Neighborhood Guide
Living in Nashville, Tennessee
Historic districts and walkable neighborhoods close to downtown, with no state income tax on wages.
By Brian Barnes, REALTOR®, TN Real Estate Group. Updated October 2026.
Nashville at a glance
| Government | Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, since April 1, 1963 |
|---|---|
| Population | 745,904 in Davidson County (Census estimate, July 2025) |
| Property tax, 2026 | $2.814 per $100 assessed in the Urban Services District; $2.782 in the General Services District; residential assessed at 25 percent |
| State income tax on wages | None |
| Sales tax | 9.75 percent on most purchases |
| Public schools | Metro Nashville Public Schools |
| Median listing price, Davidson County | $525,000 (September 2026) |
Sources: Metro Nashville; U.S. Census Bureau; Metro Council BL2026 1378, June 16, 2026; Tennessee Department of Revenue; Realtor.com via FRED.
What it is like to live here
I grew up in Nashville. This guide covers the neighborhoods closest to downtown, where buyers most often start.
Nashville and Davidson County share one government. Taxes follow two service districts: the Urban Services District covers the core and carries the higher rate, and the General Services District covers the rest of the county.
Tennessee does not tax wages, and the Hall tax on interest and dividends ended for tax periods beginning January 1, 2021. Sales tax carries more of the load. Starting November 1, 2026, the county's local rate on groceries drops to 1.75 percent.
Neighborhoods close in
- Downtown and SoBro. South of Broadway is home to Music City Center, which opened in 2013 on a 16 acre site.
- The Gulch. Built on the former Kayne rail yard, which served as a train hub until passenger service ended in the 1970s.
- Germantown. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, with homes from the 1840s through the 1920s and a Metro historic zoning overlay.
- 12 South. Runs along 12th Avenue South around Sevier Park, home to Sunnyside, a house built in 1852.
- Sylvan Park. An established neighborhood under a Metro Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlay.
- Hillsboro Village. Near Vanderbilt, with the Belcourt Theatre, opened in 1925, and bungalows, cottages, and Tudors from about 1890 to 1940 nearby.
- East Nashville. Edgefield became Nashville's first historic zoning district in 1978. Shelby Park sits on the Cumberland River about two miles from downtown.
Schools
Metro Nashville Public Schools serves all of Davidson County. School zoning is set by address, so confirm it with the district for any specific home.
Davidson County also has long established independent schools, including Montgomery Bell Academy (founded 1867), Harpeth Hall, Ensworth (1958), University School of Nashville, and Father Ryan (1925). Each sets its own admissions process.
Sources: Metro Nashville Public Schools; school websites; Nashville Independent Schools.
Property taxes in Nashville
Metro set the 2026 rates on June 16, 2026, unchanged from 2025. Tennessee assesses homes at 25 percent of appraised value.
| $1,000,000 appraised | About $7,035 a year in the Urban Services District; $6,955 in the General Services District |
|---|---|
| $2,000,000 appraised | About $14,070 a year in the Urban Services District; $13,910 in the General Services District |
Sources: Metro Council BL2026 1378, June 16, 2026; Davidson County Assessor of Property; Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
Questions I hear most
Does Tennessee have a state income tax?
Not on wages. The Tennessee Constitution bars a tax on payroll or earned income, and the Hall tax on interest and dividends was repealed for tax periods beginning January 1, 2021.
What are property taxes on a $1.5 million home in Nashville?
About $10,553 a year at the 2026 Urban Services District rate of $2.814 per $100 of assessed value, or about $10,433 in the General Services District.
Are Nashville and Davidson County the same?
For government, yes. One Metro government has served the whole county since 1963. Your service district sets your tax rate.
Which public school is a Nashville home zoned for?
It depends on the address. Metro Nashville Public Schools assigns schools by address, so confirm zoning with the district for any specific home.
What does a home in Nashville cost?
The median listing price in Davidson County was $525,000 in September 2026. Close in neighborhoods vary widely from that figure.
Find the right home
Tell me what matters most, and I will show you where I would look in and around Nashville.
More area guides: Franklin, Brentwood, Belle Meade, Green Hills, Leiper's Fork, and Moving from California to Franklin.