DATELINE NBC Study said Nashville is America's Friendliest City

[DonCorleone]

Oh it's definitely livable. I just wanted to share my cynicism/realism about these lists and this one in particular as being a swaying factor in someone moving here.

We lived in the Station Camp area of Sumner County in the technically-still-Hendersonville part. This area straddles both Gallatin and Hendersonville and is a very growing area. While we like Hendersonville, I find it to be taxing to go there for the usual needs or for fun. Traffic is not well managed along Indian Lake. It's not choking, but it's very clear its poorly designed. It's fine...in fact it has a lot to offer as a city...great parks, recreational activities, lots of (chain) restaurants, etc.

We found ourselves spending more time in Gallatin the past few years. Smaller, easier to get around, more small-town feel versus a suburban feel. We love the square and shopping/eating there...supporting local businesses. Plenty of lake and river access in Gallatin too. It is a little further to Nashville (10 mins generally speaking) but not far from East Nashville.

If you're really wanting lakefront, Hendersonville is the better option as there's more available. But don't look past Gallatin either.

[Vanderbiltgrad]

Welcoming and sociable most likely is Nashville calling card but New Orleans, Dallas and Austin Texas are as well. Nashville people are more down to earth than the East and West Coasts thou for sure. I don't know about number one but it Top 10 for sure.

[melissahall456]

We are thinking of relocating to the Nashville area, too, and possibly getting to the area by possibly doing a travel assignment for my job in Gallatin. So the more anyone can tell me about Gallatin the better! We are in Napa, CA now. Hoping for a small, cozy town with a few nice restaurants, maybe a nice coffee shop and some nice parks, theaters, etc. We don't need much as it'd just be temporary until we decided for sure which area around Nashville we wanted to look into for permanent work and housing. I have a 6 and 7 year old so safety is huge for me. I like the idea of being out of the city traffic, but I want to make sure we don't end up somewhere really strange if we go to Gallatin lol. I can't find many videos on Youtube about it, etc. I like the idea of a short drive to the city. 30 minutes is nothing really....so if Gallatin is much more affordable than Franklin it may even be a good option for a permanent home?? How is the hospital in Gallatin? Anyone know?

[rec]

Very interested in the last few posts on this thread. We are empty nesters with children on east coast and TX. Currently living in Indiana but want to explore retirement options. Looking for milder weather but not the heat and humidity of the far south. Have checked out parts of South Carolina and North Carolina. NC has some possibilities but probably not SC. Used to live in FL and spouse has crossed that off the list. (We have lived and worked in several major cities in the US.) Considering building custom ranch-style home (2,400 - 3,000 sq ft) with some privacy (maybe near lakes - could be in a development/planned community as well) but still want ready access to varied (non-chain) dining, arts, recreation and fairy well-educated population. Been to Nashville once for a long weekend, concert, etc but did not explore beyond that. Looking to build/move in about 4-5 years. Curious about the Hendersonville-Gallatin areas for the factors mentioned above.

Any helpful insights welcomed.