Living in Tennessee: A Visitor’s Guide for Prospective Residents

Tennessee is one of the most beautiful states in the country, both aesthetically and in the hearts of the people who live here. Traveling from the west across Tennessee, you’ll find yourself immersed in serene landscapes, winding through green rolling hills and striking valleys until you reach the Great Smoky Mountains. It truly is a remarkable sight. 

Tennessee is also unique for being the only state which is historically “divided” into three sections—West Tennessee, Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee, each proudly claiming to be the heart of the state, and each one as important as its “competitors.” It’s not really a competition, though, because most Tennesseans love every piece of their state, for there is much here to love and be proud of. 

However, there are elements of living here which may not be ideal for permanent residency. Let’s look at some pros and cons of living in Tennessee. If by the end of this journey you’d rather pass through instead of stick around, y’all be sure to at least come down for dinner and some sweet iced tea at one of the many eateries across the state. It doesn’t matter which one you stop by; they’ll all make you feel welcome and right at home. It’s the Southern way. 

Since the Tri-Star state is divided into three sections, we are going to work our way from West to East, taking a look at what each section has to offer in good food (everything starts with good food), things to do, local economy and the quality of life for residents. 

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West Tennessee

1. Home of Memphis, the Blues, Elvis, and Darn Good BBQ!

Memphis is an important hub in Tennessee. It’s also home to FedEx, which is the largest parcel transport service in the world. According to Memphis Business Journal, the company employs more than 30,000 people across the metro area. There’s even a movie about it called Cast Away, featuring Tom Hanks. By the way, if you haven’t seen it, you should; it’s a great movie!

Elvis Presley is a name known across the globe, and most folks can even sing a line or two of his songs. Each year, thousands of tourists descend upon the Blues City for a glimpse of where the King of Rock and Roll launched his record-shattering career. Graceland, a home that Elvis bought for his wife, Priscilla, is somewhere you must visit if you are a fan. In fact, you should swing by even if you’re not a fan. The place is a time capsule into not only the life of the mega star, but also a space which pays homage to the rock and roll music revolution. For more information or to plan a tour, visit The Home of Elvis Presley | Graceland. 

2. Memphis BBQ

Most states surrounding Tennessee claim to be the home of the best barbecue in the nation, and Memphis is no exception! There are several amazing barbecue joints around the city of Memphis and West Tennessee. Within the city, be sure to visit a local favorite, Central BBQ – Slow Smoked Memphis Style. Head north into Tipton County along the Mississippi River into Covington, and experience no less than three Flavor Town BBQ joints, including Round Two BBQ in Atoka, a small railroad town with a mini-golf course and arcade for good family fun. Keep going north and you’ll find The Bald Butcher’s food truck, and on the Historic Covington Square is Uptown BBQ—a personal favorite! There are multiple fun shops and farmers markets throughout the area too.

If you are looking to stay in the city, there are several more spots located on Beale Street, a tourist favorite with too many good eats to count, lots of local entertainment and nostalgic shops. The street ends at the majestic Mississippi River, so if you make it Downtown to Beale, be sure to take the river walk, especially at sunset. You won’t be disappointed. 

While there are some really fantastic tourist spots and local favorites to check out (Sun Studio, Mighty Lights, or catch a Grizzlies or UofM Tigers game at the FedEx Forum), there are some things to consider if you are thinking about moving to Memphis or nearby. 

Unfortunately, at the top of this list is the crime rate. The city has seen a serious rise in crimes in the last couple of years; a heartbreaking and devastating reality to the citizens, not only because they are feeling less safe, but also because of the damage done to the local economy. Memphis relies on the tourism that flows through the area, and with an increase in crime, people are less inclined to visit. Additionally, for residents and local businesses, finding their property damaged or stolen at an alarming rate is pushing people out of the city. 

Unemployment is also a slight concern for residents of the West Tennessee/Memphis Area, though the rate has decreased in the last year. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the unemployment rate in Shelby County (Memphis Metro) was 3.8% in May of 2024, down from 4% a year before. Additionally, the BLS states that the average weekly wages for all industries in Shelby County is $1,360. 

The upside to some of these statistics is there are relatively low taxes compared to similar metro areas in the U.S. There is also no state tax in Tennessee, which is beneficial to the residents. 

Middle Tennessee

Let’s head east on I-40 into Middle Tennessee and stop by Nashville, the state’s capital.

Nashville is home to the Grand Ole Opry, Tennessee Titans (formerly known as the Houston Oilers) and Sound Wave–one of the largest indoor water parks in the country–just to name a few!

While Memphis is considered the Home of the Blues, Nashville is where country music was born. Performing at the Grand Ole Opry is usually listed high on a country music star’s “to-do” list. There is still a small circle of the original stage right where the mic stands. Music legends such as Roy Acuff, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams graced the original stage, and today you can see stars including Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson and Vince Gill. Pop megastar Taylor Swift made her debut on the famous circle at age 16, according to the Opry’s website. To plan a visit or learn more, see the Grand Ole Opry’s Event Calendar. 

For some family fun year round, visit the Opryland Hotel and Water Park. The hotel offers an impressive temperature-controlled atrium with exotic plants and a small river flowing through the middle of charming eateries and shops. The hotel also has rooms overlooking the atrium and plenty of upscale dining options, plus an exclusive spa experience! 

Open all year, the 111,000-square-foot upscale water attraction features private cabana rentals, lazy rivers and an outdoor wave pool. As a great vacation destination for families or a private retreat for couples, residents of Tennessee can save 25% on booking, and as a Davidson County (Nashville) resident, you can save up to 40% on your stay! Even if you’re just passing through, it’s worth a visit if you have the time. To make reservations or book a trip, check out their packages here. 

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If you’re hungry for something local, Nashville is known for Prince’s Hot Chicken, a fiery “revenge” dish that comes with some good ol’ Southern lore. As legend would have it, the recipe was created by a scorned lover some 80-plus years ago. 

The Tennessean conducted an interview in 2019 with the owner, Mrs. Andre Prince Jeffries, whose great uncle was Thornton Prince. Thornton was a womanizer who befell the tear-inducing hot dish following a tryst, which kept him out late one Saturday evening. His lover, having waited up most of the night for her man, decided to “take her anger out that morning on the man’s beloved fried chicken, dousing it in super-hot spices…” 

The scorned woman left, rightfully so, but Prince really liked the dish, even though it was meant to make his mouth miserably hot! He worked to recreate the recipe and found that friends and family liked it too, so he opened his first restaurant sometime in the 1930s on the corner of 28th Avenue and Jefferson Street.

The recipe has been recreated across many chicken franchises, like KFC and Popeyes, but to experience the original–sure to give you hot flashes–check out Prince’s Hot Chicken in Nashville. 

Nashville and Middle Tennessee have much more to offer; so much that we’ll have to look at it all another day! Still, the area has seen rapid growth in the last decade, and “rapid” is not always a term we like in the serene hills of Tennessee. It can be great on one hand, with all the economic growth and things to do, but life is so much more fast-paced than is “traditional” due to the rising demand in nearly every aspect of city living. It can be a drawback for those looking to slow things down a bit or those not up for the ever-changing interstate construction on their daily commutes into the city. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate was 2.3% in May 2024, and the annual average wage across all occupations is $61,000. For more demographics on workforce and development in the Nashville Metro area (Middle Tennessee), visit Nashville–Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Economy at a Glance. 

Now, we’ve moved on past Murfreesboro eastbound on I-40. The hills are more prominent, and the formidable, jagged rock formations greet us along our winding and now very steep climb into the Smoky Mountains. The end of this journey has begun, as we head on into East Tennessee—home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers. 

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East Tennessee

Go Vols!

If it’s not tasty food or music that hits deep, it will be the football—specifically, SEC football. In Tennessee, from the West to the East, that’s just understood. It’s also a really contagious energy, and we dare you not to enjoy that orange and white checkered wave rolling around Neyland Stadium as the crowd sings “Rocky Top,” often off-key, but full of soul and from the top of their lungs. It’s impossible! With so much fun, heart and energy in that stadium, you simply can’t have a bad time. 

Keep heading east and you’ll hit Severe County and the mouth of the Smokies. It’s breathtaking–God’s country, as they say–and holds a feeling within that just spells “home.” With mountain elevations reaching 6,000 miles above sea level and waterfalls that’ll take your breath away, follow the winding Newfound Gap Road with cascading streams and snaggy rocks up and over the mountain, and you’ll find an inner peace that is simply indescribable. 

East Tennessee is known for its striking mountain terrain and Tennessee Vols football, but we must not forget the food. Though comfort “Southern” food is prominent from West to East Tennessee, it shines extra bright in the mountains. Often seeing extreme cold and rainy seasons, nothing is more comforting than a hot meal made with love at the end of a rough day in the mountains. Crispy fried chicken, biscuits with gravy and collard greens are among the top favorites in the local community. The Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge is well-known for Southern comfort and hospitality, with a menu that promises every patron will leave feeling soulful and so full. 

Of course, to be a resident of the Smokies takes some serious grit. Those curved roads are astounding, but in winter months can be quite treacherous. It’s something to take to heart if you find yourself called by those mountain peaks: could you drive them daily, through all four seasons? 

The unemployment rate for Knoxville and the metro area was 2.6% in May of 2024, and the average hourly wage was $25.36, according to the Occupational Employment and Wages Report in Knoxville Conducted in May 2022 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Final Considerations

There is one more not-so-pleasant aspect of living in Tennessee, and that’s the raging humidity. Though, you could consider this a plus for your skin! Nothing works wonders for pores like the sweet, moist air of Tennessee, no matter West, Middle or East. But for those with breathing conditions or certain allergies, it can prove to be a deal breaker on becoming a full-time resident. 

That’s all right, though! Tennessee is a wonderful place to visit, and for those who live here, the good appears to outweigh the bad. The heart of this state will just make y’all want to stick around past supper. With 102 national parks and some of the most breathtaking scenery, darn good eats and hospitality that will make you feel whole from within, it’s a win-win. Whether you’re staying or just passin’ through, we hope to see you soon!