Those who live or have lived in Nashville

[free]

Im considering going to a technical institue there for a year and thus living there. I'd like to know whats what with this city, I guess you never hear anything about it elsewhere. What are the decent parts to live in, nice places, low crime rates, etc. Are there some decent places around to have a good time. Is there public transportation, how good is it, etc.

I'd really appreciate any input from you guys who live/lived there.

The name of the school is the SAE Institute, I'd be studying Audio Engineering...if you know anything about this school that would be awesome too.

[Tone-Loc]

I have lived in the Nashville area now for over 3 years. I work downtown off of West End avenue, across the street from Vanderbilt University.

I personally love nashville. I am originally from East Tennessee (near Knoxville) and I spent the 4 years prior to moving here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. So take my opinion with that information in mind.

Nashville is great, especially downtown, although downtown is not the end-all/be-all of things to do.

I can't really suggest where you should live without knowing your financial situation. I am not familiar with the school, so I don't know its location, and where you may want to live that is convenient to it. You can almost break up nashville into like concentric circles, in terms of what kind of neghborhoods you will find. The immediate downtown area is very nice. A little out of down town, starts the higher crime, lower income stuff you will find with any metropolitan area. Go out a little further and you start hitting the more upscale parts of town.

Nashville is really booming, and all the ring counties surrounding it mainly. The job market is great, and the housing is still somewhat reasonably priced, compared to other major southern, mid-southern citites. Although some areas, housing is starting to really sky rocket and property values are making leaps and bounds each year.

I have no plans to make any other major moves in my life, and plan on being in this area permanently. I might shift around within the area, but middle tennessee/nashville is now my home.

[free]

Thanks for your reply Tone
The address of the school is
7 Music Circle North
Nashville, TN 37203

I would be looking for any type of housing where I would spend the least amount of money, but typically in dallas I've spend around 500-700 on rent.

[TkMasTaH]

I go to Vanderbilt University and I LOVE Nashville, its a spectacular city. Cant wait till i turn 21 in nov so i can hit up the bars. My one piece of advice is to avoid downtown nashville and I-40 like the plague during rush hour (anytimme from 4-6 on a weekday is bad). It has taken me an hour to move 4 miles before. Your school is very close to Vanderbilt, i'd suggest living near green hills mall on 21st av. Its a nice area. Apartments around Vanderbilt tend to be very pricey and you dont get much for your money. If you have the money to shell out though, 21st and grand apartments on 21st right across from vandy are GREAT apartments.

[Sutterkane]

All of these are excellent thoughts on Nashville, and I agree with all of them. TK you should check out bourbon street in printer's alley if you like blues music. fs, Downtown is a blast and there's always something to do. and interstate 40 is indeed a huge bitch.

I've lived here since 2000, and I've loved living here since. I can tell you a little about the south-southeast side of town, which is the Antioch/Brentwood/Cool Springs/Franklin/LaVergne/Smyrna area.

Antioch/Hickory Hollow/Nashboro Villages - A little ghetto, and gradually getting worse, but still not a bad area by any means, i.e. you don't have to worry about getting mugged or attacked. You'll probably find very cheap living here, although you'll have about a 20-30 minute commute to downtown. There is a mall, 2 theatres, several shopping centers, and plenty of restaurants to choose from on a corporate chain level.

Brentwood/Cool Springs/Franklin - This is one of the larger white migration areas. I hate to sound racist if I do, but it's true. Williamson County(Franklin) which is right next to Brentwood/Cool Springs has the highest per capita income in any county in tennessee, and it's where most of the country music stars live, as well as I recently moved here. My girlfriend and I pay around 760 a month for a 2br/2ba apartment and it's pretty nice. Getting downtown takes right at 20 minutes unless it's rush hour. There's a mall and nice corporate restaurants, furniture stores, antique shops, jewelry gallerias, etc.

Lavergne/Smyrna - Basically small little hick towns along interstate 24 between nashville and murfreesboro(where mtsu is). However, living there is pretty cheap and the area is coming up out of the ground quickly. About a 30-40 minute commute to downtown.

You can check out living in East Nashville if you want, but I wouldn't recommend it. You'd have to take 40 or Briley pkwy to get anywhere and there's major construction going on there. Plus it's a little ghetto with the exception of the opryland hotel/opry mills area. Lebannon isn't bad though, although it's a little bit longer commute(45 mins - 1 hr).

There are some decent areas in north Nashville also, but once again you have the construction problem, this time on I-65.

Downtown/West End is pretty nice, but I'm sure the other 2 guys could tell you more than I could.

[TkMasTaH]

Yeah, i really dont know much about nashville other than the Vanderbilt area and downtown. Cool Springs is really nice, but also far away from your school. BTW, Tone-loc, who do you work for? Caterpillar? Lowes?

[free]

ya the brentwood/cool springs area sounds pretty decent, i really would like to find something right in downtown but i know i'll have to pay the price

thanks for the help guys this is a great start

[Tone-Loc]

Yeah, I work for Caterpillar.

[Moniker]

If you can find a decent place downtown on a student's kind of salary, then more power to you, but I think you'll have a lot of trouble with that. As long as you stay within the 440 loop, you should have a pretty easy commute.