Moving to Nashville in 2026: what to know before you go

Nashville keeps growing. Davidson County added more people than any other county in Tennessee last year, and the metro area is now home to about 2.2 million. If you’re thinking about joining them, here’s what actually matters, without the brochure gloss.

Taxes: no income tax, but a high sales tax

Tennessee doesn’t tax wages, and the old Hall tax on interest and dividends was fully repealed in 2021. That’s a real saving if you’re coming from a state with an income tax. The trade-off is sales tax. In Nashville the combined rate is 9.75%: the state’s 7% plus 2.75% local, which includes the half-cent transit surcharge voters approved in 2024.

Groceries are taxed at a lower rate, and that rate drops again on November 1, 2026, when Metro cuts its local share on food. Prepared food, candy and alcohol aren’t included in the cut.

Housing

Greater Nashville Realtors reported a median single-family home price of about $537,000 for June 2026 across its nine-county area, and prices in central Davidson County neighborhoods run higher. Renters have more room to negotiate than a few years ago. Tens of thousands of new apartments have opened since 2023, and a one-bedroom now averages roughly $1,500 to $1,600 a month, depending on the source.

Getting around

Nashville is still a driving city, and traffic on the interstates at rush hour is the most common complaint you’ll hear. Transit is improving, though. The 2024 Choose How You Move program is funding more frequent WeGo buses, longer service hours, new sidewalks and smart traffic signals, and expanded bus service started in January 2026. Nolensville Pike is planned as the first upgraded high-frequency corridor.

Nashville International Airport is a genuine perk. BNA set records in the year to June 2026, with nearly 27 million passengers and more than 100 nonstop destinations, though expect construction as the airport expands.

What’s being built

• A new enclosed Nissan Stadium is rising on the East Bank, due to be ready for the Titans’ 2027 season. It should also bring concerts and big events year-round.
• The wider East Bank is becoming a new neighborhood, with Oracle’s planned campus, a future home for TPAC and new housing in the works. Timelines are still shifting.
• Downtown keeps filling in, with new towers, hotels and the Fifth + Broadway complex across from Bridgestone Arena.

Our advice

Pick your neighborhood before your apartment. Your commute, how much you drive and how much you’ll love living here depend more on the neighborhood than on any one building. Spend a weekend in two or three areas you’re considering, at different times of day, before you commit. Our neighborhood guide is a good place to start.