Brentwood is a separate incorporated city in Williamson County, approximately 12 to 20 miles south of downtown Nashville, and it is not part of Nashville proper. It has its own government, its own police department, its own school system, its own tax base, and its own zip codes. The fact that many people refer to Brentwood as a Nashville suburb, or even as Nashville, reflects how intertwined the metro area has become, but the city limits are a real distinction with real practical consequences.
What Brentwood is
Brentwood has a population of approximately 45,556, a median household income around $170,000, and median home prices that run from $750,000 on the lower end to well above $1.5 million for established addresses. It is one of the wealthiest communities in Tennessee. The minimum lot zoning of one acre, combined with strict development controls (no billboards, no major commercial sprawl within residential areas), gives Brentwood a semi-rural, estate-like feel that is radically different from anything inside Nashville’s urban core.
What makes it different from Nashville
The differences are structural, not aesthetic. Brentwood is served by Williamson County Schools, which are consistently ranked among the top school systems in Tennessee and competitive nationally. Metro Nashville Public Schools have a far more mixed record. This difference alone drives significant family migration from Nashville into Brentwood and the broader Williamson County suburbs.
Property taxes in Williamson County run approximately 0.85% versus Davidson County’s rate of approximately 0.75%, but the tax base is different enough that per-student school funding remains higher. Housing costs are 40% higher than the national average and 55% higher than the Tennessee average.
Brentwood’s major employers include Tractor Supply Company’s national headquarters, LifePoint Health, Comdata, and various healthcare and financial services firms. This corporate presence means Brentwood is not purely a bedroom community, it has its own economic life.
The rental market difference
Nashville has abundant apartment inventory in all price ranges. Brentwood has almost no meaningful rental market, the zoning and development pattern is oriented almost entirely toward ownership. People who want to rent near Brentwood typically live in Nashville and commute south, or find the rare apartment complex along the Franklin Road corridor.
What connects them
Interstate 65 runs directly from downtown Nashville through Brentwood into Franklin, making the commute manageable in non-peak hours. The cultural gravity of Nashville, music, food, entertainment, employment, pulls Brentwood residents back in regularly. They live in Brentwood for the space, the schools, and the safety statistics. They go to Nashville to actually do things.
Sources
- NashvilleSMLS, Cheapest Nashville suburbs guide, August 2025
- PropertyClub, Safest neighborhoods in Nashville, 2024
- Niche, 2025 Safe Suburbs of Nashville Area
- Niche, Brentwood community reviews