Nashville, TN

Nashville is both the county seat of Davidson County and also the state capital of Tennessee. It is often referred to as a consolidated city-county, Nashville-Davidson. In 2004 there were 545,000 residents living in the Nashville-Davidson area. This large, bustling area is diverse, but is best known for its contributions to the country music scene.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Nashville is quite an attractive area for businesses that want to get started or relocate. The Nashville Chamber of Commerce provides exceptional resources to help new businesses with site selection, real estate, workforce analysis and demographics. More than a few notable companies have relocated to or expanded into Nashville in recent years, providing more jobs for residents:

• United Benefits of America
• Cigna Government Services
• Bostwick Laboratories
• H.H. Gregg
• Dell
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Vought Aircraft Industries
• Affiliated Computer Services
• AmMed Direct
• Comcast

After the city of New York, Nashville has been the biggest music production center in the United States; there are hundreds of businesses located here in the area referred to as Music Row. These businesses include major record labels, recording studios, publishing houses, radio stations and various other businesses that serve the music industry.

Although the music scene does play a huge part in Nashville's economy, several other sectors also contribute. Many of the jobs held in this area are in the healthcare, retail, hospitality and manufacturing industries. Nashville's three hospitals (Baptist Hospital, Baptist Women's Pavilion and Centennial Medical Center) are all major employers.

Both the median estimated household income and median home value are higher in Nashville than they are in the state as a whole.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Nashville is a large area, and fittingly, there are quite a few neighborhoods located within it:

• Antioch/Priest Lake: This area on the southeast side of town contains both Percy Priest Lake (Nashville's largest body of water) and Nashville International Airport. Interstate 24 serves as the area's eastern border.
• Bellevue: This area is considered to be rural but is growing quickly; it is located on the southwest side of Nashville.
• Bordeaux/White's Creek: An older area of town, this suburban neighborhood has a diverse community. The district's southeast side is close to the city's center and is more urban, while the north and west sides of the district are still rural and contain farms.
• Donelson/Hermitage: Located to the far east side of the city, this area is home to some major points of interest, including Opryland and Hermitage. The district's northern border is Interstate 40.
• Downtown District: This area is located at the city's center and offers more of an urban scene. Downtown Nashville is historic and bustling with activity.
• East Nashville: Just east of Downtown lies this historic neighborhood. Efforts to revitalize this area have added plenty of nightlife, restaurants and businesses. Inglewood is located here.
• Green Hills/Midtown: Home to wealthy, highly educated residents, this area is located on the south side of town and has plenty to do within walking distance. There are four colleges here, as well as Music Row.
• Madison: Only about half of this district is occupied by residential housing; much of it is used for agricultural and industrial business. Interstate 65 provides easy transportation for these types of businesses.
• Southeast: Located south of Antioch, this district is mostly rural and home to farms. It does have a shopping center within it, as well as a few suburban areas. The district is bordered by Interstate 65, Interstate 24 and a CSX railroad.
• West Nashville: This is a quiet, historic district that has some of the highest home values in the city. However, there are some middle- and low-income housing areas here as well.

EDUCATION

There are quite a few post-secondary schools in Nashville. The most notable four-year schools include Aquinas College, Argosy University, Belmont University, Strayer University, Tennessee State University and Vanderbilt University.

Nashville also has several two-year colleges, technical schools and religious-based colleges. Students growing up in the Metro Nashville Public School System (or attending one of the many private schools in the city) will have their choice of local post-secondary schools, which is convenient for many families.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Grand Ole Opry: The Opry Entertainment Complex offers four different venues, each providing exceptional entertainment. In addition to holding country music concerts, Opryland hosts awards shows and tours.
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: This museum is home to an extensive number of artifacts from the country music industry, including costumes, sheet music and instruments.
• Frist Center for the Visual Arts: The gallery is always changing, and it features work by local artists, international artists and everyone in between. Visitors can enjoy the unique architecture of the building as well as the educational exhibits on display.
• Nashville Predators: Sports fans can watch the games played by this National Hockey League team at Nashville's Sommet Center.
• Tennessee Titans: This NFL team plays at LP Field, a three-level stadium that can accommodate up to 67,000 fans.

FOR VISITORS

• Belle Meade Plantation: Known as the "Queen of Tennessee Plantations," this plantation dates back to the late-18th century. The 30-acre property is available for tours and is one of the most popular Nashville attractions.
• Hermitage: This is the former home of President Andrew Jackson. The mansion dates back to 1837; visitors can tour the home as well as the other buildings on the property, some of which used to house slaves.
• Fort Negley: This fortification is one of Tennessee's remnants of the Civil War and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Nashville Shores: This is a 385-acre family-fun center, featuring a water park, marina, mini-golf course, and beach and festival areas.