Nashville vs. Austin,TX comparison (Franklin: fit in, sales, real estate)

[Nomad_Chad]

I am considering moving to either Nashville, TN or Austin, TX in the fall. Which town do you prefer and why? There seem to be many similarities. Thanks for your thoughts!
Music
Nightlife
Food Scene/Restaurants
Outdoor Activities
Lakes
Culture
Real Estate
Job Market

I am a male in my early 40's, single, and originally from Fort Worth, TX. I am a healthcare consultant.

[BirdieBelle]

There are several threads that address this in the City vs. City forum:

//www.city-data.com/forum/searc...rchid=11496026

There are also lots of threads here:

//www.city-data.com/forum/searc...rchid=11496053

[CountryGirl2b=]

Hmm, those links aren't working. Maybe this one?

//www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...vs-austin.html

The comparison is often made and endlessly discussed, so if you go to the Search This Forum (right end of the blue bar with all threads closed) you can find those threads yourself. There are probably some on the Austin City Data forum as well if you use the Search.

YES, that one works and is just a couple of months old, so it should be helpful.

[CountryGirl2b=]

//www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...nashville.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...nashville.html

[Nomad_Chad]

Thanks for the links!

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by CountryGirl2b=

Hmm, those links aren't working. Maybe this one?

//www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...vs-austin.html

The comparison is often made and endlessly discussed, so if you go to the Search This Forum (right end of the blue bar with all threads closed) you can find those threads yourself. There are probably some on the Austin City Data forum as well if you use the Search.

YES, that one works and is just a couple of months old, so it should be helpful.

They do work. It pulls up search results: ALL threads that discuss the two cities.

[CountryGirl2b=]

Doesn't work for me. I just get a box that says the following. Maybe it's my browser? Sorry!

Sorry - no matches or filtered words used in the search query. Please try some different terms.

[TCBTEX]

I currently live in Austin and have for the last 17 years. Crazy growth the last few years. Austin is now the 11th largest U.S. city and still climbing (Nashville is 25th). I've lived in three of the top ten largest cities already and never intended to do so again but Austin had other ideas. We don't have the infrastructure for this many people so the traffic situation is currently not good and every new solution ends up being a toll road. Very low unemployment rate (3.9% I believe...)so jobs are fairly easy to come by at the moment. You better like hot weather (I do) as that's mostly what we have here.

I would stay and eventually retire in Austin except for one fatal flaw - property taxes. They are horrible and do not fit into my retirement strategy. I own a fairly standard 3/2 house that is 1900 sq.ft. and my yearly taxes are $5,500. They would be more but we have a 10% property valuation cap that kicks in after the first two years of ownership. Having said that, I am certain my taxes will be $6K in 2015. After thorough research, the same type of house and neighborhood in Nashville would include property taxes around $1,800. Like Texas, Nashville does not require a state income tax. It does have higher sales tax than Texas but I consider that a consumption tax that you have some control over. Austin property taxes greatly fund the public school system and voters here rarely vote down any new bonds that will raise taxes.

I believe Austin would be a great town to live in if you were 28 and making some money. Plenty of great music, food and bar options downtown. For someone pushing 50 with a family - not so much. You pretty much stay in your suburb radius and commute to work in nasty traffic. I don't begrudge Austin for becoming what it is now. A city is either growing or dying and I imagine it's much more fun to live in a growing one.

I am visiting Nashville for the second time in a year next week as I believe it could be a good retirement option in a few years. Like many, I like the southern suburbs like Franklin. Lower population density (although it is now one of the fastest growing U.S. cities..) and reasonable cost of living while still being within striking distance of Nashville proper. I did see many of the same growth signs in Nashville that I recognized from my years here in Austin. It would not surprise me if Nashville follows Austin down the hyper growth path in the coming years.

[CountryGirl2b=]

My little 1550 sq ft house in Franklin is $1300 although I think they just voted to up the property tax rate. Might go up $50???? We moved from CT for the same reason. DO be aware there is a HALL TAX on dividends and interest. Seems to hit a lot of retired people. There is talk of repealing it but it hasn't happened yet.

TCBTEX - have a great visit! Humid at the moment. . . maybe it will be better next week!

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by CountryGirl2b=

Doesn't work for me. I just get a box that says the following. Maybe it's my browser? Sorry!

Sorry - no matches or filtered words used in the search query. Please try some different terms.

Yep, it only works on my iPad but not my laptop.

Oh well ... Sorry.