |
| 52 | McMinnville | 13,844 | $47,179 | $255,402 | 30.3% |
| 53 | Alcoa | 12,222 | $65,714 | $314,718 | 26.6% |
| 54 | Memphis | 618,980 | $51,736 | $144,710 | 28.3% |
| 55 | Kingsport | 56,262 | $52,490 | $254,341 | 26.2% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 55 Tennessee cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Tennessee ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Tennessee are Franklin, Brentwood, Germantown, Collegedale, Spring Hill, Nolensville, Maryville, Collierville, Tullahoma, and Atoka.
