Columbia
Many towns throughout American are known for one thing above all else, and Columbia, Tennessee, is no different: It calls itself the “Mule Capitol of the World.” That’s because it plays host to the annual Mule Day celebration, a four-day festival dedicated to anything and everything mule-related. Mule Day is a huge attraction for middle Tennesseans and people across the country, as over 200,000 people take part in the festivities every year.
Columbia is the county seat of Maury County and has a population of 34,681. The average household income in 2010 was $49,319, and there are 13,059 households in the city. It has a total of 29.6 square miles and sits at an elevation of 643 feet above sea level.
The city is located in Middle Tennessee on the banks of the Duck River and is about 45 miles away from Nashville. Columbia is the birthplace of the 11th president of the United States, James K. Polk, and the historic Polk home is located two blocks outside of the center of the city. The national headquarters of The Sons of Confederate Veterans is also located in Columbia.
Due to its small-town, Southern charm, Columbia has been the backdrop for numerous films in recent years, including The Green Mile, Daltry Calhoun, and Hannah Montana: The Movie. A 2010 Mario Van Peebles film called Bailey was filmed extensively in Columbia, with scenes taking place in throughout the downtown area and the town square.
Columbia State Community College, opened in 1966, is the main institution of higher learning in the city.
Clarksville
Clarksville, Tennessee, also known as the” Queen of the Cumberland” and “Gateway to the New South”, is a true must-see destination in the Volunteer state. Although it may not have the immediate name recognition of some of the larger cities like Nashville or Memphis, it does have one very important quality that neither can match: small-town charm right in the middle of a rapidly growing metropolitan atmosphere. In fact, Clarksville is quickly becoming one of the biggest cities in Tennessee, and it’s actually the 9th fastest growing city in the country!
The city of Clarksville is located 45 miles northwest of Nashville on the Cumberland River, right on the border of Middle and West Tennessee. It was founded in 1785 and officially incorporated as a city in 1808. It is the largest city in Montgomery County and is home to historic Austin Peay State University and is also in very close proximity to Fort Campbell, a United States Army base and home of the famous 101st Airborne Division.
It also features two iconic buildings in its downtown area that are known throughout the South: The Roxy Theatre, an old-fashioned theatre built in 1947 complete with oversized marquee and box office; and the Montgomery County courthouse, which dates back to 1879. The courthouse has been ravaged by fire and tornadoes numerous times over the years, only to be fully rebuilt each time. Today, it stands proudly as one of the iconic courthouses in the southern United States.
The 2010 population in Clarksville is 132,929 – a 28.5% increase from 2000. The tremendous rate of growth in Clarksville in recent years puts it squarely on track to surpass Chattanooga as Tennessee’s fourth largest city by 2020. There are 45,630 households in the city with an average income of $59,607. The average home price (and the cost of living in general) in Clarksville is lower than the nation’s average: currently $148,873. CNN ranked Clarksville as the 4th most affordable city in the US in 2004.
Business has been booming in Clarksville in recent years due to the major population increase. A total of 53 manufacturing facilities are located in the city, including Hemlock Semiconductor, a $1.2 billion solar-panel facility that will begin operations in the first quarter of 2012 and is expected to create at least 500 jobs. Other major private employers in the city include Convergys, a consulting and customer service business, and Trane Company, an HVAC and building management manufacturer.
Clarksville has achieved what many other cities can only dream of: it has seen huge increases in population and business without losing the small-town and friendly atmosphere that makes it such an appealing place to live. Few cities in the country can match Clarksville when it comes to price of living, employment and education opportunities, and overall growth. The future is definitely bright for the “Queen of the Cumberland!”
Brentwood
Brentwood, Tennessee is often considered a suburb of Nashville, and for good reason – it’s located just 8 miles south of the Music City on I-65. And while calling it a suburb may have been accurate in past decades, recent economic and business growth has helped Brentwood grow into one of the premiere communities in the state. Brentwood has very high quality public and private schools, a very high standard of living, and a large amount of upscale shopping and dining establishments.
Brentwood is located in Williamson County, Tennessee, which is ranked as the 11th wealthiest county in the United States. When the cost of living is factored in, it is ranked number one. The city of Brentwood can also claim the title of Tennessee’s most educated city, as 69.4% of adult residents hold an associate’s degree or higher, and 64.7% have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Economically speaking, the residents of Brentwood enjoy income levels far beyond the national average. The median household income in 2008 was $129,771, and the median family income was $143,746. In comparison, the national average for median household income is $49,777. Brentwood also has low unemployment rates, and only 1.5% of families and 1.7% of its population are below the poverty line.
Brentwood has numerous upscale office parks located throughout the city, and is the corporate headquarters for several companies, including EMI Christian Music Group, Howard Brooks, and the Tractor Supply Company. The largest employers in Brentwood includes Comdata, a payment processing company that employs 864 workers, AT&T which employs 800, and DaVita, a health care company with 500 employees.
Spring Hill
Spring Hill, Tennessee, is a small-town that is quickly outgrowing that label. Located in both Maury and Williamson counties, it has benefited from the rapid growth of neighboring towns like Franklin and Brentwood, and in many ways is actually surpassing their growth. In 2000, the population of Spring Hill was only 7,715. By 2007, it was 23,462. In 2010, it had grown by almost another 6,000 people, and now stands at a total of 29,036. In total, Spring Hill’s population has increased 1600 percent since 1990 when it was 1,464.
One of the main reasons for Spring Hill’s tremendous growth is the Saturn manufacturing plant that operated from 1990 to 2007. The plant was reopened for a short time from February 2008 through June 2009, at which point Saturn’s parent company GM decided to move production to Michigan. The move resulted in the lay-offs of nearly 2,500 Spring Hill auto workers. The plant is expected to resume production in 2012 and will begin building two midsize vehicles.
Due to the economic surge resulting from the Saturn plant, Spring Hill’s economy has seen significant growth over the past decade. Modern retail and dining establishments have been built throughout the city, including Target, Home Depot, Lowes, Publix, Kroger, Starbucks, and more. Spring Hill was named as “The Most Business Friendly City” by the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.
The median household income in Spring Hill in 2009 was $62,382, an increase from 2000 when it was $60,872. The median price of housing in the city is $204,283, and the median house value is $195,133 – a significant amount above the median in Tennessee, which is $137,300. In response to Spring Hill’s tremendous growth, over 8,000 building permits were issued between 2000 and 2007.
Smyrna
Smyrna, Tennessee, was recently named one of Forbes magazine’s top 25 suburbs for retirement, which probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise to the residents of the quiet town. They already know about its low average home price (around $150,000), exceptional air quality, and low cost of living (a tidy 11% under the national average).
Like many towns in Tennessee, Smyrna traces its roots back to the early 1800s and was primarily a farming community for several decades. During the Civil War, the town played an important role for both Union and Confederate troops as it contained a railroad station with tracks going between Nashville and Chattanooga – two major southern cities during the conflict.
In 1983, Nissan opened a major production facility in Smyrna, significantly boosting the town’s economy. The 5.1 million square foot plant is located on 778 acres and was built at a cost of $760 million. The facility employs 6,700 workers in Smyrna and produces 500,000 cars per year. In 2012, the facility will be the main production site for Nissan’s first all electric car, the Nissan Leaf. Nissan is also in the process of building a 1.3 million square foot facility to produce electric batteries for the Leaf right next to its main automobile production facility in Smyrna.
Smyrna has close ties to a Confederate Civil War hero named Sam Davis. Davis was captured by the Union Army for spying and was executed by hanging after refusing to name his sources or superiors. He is known for uttering the famous last words of: “I would die a thousand deaths before I would betray a friend.” In response to his bravery, his home was preserved and eventually became the town’s most important historical site.
Smyrna has a population of nearly 40,000 people – an increase of 55.4% over its population in 2000. The median household income has also increased, and is currently $51,919 compared to $44,405 in 2000.
Shelbyville
Shelbyville, Tennessee is a town with two very unique and very different titles. First and foremost, it is known as the Walking Horse Capital of the World, and as it plays host to the annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration during the days leading up to Labor Day. The event dates back to 1938 and crowns the World Grand Champion each year while distributing more than $650,000 in prizes and awards. Fittingly, the Tennessee Walking Horse Museum is also located in Shelbyville.
Shelbyville also has the unique distinction of being known as “The Pencil City” due to it being home to one of the largest wood-cased pencil manufacturers in the world. Embracing the title, the city produced the world’s longest pencil in 1991, which measured 1,091 feet and weighed 27 pounds. Continuing with its theme of being a major producer of writing instruments, Shelbyville began producing Sharpie permanent markers in 1982.
Business in the city isn’t limited to just writing utensils, however. Shelbyville is also home to several major manufacturers, including Calsonic Kensei, a Japanese automotive company, Bemis Custom Products, a packaging manufacturer, and Jostens, the leading producer of yearbooks, class rings, and other school and sports-related memorabilia. Walmart also has a large distribution center located in the city. In 2007, The Tennessee Center for Policy Research ranked Shelbyville as one of the state’s top 25 most business-friendly communities.
The city is the county seat of Bedford County, which is the seventh-fastest growing county in all of Tennessee. Shelbyville has a population of 20,243 people while Bedford County’s population is 37,586. The median household income is $34,500, and there are 6,066 households in the city.
Shelbyville is home to a Tennessee Technology Center campus, a technical college providing education to 600 students. It offers numerous courses and degree programs, including automotive technology, collision repair, drafting and CAD, HVAC, welding, and truck driving.
Located in the southern region of Middle Tennessee, Shelbyville is on a Highland Rim limestone bluff near the banks of the Duck River – the longest river located entirely in the state of Tennessee.
Nolensville
When it comes to small-town southern life, it doesn’t get much more authentic than Nolensville, Tennessee. Describing itself as a quaint community and “almost like a village” the official website of Nolensville paints a vivid picture of the small-town atmosphere that is daily life for residents of the town.
Nolensville’s history dates back to right after the Revolutionary War, when William Nolen and his family’s wagon broke down while they were passing through the area. After taking note of the rich soil and abundant natural resources, Nolen purchased some of the land and the area became known as Nolensville. The town was also the site of a brief Civil War skirmish when a Union supply train was captured in 1862.
Many of Nolensville’s 3,000 residents are descendants of the original settlers of the town, and several families can trace their history back in Nolensville over 200 years. Nolensville has three buildings listed on the National Historic Registry, including the Sherwood Green-House, the Jordan-Williams House, and the George W. Morton House.
Because of its close proximity to Brentwood and Nashville, Nolensville residents enjoy higher than average incomes with lower than average cost of living. The median income for a household in Nolensville is $69,318, and the median income for a family is $72,426.
Nashville
The “Music City” has added a few new songs to its repertoire in recent years. While the city still retains its strong country music roots, it is just as well known for the musicians of all genres and playing styles who perform and record music there. The historical Ryman Auditorium, known for hosting for the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 until 1974, is considered one of the top musical venues in the country.
Nashville also has a reputation as being a scholarly city, and there are a large number of colleges and universities located directly in the city – so many, in fact, that they contributed to Nashville’s other nickname: The Athens of the South. It’s a fitting nickname, as the city has a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in its Centennial Park. Nashville is home to world-renowned Vanderbilt University as well as Tennessee State University, Belmont University, Lipscomb University, and the Nashville School of Law.
Nashville also plays host to two professional sports teams: The Tennessee Titans in the NFL and the Nashville Predators in the NHL. A minor league baseball team, the Nashville Sounds, is located in the city as well. College athletics are also very popular in Nashville, and with Vanderbilt being a member of the Southeastern Conference, the city is often crowded in the fall with fans from opposing schools who travel to watch the Saturday matchups.
The city’s economy is one of the strongest of any major city in the South. Besides being a major producer of music (the second biggest in the U.S. after New York City), the city also has over 250 health care companies that employ nearly 100,000 people. The city’s largest private employers include Vanderbilt University with 21,000 employees, Saint Thomas Health Services with 6,500, Nissan with 5,850, and Dell with 3,200.
The population of Nashville grew rapidly between 1960 and 1970, increasing from 170,874 to 448,003 – a 162.2% increase. Since then, it has seen steady growth of around 11-12% per year, with its current population around 640,000. The median household income in Nashville is $46,280, and the median income for a family is $56,923.
Nashville is connected to three major interstates: I-65, I-24, and I-40. It features a major airport on its eastern side, Nashville International Airport, which offers non-stop service to cities across the United States and around the world.
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is one of the biggest success stories of the past two decades. The city’s population has exploded during this time, jumping from just 44,922 in 1990 to 68,816 in 2000. An even bigger increase occurred from 2000 to 2010, with the population clearing 100,000 and being recorded at 108,755 by the 2010 U.S. Census. Those population increases clock in at 53.2% and 58.0% respectively – by far two of the biggest increases of any city in the country.
Established in 1811 and originally known as Cannonsburgh, the city was renamed Murfreesboro and served as the state capitol from 1818 until 1826 when it was moved to Nashville. One of the major battles of the Civil War occurred in Murfreesboro and is known as the Battle of Stones River. Based on the percentage of casualties, it is the bloodiest battle of the entire war.
Being just 35 miles from downtown Nashville, Murfreesboro is often considered a suburb or community of its larger neighbor, but it has established a strong and unique identity in recent years due to its large population increases. Murfreesboro is both the largest city and the county seat of Rutherford County and is located in the exact geographic center of Tennessee on the banks of the Stones River, and is located next to three major interstates: I-24 runs directly through the city and I-40 and I-65 are both within very short driving distance.
Murfreesboro is home to Middle Tennessee State University, a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents and the state’s largest undergraduate university. MTSU had 22,274 undergraduates enrolled during the spring of 2011 – a record amount. MTSU was also named as one of the top 100 public universities by Forbes magazine in 2009. The school is highly regarded for its Recording Industry and Aerospace programs.
The city has numerous shopping and dining amenities, including two major malls: Stones River Mall, a traditional one-story enclosed mall that was completely renovated in 2008 and is home to 55 stores, was the first major shopping complex built in the city. It features six anchor stores, including Dillard’s, JC Penney, Sears, and Books-a-Million. A second, open-air mall called The Avenue Murfreesboro opened in 2007 and has 110 stores, including Belk, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, and Old Navy.
Murfreesboro was named by Money magazine as the 84th best place to live in the United States. Major employers in the city include State Farm, Verizon Wireless, General Mills, and Johnson Controls.
Lebanon
The city of Lebanon, Tennessee, is the very definition of quaint, quiet, and peaceful. Located 20 miles east of Nashville in Middle Tennessee, Lebanon – known as Cedar-City to its residents in reference to the cedar trees in the area — has a distinctive old-fashioned southern charm as evidenced by its numerous antique shops. In fact, there are 50 in the city alone! Quite fittingly, the southern, antique influenced family dining restaurant, Cracker Barrel, was founded in Lebanon, and bases its headquarters in the city.
Lebanon is home to Cumberland University, a small, private liberal arts school, as well as the Nashville Superspeedway. The speedway, which was built n 2001, hosts numerous racing events, including NASCAR Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, and the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. Seating at the track is 50,000, which makes it one of the largest stadiums in the state.
Cedars of Lebanon State Park, a 900-acre nature reserve, is located 10 miles south of the city and is well-known for its abundance of cedar glades. It is home to 350 plant species and features numerous caves. The park offers 117 campsites, 11 picnic sites, a swimming pool, 8 miles of hiking trails, and a museum called the Merritt Nature Center. There is also a group lodge, a meeting hall, and a disc golf course.
Lebanon, the county seat of Wilson County, has a population of around 26,000 people, a fairly significant increase since 2000 when its population was around 20,000. The average household income in the city is $43,599 – which is around $2,000 higher than the Tennessee average. The median house value in Lebanon in 2009 was $171,857, a major increase since 2000 when it was $113,700.
