5 Best Places to Live in Tennessee for Retirees

Tennessee is a vibrant and surprisingly diverse state that is increasingly becoming a hotspot for other states’ emigrants, tourists, and retirees. Job openings, tourist attractions, and the population at-large are expanding at a remarkable pace. 

In 2023, the metro area of Nashville alone gained over 30,000 people. This is not an outlier, as the state has been growing steadily for several years now. Looking around my hometown of Chattanooga, I keep seeing more and more signs of out-of-staters, like California license plates and new neighbors from out West and around the world.

Tennessee boasts several characteristics that draw new residents from across the country and the world. The most iconic is the state’s strong music culture. Long before Nashville became an international center of music production, Tennessee was the home of dozens of the biggest names in country, rock, blues, and soul music. This tradition has left a clear impact on the landscape of all of the state’s major cities, where live music is widely available and richly varied. 

In addition to this strong cultural appeal, the state is easily on par with any of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the country. This is best represented by the gorgeous scenery of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Covering a large chunk of Tennessee’s far eastern border with North Carolina, it is by far the most-visited national park in the country, and the tourism it draws has driven substantial growth in the entire eastern region of the state. 

With a relatively low cost of living, a warm and comfortable climate, and a rapidly growing and low-tax economy, it’s no wonder that many people of all ages and backgrounds want to make Tennessee their home. But, as many older people know, there is much more to a good life than just money. Tennessee unites many different characteristics that foster a happy, healthy life for people leaving the workforce after years of hard work. Here are the top five places in the state for retirees considering a move to Tennessee.

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1. Chattanooga

Chattanooga is a rapidly growing mid-sized city (the fastest growing city in the state) and is well-positioned to become the site of explosive population growth in coming years. Named Travel and Leisure’s best place to retire in the South, Chattanooga is still a hidden gem that’s located conveniently at the intersection of several other major cities and is extremely rich in historical and natural sights. In Chattanooga, you are a short distance from the Smoky Mountains, North Georgia, Atlanta, Nashville, and a wide range of small towns and rural areas, while having easy access to each of their best qualities. 

The city is also home to an extremely vibrant outdoor scene, serving as a world-renowned hub for rock climbing, hiking, and paddleboarding in the area. It is encircled on one side by the Tennessee River, which is surrounded by thousands of acres of state and local parks and nature reserves, as well as a massive greenway walking trail stretching across the entire city called the River Walk. Alongside its access to nature, as Tennessee’s fourth largest city, Chattanooga has a substantial, easily walkable downtown area with plenty of eating, drinking, and shopping for those looking for that type of excursion. However, the city is divided into multiple “sub-cities” that each have something different to offer and are easily accessible from one another. 

Aside from Downtown Chattanooga, there is the Northshore community, a more well-off, heavily Millennial area full of some of the best breweries, restaurants, and get-together spots in the city. There are Hixson and Ooltewah, the highly affordable, more suburban areas filled with shopping and restaurants that both have easy access to the urban core and all of the best outdoor areas around the city. 

Then there are Signal Mountain and Lookout Mountain, two high-class neighborhoods built on mountain overlooks positioned on opposite sides of the city. Both have some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. All of these areas are filled with incredibly attractive outdoor recreation opportunities, plenty of local sight-seeing opportunities, and a wide variety of places to eat, drink, and enjoy your time.

2. Franklin

Franklin is a large and quite affluent suburb of Nashville that is rich in local shopping and eating options, but lacks as much in the noise and bustle of the nearby capital. It has some of the best healthcare facilities in the country, including being only 25 minutes away from Vanderbilt Hospital, the best hospital in the state. This is an important consideration for retirees, who often prioritize access to quality medical care when choosing where to settle as they get into their later years. The town’s commitment to health and wellness is clear not only in its medical centers, but also in the numerous fitness centers, wellness programs, and community initiatives aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle. 

It was also named one of the best places to live in 2023 by Livability due to its exceptionally high standard of living. Like some of the other members of this list, Franklin benefits greatly from its close proximity to Nashville, but it manages to maintain a distinct separation from the latter’s tourist economy, making it much more comfortable and relaxing to retire in. 

Franklin is a rich historical town filled with plenty of classic architectural styles as well as museums and historical sites from the Civil War and beyond. Filled with outdoor walking paths and hiking trails, it is also a wonderful spot for a healthy, active lifestyle. It is well-connected to some of the region’s most beautiful countryside by the scenic Natchez-Trace Parkway, which cuts right through it. The city itself also contains a number of vineyards, distilleries, and breweries set in picturesque outdoor areas along with a few large farmer’s markets.

3. Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro is the largest suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, and has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the country for several years now. It is also currently the number one destination for retirees moving into the state. Its strongest appeal is its immediate proximity to Nashville, and simultaneously, its separation from the capital’s loud, bustling nature. 

Murfreesboro offers the best of both worlds, providing quick and easy access to one of the hottest night-life and tourist areas in the region while remaining a calm and quiet place to live. The city has affordable housing and living costs and is home to a beautiful downtown with a small-town vibe. It is also positioned right next to several state parks. With multiple retirement communities in the city, it is a great place for retirees to fit right in.

If you’re looking for a place to live in peace and quiet but also want to have an active, engaging life, then Murfreesboro is a great choice. Its connections to the capital’s music culture are made obvious by events such as the annual Jazzfest. As the home of Middle Tennessee State University, the city also maintains a lot of youth and dynamism that keeps the local economy rejuvenated and active, even as it maintains a calm, small-town atmosphere that many college towns fail to achieve. With such an all-around appeal, it’s not hard to understand why Murfreesboro has become such a hotspot for retirees from around the country.

4. Farragut

Farragut is an affluent suburb within the greater Knoxville metro area known for its gorgeous greenways and waterfronts. It is also filled with historical sites, including a Civil War walking trail and Farragut Plaza, named after the city’s namesake, Civil War admiral David Farragut. With some of the nicest suburban neighborhoods and best healthcare services in the entire region, as well as close proximity to the gorgeous Great Smoky Mountains, Farragut should feature on any list of places to move to in Tennessee.

Situated on the Tennessee River, Farragut is surrounded by numerous marinas and hosts a pervasive boating community. Farragut has access to countless coves and waterways which connect directly to the full length of the Tennessee River, making for great recreation for retirees. The whole shoreline of the city is lined by expansive, well-maintained parks, like Anchor Park, which make the city even better for daytime recreation, exercise, and family get-togethers. After a long day on the water or relaxing at the park, Farragut is filled with opportunities for eating out and other excursions. The city features three different theaters for plays and musical performances and a number of restaurants and bars with amazing views of the water. Many of these are built right into the marinas where people harbor their boats.

Aside from the city’s recreational opportunities, its convenient location is one of its strongest appeals. Farragut is just 20 minutes from Knoxville, Tennessee’s third-biggest city, making the two deeply interconnected. This means that Farragut gets all of the amenities of a mid-sized city, like an airport, major sports stadium (Knoxville is home to the Vols, one of the biggest teams in college sports), and a thriving downtown area, only with none of the hassle. 

It is also just an hour away from the twin cities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. These are technically two separate urban districts that, combined, make one of the biggest tourist attractions in the entire South. They’re home to Dolly Parton’s beloved Stampede rodeo and dinner show among many other attractions, including moonshine tastings, Southern-themed restaurants, amusement parks, and the iconic Cades Cove scenic drive through the mountains. All of this is just outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the country.

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5. Mt. Juliet

Mt. Juliet is another of Nashville’s suburbs, located just 17 miles east of Downtown. Mt. Juliet is unique because it manages to remain a true “small town” while being interconnected with the massive metro area of Nashville. With a population of only about 40,000, Mt. Juliet is the perfect place for a person looking to move somewhere quiet, peaceful, and affordable. Housing costs remain incredibly low, and the vast majority of residents are homeowners, possibly due to its exceptionally low property tax rate. Despite being drastically more affordable than its nearby neighbors, it still offers easy access to major routes, like Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70, and connections to all the amenities of Nashville and its other suburbs.

Mt. Juliet’s quaint downtown is mostly brand new, easily walkable, and includes a strip of restaurants and stores that is scheduled for a major expansion. Following several years of exponential growth, in the coming years, the small town will have a brand new police department, a series of shopping centers, and new places for eating out and listening to music. This makes it an opportune time to get in on the city’s expansion. 

In addition, Mt. Juliet is nicely situated between two man-made reservoirs, Old Hickory Lake and Percy Priest Lake, giving locals great options for outdoor recreation and time in nature or on the water. The place certainly earns its moniker “The City Between the Lakes.” Mt. Juliet boasts beautiful natural surroundings, including several parks, golf courses, and walking trails; 6,000 acres of outdoor recreational areas in total make it a wonderful place for maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle well into your later years.

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Conclusion

This list has been by no means comprehensive, but it does highlight some of the most promising places in this state for retirees from a local’s perspective. If you or someone you know is on the hunt for a new home to settle down in during their retirement years, Tennessee should be one of your first considerations. From its gorgeous natural scenery to its affordable housing and recreational offerings, Tennessee has a lot to choose from for any retiree.