Moving to Nashville: Everything You Need To Know

So, you’ve decided to go for it and move to Music City—welcome! Whether work, family, or adventure brought you to Nashville, there’s something special about a place where the art, cuisine, and culture are growing just as fast as the population. Experts estimate that 1 million more people will call Nashville home by the year 2040, and the city is rising to meet the challenge of this influx of new citizens.

Every city is unique and Nashville is no exception—it might be a southern town, but there’s more than meets the eye in a city with such rich history and so much to offer.

Here are a few things you’ll need to know before you roll into town.

Southern Hospitality is Real 

Even as the city grows, Nashville remains a place where neighborly courtesies are observed and hospitality is valued. Walkers wave at passing cars, people hold doors open, and neighbors look out for each other. To be sure, Nashville is still a big city, so don’t be surprised if one or two doors are dropped, but for the most part, the clerk at the grocery store will make eye contact and small talk for as long as you’re willing. There’s an undeniable charm to this characteristic, and after a while you might even learn to read the ulterior motives behind some of it.

One word of advice: Watch out for the phrase “bless your heart.” It’s not a compliment.

It’s Called Music City for a Reason

While many residents like to downplay the role of country music on the city’s culture, there’s no denying the influence of the genre and its stars on the local economy and political landscape. From the moment you land in BNA, the voices of country singers like Dierks Bentley greet you at baggage claim, and a barrage of Taylor Swift and Reba McEntire headshots wrap around buses while Sugarland and Little Big Town look down at you from billboards.

While many of the city’s residents have no connection to the industry, be prepared to hear that your neighbor in Hermitage is a songwriter or steel-guitar player. While they might appear unassuming, be sure to Google anyone you meet before asking how they make a living in music—the results have surprised many a Music City newcomer.

You’ll Probably Need a Car

As much as Nashville is expanding and modernizing in light of the recent population and tourism boom, its public transportation system still leaves much to be desired. After the outcome of our most recent referendum on transit, it looks as though many Nashvillians will have to delay their hopes of light rail and expanded bus service throughout the metro area.

Places like East Nashville, Germantown, and Bellevue are well connected, but suburbs like West Meade and Brentwood require personal vehicles. The city is notoriously unwalkable, and despite recent efforts to change this fact, the reputation is deserved.

Dodging Tourists is an Art Form

While country fans and bachelorette parties used to be contained to the strip of honky-tonks in the Gulch and SoBro neighborhoods, the rise of pedal taverns and a culture of Instagram-friendly murals across the city has mobilized hoards of meandering, oft-intoxicated tourists looking for a good time and a place to burn some money. We are grateful, of course, for the interest such visitors show in our fine city (albeit an imagined version of the city), but there’s no denying that people living and working in Nashville don’t always have the time or patience for drunk bachelorettes at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday. We all love a good honky-tonk or bluegrass jam but not usually during business hours.

The Pollen Problem

If you don’t already suffer from seasonal allergies, a move to Nashville might change that. Tennessee’s capital city is located in what is called the Central Basin, a geographic dent surrounded by the Western Highland Rim and Cumberland Plateau. This situation results in a beautiful landscape surrounding the city, but it also can compound the effects of high pollen counts in the spring and fall seasons. New Nashvillians who have never suffered from allergies before will widely report sniffles and sneezes while natives lament and even track the pollen count by the day.