Which Nashville Neighborhood Is Best for Families?
- 5 sections
- 1 table
- 2 sources cited
The best Nashville neighborhood for a family depends on three things you can check address by address: the public schools the address is zoned for, how close it is to parks and greenways, and how much of daily life you can do on foot. No neighborhood wins on all three for every family, so compare a short list of addresses rather than neighborhood names. Start with Metro Nashville Public Schools’ zoning and options, Nashville’s greenway network, and Walk Score’s ranking of the city’s most walkable neighborhoods.
1. Schools: Zoned by Address, With Options
Metro Nashville Public Schools has 160 schools from pre-K through grade 12. Through its school options process, families can choose the zoned school for their address, select a school outside their neighborhood, or apply to a participating charter school; MNPS also runs magnet schools with their own application rules. In most cases, school bus transportation is not provided to out-of-zone students, so a school choice can also be a commute choice. High school students ride WeGo buses free through the StrIDe program, which also covers middle school students at optional schools other than charter middle schools (MNPS school options).
Before you choose a house or apartment, look up the zoned schools for that exact address, then visit or call the schools you are considering, as MNPS recommends.
2. Parks and Greenways
Greenways for Nashville describes more than 110 miles of paved, multi-use greenway paths (Greenways for Nashville). Living near a greenway entrance gives children a place to ride and walk away from traffic; check the map for the closest entrance and any closures. Nashville BCycle stations reach the Shelby Bottoms Greenway on the east side.
3. Walkability
If you want to walk to a park, coffee, or a school, look at walkability. In Walk Score’s March 2024 ranking, the most walkable neighborhoods were East End, Watkins Park, Hope Gardens, Sunnyside, Germantown, Bellmont-Hillsboro, Greenwood, Lockeland Springs, Eastwood, and Melrose. The full list and what the score measures are in which Nashville neighborhoods are walkable.
A Way to Compare Addresses
| Question | Where to check |
|---|---|
| Which schools is this address zoned for, and what are the options? | MNPS school options and zoning |
| How far is the nearest greenway or park? | the Greenways for Nashville map |
| Can we walk to daily needs? | Walk Score for the address |
| What is safety like on these blocks? | Metro's police data |
| How long is the commute? | a live-traffic map at your actual commute time |
How to compare safety by neighborhood is in which Nashville neighborhood is safest.
Inside Davidson County or Outside It
Families also compare neighborhoods inside Metro Nashville with suburbs in neighboring counties, such as Williamson County to the south. Moving across the county line changes the school district, the local government, and the commute, so put the same questions to each address. Housing costs vary widely by area; the cheapest neighborhood in Nashville covers that side of the decision.