Best places to live around Nashville (living in, suburb, congested)

[Dcline]

Thank you for the information Prince. I am looking to move to Nashville in June. I enjoy sailing and expect to use Percy Priest as much as possible. I am also a teacher and look to coach basketball. You said you were a long time resident. Do you have any information for me on High Schools to look into for a job? My wife is looking to work at Vanderbilt's Hospital as a nurse, so may be in that area, or around the lake. Any information would be helpful in my search.
Thanks.

[alleycat]

Dcline, you might want to address your post to a larger audience. I haven't actually seen Prince around the forum in quite a while.

[MantaRay]

I grew up in Nashville, and it has changed tremendously since then, becoming more chic and less small city. I've been keeping up with the changes, and if I had a chance to move back, I'd pick the Hermitage or Mt. Juliet area. Of course this type of decision will be highly personalized for each person. For me, I HAVE to have bike trails nearby. I also plan to get into kayaking, so a lake is a huge amenity for that. With Hermitage and Mt. Juliet, I've found that the home prices in the newer developments are much more affordable for the square footage than in other areas of town. The Stones River greenway has its trailhead at Percy Priest Dam, but it is even possible to bike the back streets through Mt. Juliet and Hermitage TO the greenway, so I wouldn't even have to necessarily drive just to get to the trailhead.

Then there's the new Providence shopping center in Mt. Juliet to satisfy that need, not to mention the outlet center in Lebanon. Plus proximity to Opry Mills and Hickory Hollow Mall. And the new neighborhoods out that way are even including sidewalks. The proximity to downtown isn't bad, either, whether I would want to go to a Titans game or to Schemmerhorn for a performance or to the July 4th fireworks celebration. Bascially, it's a very convenient location for a variety of activities.

Just looking at neighborhoods, the only ones I like as much as the newer ones in Hermitage/Mt.Juliet are the Lenox Village neighborhood on Nolensville Rd. whic has decent vicinity to downtown and to the lake, but which is nowhere near the greenways, and the McKay's Mill neighborhoods in the vicinity of Liberty Park, just southeast of Cool Springs Galleria, which have ridiculous prices but also some more affordable offerings but are far removed from the greenway, downtown, the lake, etc. but which does have plenty of sidewalks/pedestrian paths that could be used for recreational biking.

[Ang2tenn]

Hi. thanks alot. your post was pretty informational. I was wondering if I could ask you a few things about moving to Nashville? You seem to know quite a bit. I am moving from Pa to Nashville very soon. I am having a really hard time getting a straight answer of where to live. I want to be a close drive to downtown. I am in my later 20s, female and will be living alone. What areas would you say are safe? I dont want to be in a high crime "crack Head" section 8 type area, but also do not want to pay out the a**. When you mention Green Hills and the other areas, I still am not sure how to find apartments in these areas since their addresses are all Nashville. Do you happen to know what zip codes are good maybe? Or better yet, can you give me a few names of apartment complexes that you feel are in good areas? I am gathering that West of Nashville and maybe South toward Brentwood are the nicest areas? If you could help that would be awesome!! Thanks alot I appreciate it...

Originally Posted by Prince of Ca$hville

This is a great poll for many reasons, & I can answer some of epelton's questions, since people from outside of Nashville can't admit they have crap nightlife, schools, dining, & architecture (compared to Davidson County). I say Davidson County instead of Nashville because they are one and the same. Davidson County became the Nashville city limits in 1963, & it's important to know what exactly is "in Nashville," since the Nashville area is very spread out. Many areas in the poll aren't even in Nashville & shouldn't be included because they are simply sub-par (for numerous reasons) compared to the "areas of town" within Nashville-Davidson Co. (aka. Metro Area/ Metro Nashville/ etc.).

Nashville's areas of town:
Downtown, Sylvan Park, Belmont, Hillsboro Rd./Green Hills, East Nashville, Germantown, Belle Meade, Forrest Hills, Oak Hill, & the Vanderbilt area. (East Nashville & Germantown can be sketchy depending on where you are however)

The above places above are the places to live in town, coming from a long-time resident of Nashtown. They are the best because they have a great mix of nightlife, dining, parks, shops, people, & only a 5 to 15 min. commute to work since you're in Davidson County. The architecture is also the best and oldest.

I didn't count Brentwood & Bellevue as being in Nashville because they are on the outskirts of town, & Nashvillians have no need to go there, & generally only go when necessary. Traffic moves to & fro from these places in generally one direction, that of rush-hour traffic. No one from Nashville goes to Brentwood or Bellevue to "do stuff" (b/c there is nothing to do. Bellevue has an old mall & apartments. & Brentwood has an old roller rink, if you want to act like it's 1990 again, or 1970. That's it & that's all besides offices and random crap like Applebees. Truth.)

The best mall in Nashville is "The Mall at Green Hills." No, it's not called the Green Hills Mall like a normal mall. It's better than that. It's the only Nashville mall that has Prada, Tiffany & Co., Louie V., etc., so if you have a gold-digging wife, sucks for you. It does have a really good cookie place I gotta mention though. & their Santa Claus is probably the most grandiose of them all, if you care.

You are closest to our best park, Centennial Park (where the Parthenon is), if you live the in Vandy Area. The park is great during the daytime (I heard rumors growing up that gay dudes met up there at night in shady areas.) With that said, it's a great place for kids. They have a huge old steam train that every boy likes & a good museum/ gallery in the Parthenon.

These civic buildings in Nash are another huge reason why you should live in the city, not the surrounding 'burbs. It's why we don't mind paying a few more $$ in taxes than our Williamson County neighbors. Our downtown library is new and is world-class, with a HUGE reading room that everyone should at least check out. They have murals everywhere, a courtyard, restaurant, etc., & it's all downtown on Church St.

Green Hills & Belle Meade are the areas I know best. They are within 5mins of each other. Green Hills has a new library. good for kids I guess... Belle Meade has no library because all of the houses have them. They do have their own police force though (with the smallest jurisdiction ever). Live in Belle Meade if you have the means. It's beautiful, with a huge park at the end of it's main road (Belle Meade Blvd.) & a great public golf course. There are excellent public & private schools in the area, including Harpeth Hall (Reese Witherspoon's alma mater), an all-girls school that used to have the hottest girls (& biggest bitches). Yep. It's true.

It's also true that there are insanely conservative, Brooks Brothers only, "old-money" idiots in Belle Meade, but there are also plenty of open-minded liberals, as well as a lot of Jewish people. I grew up there and I know I found more diversity than I would have in any of Nashville's surrounding areas. Out-of-towners take note, the closer to downtown you live, the less cultue-shock you'll have when you get here, generally. Nashville is a diverse town, no matter what people say, but it has deep roots. This clash of differences is one thing i like, & hate, about Nashville. Many people have moved here in recent years and the diversity has helped the cities' growth ,but few realize that to have friends outside of "the city," one must have an appreciation for the country life that many Tennesseans have always loved (even if you think it's really boring & you'd never hang out at a Sonic on Friday night). That's why a lot of people live out in the middle of nowhere. They simply appreciate the peace it brings.

I'm in my mid-twenties, so I know something of the bar scene in Nashville, especially compared to some older people who clearly don't get out much, or are ridiculously biased (Leiper's Fork is only cool if your idea of cool is sitting in the woods, getting bored, & then realizing you should drive to Nashville to find something to do). I won't describe where to go now though because i've already typed an ass-load...I also know a ton about every local school, public & private, including some info. that will make some parents angry (Brentwood Academy has problems, don't ever send your kid there, & it's a private school no less). You find out a lot when you talk to graduates...If you want my opinion on either of these topics just reply & ask....


This is random, but I have a dumb theory that could help some people out in terms of deciding where to live:
Some people that move to the 'burbs say they do so to leave the "hustle & bustle" of Nashville. Maybe they say it just to justify it to themselves, but this is hilarious to anyone from a big city, who realizes there is no great hustle & bustle in Nashville, only a little more traffic & people compared to the outlying areas. The funny part is that people leave Davidson County saying they want to leave "the hustle & bustle," then end up hustling more driving to work every day for an hour (or 2), in heavy traffic, on interstates that Nashvillians never even need to use for the daily commute.

I realize I probably offended some people, but it's for the good of everyone trying to move.

-Hope this helps some some people..Nashville rocks...Go Titans...& Free Pacman

[multics]

Originally Posted by Ang2tenn

Hi. thanks alot. your post was pretty informational. I was wondering if I could ask you a few things about moving to Nashville? You seem to know quite a bit. I am moving from Pa to Nashville very soon. I am having a really hard time getting a straight answer of where to live. I want to be a close drive to downtown. I am in my later 20s, female and will be living alone. What areas would you say are safe? I dont want to be in a high crime "crack Head" section 8 type area, but also do not want to pay out the a**. When you mention Green Hills and the other areas, I still am not sure how to find apartments in these areas since their addresses are all Nashville. Do you happen to know what zip codes are good maybe? Or better yet, can you give me a few names of apartment complexes that you feel are in good areas? I am gathering that West of Nashville and maybe South toward Brentwood are the nicest areas? If you could help that would be awesome!! Thanks alot I appreciate it...

I'm sure Prince of Ca$hville will respond with more thorough advice but my suggestion would be Brentwood (the parts closer to I-65) if you're into suburban living, or the Hillsboro Village/Belmont/West End areas of town if you're into city living but want to be in a safe area. Granted those areas can get pricey so knowing your budget/preferences for an apartment would be helpful.

Also if you'd like to learn more about crime in Nashville check out Metro's crime map:

Metro Nashville Interactive Crime Maps

The Tennessean also has a crime map that might be easier to get around (uses Google Maps), though it's not as thorough IMO:

tennessean.com

[Prince of Ca$hville]

Whatup all,

sorry i've been away for so long...

Private Schools Info.: (for Dcline, et al) (copied previous message to someone else)


i'm glad to help... & you're a better bf than me to help her out with this. Basically, Ensworth & USN are completely opposite schools, except for the fact that most families from both schools have a lot of money. Ensworth is truly the most snobby, conservative, & elitist school. Their high school was founded only a few years ago in response to many Ensworth kids no longer getting into Montgomery Bell Academy for high school. Wealthy Ensworth parents were so angered over this that they flew a plane over MBA's graduation ceremony (my graduation) with a message about the past & how MBA was forgetting it. The reason the kids didn't get in was b/c they didn't test well enough, & MBA didn't budge even when many parents wanted to donate $$ to get their kids in. MBA is more selective & more diverse than Ensworth, & gives scholarships to the underprivileged through an endowment, like a lot of private schools.

USN, as the opposite of Ensworth, is the only urban, liberal, private school in Nashville(21st, right next to Vandy). I like it a lot, & have many friends that went there. Its quality of education is better than most too (definitely among the top 3 private schools in the city). It's the most racially diverse private school too. Some people call it "Jew-S-N."

I really think you should get her to look at MBA though. It's the oldest & most historic school in Nashville (founded in 1867), & has the highest quality education & best teachers. Thus, it also produces the most Ivy Leaguers of any school in TN. Because of the school's age & history age, many USNers & others think MBA is old money, conservative WASP-city. However, this is not the case. WASPs will always inherently have some portion of any private school, but in the mid-1990s, MBA made great attempts at increasing diversity & now the school is a mix of people, both racially & economically. Successful families from all walks of life send their kids there. Bc of this I'm now friends with Indian guys, black dudes, & many jewish people. This is what made the Ensworth people angry b/c some of their dumber kids could no longer go to MBA, even with all their $$.

Good luck, & any more questions? don't hesitate to ask...Also, another great reason for her to work @ MBA is that your child can go there for free (6yrs x 18,000= $108,000 education)... not bad

...obviously people are going to say i'm biased, but my views are based on what people who went there/ work there tell me as well as what i've witnessed. I am in no way blindly bashing schools...just trying to help people make informed decisions (although i've no doubt added to the rivalry/hatred)


...more to come...BA, Father Ryan, FRA

[Prince of Ca$hville]

Ang2tenn,

multics is pretty much right on, although i personally couldn't sleep at night if I recommended Brentwood to anyone who could live somewhere else. Live in the village, Belmont, or West End areas. If you don't know, Vandy's campus is bounded by West End Ave. & 21st on the South side. These two main roads probably have the most commercial activity of any two roads in the city.

[macemy]

Thinking about moving to Belle Meade and kids going to Julia Green Elementary. I hear it is great. What about middle and highschool in the area. Can you stay in the public system?

[ThirdCoaster]

I'm fairly new to the area but yes..I think you've summed it up quite nicely. I moved to Bellevue because I wanted peace and quiet and figured that I'd visit Green Hills and downtown when I needed excitement but I'm starting to feel bored in a town where nothing ever happens, or at least it's not happening around me. Bellevue is a lovely town if you like peace and quiet but it's quite congested and people just seem to spend their time going back and forth from work. I have no idea what they do for fun here.

I love the Vandy area--it seems so lively in comparision to where I am right now and what you say about Belle Meade is true. Belle Meade is beautiful but I am allergic to conservatives (though I admire their landscaping choices) and would never live there if I could afford to, unless Al Gore wants a neighbor and we could discuss globabl warming over coffee now and then.
I like more diversity in people's backgrounds and in their economic situations.

I only seem to be invited to functions in Franklin or downtown and I don't like to drive at night because I once drove home in the dark from Belle Meade and was spooked by the wild animal sounds coming from the side of the road. Crazy drivers and the thought of hitting a deer with my car means that I limit my night driving to local areas and I want to live in a town where there are functions I can attend in the region. Bellevue is not that town.

[ask4about2me]

Sylvan Park,Green Hills,Germantown,Downtown,Franklin-Yuppies
East Nashville,Edgefield (basically the same),Belmont-Hipsters
Hendersonville,Hermitage-Sleepy "family" areas,lots of kit houses/mcmansions
Belle Meade-Extremely Rich people (surprisingly down to earth tho)
Brentwood-People that arent from Tennessee that wish they had the money that belle meade had and a s s h o l e s
Bellevue-old people,jewish people,and white kids with bad drug problems