The 10 Best Places To Live In Tennessee For 2025


The best places to live in Tennessee for 2025 are Germantown, Signal Mountain, and Brentwood. Find out where your city or town ranks.

There’s a reason Justin Timberlake bought a home in Franklin, Nicole Kidman took up residence in Nashville, and that Tennessee is inviting you to “take a walk in Memphis.”

The best places to live in the Volunteer State are some of the best places to live East of the Mighty Mississippi.

To find Tennessee’s best places, we used Saturday Night Science to compare the 95 cities over 5,000 people based on factors like home prices, incomes, and safety. The data comes directly from the Census, FBI, and Zillow.

So, grab some Tennessee BBQ, crank some Elvis, find a sunny spot in Graceland, and read on as we uncover the best places in Tennessee.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Map | Methodology | Summary


What is the best place to live in Tennessee? The best place to live in Tennessee for 2025 is Germantown.

To see Tennessee’s other best cities to live in, take a look below. You’ll also find a map, our methodology, and a complete breakdown of every place in Tennessee.

For more reading, check out:

The 10 Best Places To Live In Tennessee For 2025

Best Places To Live In Tennessee Map

Germantown, TN

Source: City Of Germantwon
Stat Germantown Tennessee
Population 40,812 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 1
Median Home Value $441,200 $256,800
Median Income $144,799 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 3.1% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0145 0.0272

More on Germantown: Data

It used to be that Jack Daniels, and Dolly Parton were the most common names to come out of Tennessee; but now, we can add Germantown to that list. Located slightly southeast of Memphis, this small town in Shelby County, has held strong for the last two years as the #1 best place to live in Tennessee.

But, don’t roll out the red carpet just yet, home prices here are upwards of $441,200 and your median household income needs to be somewhere in the area of $144,799/year to cover your cost of living. In fact, Germantown is one of the richest places in the Volunteer State.

However, don’t write off Germantown completely. You’ll be happy to know that you have a better chance of getting a job here than being part of a crime as both the the unemployment rate and crime rate in Germantown are well below the national average.

Signal Mountain, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Sam Poss | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Signal Mountain Tennessee
Population 8,861 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 2
Median Home Value $482,300 $256,800
Median Income $139,714 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 2.1% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0035 0.0272

More on Signal Mountain: Data

If you’re looking for a signal to move to Tennessee’s 2nd best place to live, Signal Mountain can give you just that. And if you’re looking for a place that is safe, with cool mountain homes, and a bunch of fun, outdoor activities, Signal Mountain can help with that too.

Located slightly northeast of Chattanooga, along the Tennessee River and the great Walden Ridge, Signal Mountain is one of the least populated places and it has the 2nd lowest crime rate on our list. Yes, it’s going to take a special kind of person to live in Signal Mountain–one who can make a median household income of $139,714/year. The upside to this number, a higher cost of living means less people and less crime.

But, if you can afford Signal Mountain, it’s worth it. You can spend your days hiking and biking the trails at Chickamauga Creek and your evenings tapping your toes at the Mountain Opry.

Brentwood, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Skye Marthaler | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Brentwood Tennessee
Population 45,272 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 3
Median Home Value $926,700 $256,800
Median Income $184,720 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 2.3% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0101 0.0272

More on Brentwood: Data

Like a finely tuned guitar on a night of the Grand Ole Opry, Tennessee’s 3rd best place to live, Brentwood, is perfect. In order to obtain perfection, the city of “Burning Faith,” had to produce some pretty big SnackAbility scores: and it did just that.

This classic Nashville suburb scored a 9.5/10 for its strong job market, a 9.5/10 for its great schools, and an 8.5/10 for its low crime rate. And here’s why: the unemployment rate in Brentwood is well below the national average. The people here work hard and will expect you to do the same if you decide to call their pride and joy home–they currently have the lowest percentage of people on public assistance. The schools here are performing and the locals are educated: their Crockett Elementary School is a Blue Ribbon School and the percentage of residents with a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree is well above the state and national average.

Do we think this is why Brentwood is one of the safest places in Tennessee? We can’t say for sure, but the odds are in their favor.

Franklin, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Ichabod | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Franklin Tennessee
Population 85,575 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 5
Median Home Value $646,300 $256,800
Median Income $115,000 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 2.4% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0121 0.0272

More on Franklin: Data

If you’re looking for a place close to Nashville without Music City’s hassle, Franklin is about the best that you’ll find–and, the overall 4th best place to live in Tennessee. However, Franklin’s cost of living is on the higher end. This city is the 4th best for home prices at $646,300 and you’re going to have to make the median household income of $115,000/year to live comfortably. Not surprising, these numbers also put Franklin on the map as one of the wealthiest places in Tennessee.

And, folks, this is most evident where old and new “country” collide on the corner of Main Street and 5th Avenue in the city’s affluent downtown area. You can stroll the Franklin Farmers Market and shop in the many boutiques by day and you can enjoy Franklin’s nightlife sipping on whiskey at one of their distilleries or singing along to your favorite country songs at one of their honky tonks by night.

That’s not all. Franklin scored a 9.5/10 for education on our SnackAbility scale. So, if you were wondering if this place has great schools, they do. This city of 85,575 residents is also one of the safest. The crime rate here is 47% below the national average.

Nolensville, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Skye Marthaler | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Nolensville Tennessee
Population 14,545 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 6
Median Home Value $695,100 $256,800
Median Income $170,068 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 1.0% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0032 0.0272

More on Nolensville: Data

The livability factors that have made Nolensville the 5th best place to live in Tennessee include–but are not limited to–the city’s cost of living, low crime, great schools, and a strong job market.

Located 35 minutes southeast of Nashville, in Williamson County, Nolensville has the 2nd highest income and the 3rd lowest unemployment rate at 1.0%. If you can afford the $695,100 price for a home here, you’ll think that you’ve won Best Country Vocalist at the CMAs. But, if you want to be able to afford the overall cost of living in Nolensville, you’d probably be better off winning the Tennessee Lottery instead: it’s pretty expensive here.

However, don’t let a couple of dollars stand between you and a better quality of life in Nolensville. If you do, you’ll be missing out on the fun, “Nolensville” things to do: like, mingling with the community at the local brewery or biking the trails at one of the city’s five parks.

Collierville, TN

Source: Wikipedia User DoxTxob | GFDL
Stat Collierville Tennessee
Population 51,212 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 4
Median Home Value $458,300 $256,800
Median Income $134,319 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 3.1% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0148 0.0272

More on Collierville: Data

You’ve probably already heard of Collierville because Parade Magazine named it “One of the Best Main Streets in America”. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s also the 6th best place to live in Tennessee. All eclectic coffee shops and quaint cafes aside, Collierville earned our ranking due to its cost of living, low crime rate, low unemployment rate, and the fact that the people here value education.

Here’s an inside look to Collierville’s numbers–the job market in this Memphis suburb is strong and the unemployment rate is the 29th lowest in the state. Incidentally, Collierville is 4th in the state for the least number of people living in poverty. To live comfortably, however, you’re going to need a job that pays the median household income of $134,319/year.

And if you’re looking for a great place for your family, Collierville is one of the best places to raise a family in The Volunteer State. Besides great schools for your kiddos, you’ll be happy to know that over half of Collierville’s residents hold a degree as well.

Spring Hill, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Skye Marthaler | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Spring Hill Tennessee
Population 53,585 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 7
Median Home Value $452,400 $256,800
Median Income $106,658 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 1.4% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0093 0.0272

More on Spring Hill: Data

Hop on the I 65 and cruise about 25 minutes south of Franklin and you’ll run right smack dab into Tennessee’s 7th best place to live, Spring Hill. The crime rate in Spring Hill tells us that they’re not robbing banks and they’re not robbing each other, so it just must be good ‘ol fashioned hard work that has this city’s household median income up around $106,658/year and the poverty rate the 11th lowest in the state. Heck, we shouldn’t be too surprised considering the unemployment rate here is 1.4%.

Spring Hill’s level of commitment to excellence is also evident in their great schools. The elementary and secondary schools here are constantly earning high marks and families have taken notice making Spring Hill one of the best places to raise a family.

Speaking of family friendly, Spring Hill has the youngest population of residents with a median age of 36. So, if you’re looking for those first time “Mommy and Me” groups, you’ll find those here. And if you’re looking for other young singles, you’ll find that here as well: Spring Hill is one of Tennessee’s best places for singles.

Stat Medina Tennessee
Population 5,268 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 9
Median Home Value $261,400 $256,800
Median Income $93,964 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 3.4% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0057 0.0272

More on Medina: Data

Medina, Tennessee, has a median home value of $261,400, indicating the demand for living in this Gibson County gem. The city’s 5,268 residents benefit from a strong 93,964 and a low 3.4 unemployment rate. Medina’s location allows for a reasonable 23 minute commute to nearby cities like Jackson.

The town’s commitment to education is evident through top-performing schools like South Gibson Elementary and South Gibson High School. These factors make Medina an attractive place to live in Tennessee.

Mount Juliet, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Cadamwil | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Mount Juliet Tennessee
Population 40,828 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 10
Median Home Value $423,000 $256,800
Median Income $107,847 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 3.5% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0081 0.0272

More on Mount Juliet: Data

Here’s the word on East Division street –, the grass is greener and money really does grow on trees in Tennessee’s 9th best place to live, Mount Juliet.

Well, if you look at it like this, Mount Juliet is the “City Between Lakes” and one of the only cities on our list located along Tennessee’s infamous Cumberland River, so we get it, it’s greener. Money trees? We’re not entirely sure, but the residents here make a nice household median income of $107,847/year. And if you want a job in Mount Juliet, you shouldn’t have a problem getting one: this city has the 35th lowest unemployment rate on our list.

If you’re not sure that you want to take the plunge into Mount Juliet’s real estate market out of the gate, as the median home price here is the one of the highest compared to its median income, a rental is a solid alternative.

With innumerable amounts of outdoor activities and a vibrant art and music scene at your disposal, you definitely won’t be bored in Mount Juliet.

Hendersonville, TN

Source: Wikipedia User NotAThomas | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Hendersonville Tennessee
Population 62,390 6,986,082
Rank Last Year 11
Median Home Value $396,500 $256,800
Median Income $91,503 $67,097
Unemployment Rate 3.9% 4.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0102 0.0272

More on Hendersonville: Data

Hendersonville, located in Sumner County, Tennessee, is a fantastic place to live. With a population of 62,390 and a median income of 91,503, it offers a high quality of life at a relatively low cost. The median home price in Hendersonville is $396,500, making it an option for families and individuals looking to settle down.

One of the reasons Hendersonville is highly regarded as one of the best places to live in Tennessee is its abundance of recreational activities. The city is known for its proximity to Old Hickory Lake. Additionally, Hendersonville offers a variety of parks, golf courses, and hiking trails for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.

Hendersonville’s location within the Nashville metropolitan area gives you access to a vibrant music scene, diverse culinary experiences, and exciting cultural events. With downtown Nashville just 18 miles away, you can easily explore the city’s famous music venues, museums, and historical sites.

Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Tennessee

Best Places To Live In Tennessee Size Requirement

Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Tennessee, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?

We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.

So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:

  • Cities — Populations over 5,000
  • Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
  • Small Towns — Populations below 1,000

This filter left 95 cities, 175 towns, and 136 small towns.

We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Tennessee have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’

Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Tennessee

Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.

We ranked each place in Tennessee across a number of criteria from one to 95, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Tennessee.”

The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:

  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Commute Time
  • Crime
  • Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking Tennessee’s best places to live.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Tennessee. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Germantown at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Summary: The Best Places In Tennessee

If you’re looking at areas in Tennessee with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The best places to live in Tennessee are Germantown, Signal Mountain, Brentwood, Franklin, Nolensville, Collierville, Spring Hill, Medina, Mount Juliet, and Hendersonville.

Germantown made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Tennessee for 2025.

If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in Tennessee according to the data:

  1. Rockwood (Pop. 5,510)
  2. Ripley (Pop. 7,718)
  3. Bolivar (Pop. 5,171)

For more Tennessee reading, check out:

Best Places To Live In Tennessee Table

Rank City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income Rent Crime Per Capita
1 Germantown 40,812 3.1% $441,200 $144,799 $1,760 0.0145
2 Signal Mountain 8,861 2.1% $482,300 $139,714 $1,843 0.0035
3 Brentwood 45,272 2.3% $926,700 $184,720 $2,497 0.0101
4 Franklin 85,575 2.4% $646,300 $115,000 $1,861 0.0121
5 Nolensville 14,545 1.0% $695,100 $170,068 $2,557 0.0032
6 Collierville 51,212 3.1% $458,300 $134,319 $1,574 0.0148
7 Spring Hill 53,585 1.4% $452,400 $106,658 $1,738 0.0093
8 Medina 5,268 3.4% $261,400 $93,964 $1,089 0.0057
9 Mount Juliet 40,828 3.5% $423,000 $107,847 $1,875 0.0081
10 Hendersonville 62,390 3.9% $396,500 $91,503 $1,552 0.0102
11 Maryville 32,196 2.9% $310,600 $79,340 $1,149 0.0112
12 Farragut 24,309 2.5% $513,100 $142,402 $1,691 0.0403
13 Bartlett 56,998 3.7% $283,700 $100,660 $1,658 0.0205
14 Jonesborough 6,056 1.6% $247,900 $63,155 $1,103 0.0112
15 Greenbrier 6,960 0.0% $310,400 $82,308 $1,253 0.0079
16 Collegedale 11,185 2.4% $332,700 $64,905 $1,435 0.0138
17 Oakland 9,544 2.9% $297,300 $89,240 $1,815 0.0067
18 Thompson’s Station 7,855 4.6% $598,200 $122,139 $2,124 0.0121
19 Red Bank 11,960 3.6% $246,100 $61,788 $1,118 0.0172
20 Pleasant View 5,111 3.7% $362,700 $101,591 $1,602 0.0061
21 White House 13,875 2.6% $311,200 $87,315 $1,362 0.0177
22 Fairview 9,751 2.4% $354,900 $88,333 $1,203 0.0077
23 Gallatin 46,667 3.3% $343,700 $73,589 $1,299 0.0126
24 Murfreesboro 157,547 3.6% $365,100 $76,241 $1,376 0.0299
25 Goodlettsville 17,598 6.0% $355,000 $65,898 $1,370 0.0168
26 Erwin 6,001 4.0% $165,100 $45,422 $602 0.0055
27 Kingston 6,042 6.7% $204,200 $70,532 $699 0.0060
28 Atoka 10,237 8.7% $283,500 $86,922 $1,279 0.0071
29 Lakeland 14,068 2.7% $373,800 $113,843 $1,611 0.1098
30 Church Hill 7,057 13.3% $192,600 $69,433 $1,041 0.0068
31 Munford 6,459 6.9% $234,600 $86,492 $1,086 0.0139
32 Lebanon 41,951 3.0% $359,300 $71,320 $1,210 0.0219
33 Mount Carmel 5,504 7.7% $179,700 $71,336 $804 0.0064
34 Smyrna 55,066 4.8% $326,700 $78,409 $1,366 0.0278
35 Arlington 14,989 3.5% $367,700 $125,909 $2,046 0.1098
36 Clarksville 171,897 6.0% $236,100 $66,786 $1,215 0.0232
37 Oak Ridge 32,088 4.7% $233,500 $71,000 $1,076 0.0193
38 La Vergne 38,944 2.5% $273,700 $80,418 $1,714 0.0243
39 Portland 13,325 3.0% $256,400 $72,380 $1,100 0.0086
40 Clinton 10,141 3.3% $204,700 $64,005 $858 0.0252
41 Millersville 5,885 4.5% $280,800 $70,411 $1,336 0.0080
42 Columbia 43,971 2.9% $261,700 $61,204 $1,092 0.0307
43 Tullahoma 20,672 3.7% $228,800 $60,855 $866 0.0254
44 Cookeville 35,544 4.3% $263,800 $48,501 $885 0.0236
45 Cleveland 48,185 5.4% $241,800 $55,904 $966 0.0326
46 Greeneville 15,531 8.2% $210,700 $51,516 $680 0.0328
47 Dayton 7,191 2.5% $152,200 $56,692 $807 0.0181
48 Winchester 9,600 3.9% $209,300 $59,497 $893 0.0343
49 Bristol 27,490 7.2% $182,500 $55,007 $764 0.0329
50 Dickson 16,246 5.4% $263,100 $69,074 $999 0.0379
51 Henderson 6,349 3.5% $130,100 $57,727 $725 0.0123
52 Alcoa 11,635 2.7% $232,300 $60,049 $1,057 0.0201
53 Chattanooga 182,832 4.9% $259,200 $61,028 $1,155 0.0603
54 Elizabethton 14,364 6.6% $159,700 $44,834 $751 0.0189
55 East Ridge 22,034 5.8% $182,500 $55,988 $1,112 0.0279
56 Knoxville 193,721 4.4% $214,000 $50,994 $1,116 0.0403
57 Paris 10,313 1.5% $142,700 $39,365 $763 0.0190
58 Kingsport 55,807 4.7% $203,000 $50,436 $843 0.0429
59 Martin 10,864 5.6% $177,700 $41,510 $808 0.0234
60 Manchester 12,651 1.9% $215,700 $55,019 $897 0.0359
61 Springfield 18,985 4.9% $235,200 $58,741 $1,107 0.0175
62 McKenzie 5,706 3.3% $140,200 $35,988 $669 0.0184
63 Lewisburg 12,607 5.2% $183,400 $52,634 $859 0.0251
64 Lafayette 5,643 4.6% $189,800 $44,924 $847 0.0289
65 Jackson 68,098 8.6% $195,000 $51,552 $1,094 0.0449
66 Sweetwater 6,462 8.6% $166,000 $44,661 $625 0.0218
67 Sevierville 18,105 3.0% $264,000 $55,106 $1,000 0.0420
68 Athens 14,250 5.5% $197,300 $53,151 $807 0.0429
69 Shelbyville 24,125 3.0% $224,700 $52,290 $935 0.0272
70 Soddy-Daisy 13,117 5.1% $241,400 $67,824 $996 0.0603
71 Newport 6,881 0.7% $124,300 $40,096 $780 0.0605
72 Humboldt 7,799 7.6% $111,300 $42,873 $757 0.0169
73 La Follette 7,308 7.3% $106,000 $34,678 $690 0.0125
74 Smithville 5,158 7.3% $153,500 $29,507 $676 0.0198
75 Pulaski 8,305 8.4% $168,200 $45,420 $802 0.0328
76 Madisonville 5,184 5.8% $202,600 $45,274 $663 0.0299
77 Millington 11,117 8.3% $172,800 $51,695 $1,059 0.0550
78 Savannah 7,219 2.7% $163,100 $41,396 $757 0.0461
79 Milan 8,194 6.0% $121,400 $45,608 $802 0.0277
80 Fayetteville 7,037 5.3% $191,100 $50,890 $753 0.0288
81 Dyersburg 16,075 6.7% $170,900 $51,846 $759 0.0623
82 McMinnville 13,765 4.7% $147,200 $43,348 $756 0.0325
83 Crossville 12,265 8.9% $230,300 $50,672 $827 0.0310
84 Memphis 629,063 8.3% $157,100 $51,211 $1,123 0.1098
85 Pigeon Forge 6,345 1.9% $258,700 $53,839 $953 0.0487
86 Lawrenceburg 11,732 8.8% $158,100 $41,458 $768 0.0222
87 Harriman 6,021 4.1% $162,500 $42,183 $737 0.0249
88 Morristown 30,983 7.8% $155,700 $44,811 $855 0.0381
89 Covington 8,612 6.5% $163,900 $43,512 $910 0.0490
90 Lexington 7,943 10.0% $173,200 $49,253 $758 0.0337
91 Dunlap 5,546 8.8% $148,300 $38,666 $890 0.0189
92 Brownsville 9,634 8.9% $119,700 $39,488 $737 0.0383
93 Rockwood 5,510 8.4% $132,100 $37,867 $725 0.0390
94 Ripley 7,718 8.0% $152,200 $39,047 $745 0.0399
95 Bolivar 5,171 16.4% $136,000 $38,575 $827 0.0422

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.