Advantages & Disadvantages of Retiring in Nashville
You think about retiring in Nashville but want to get additional information about senior life, living costs, housing situation, entertainment options, opportunities to socialize, safety and much more before making your final decision in this regard?
Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of retiring in Nashville in the following chapters.
Retire in Nashville – Overview
Living Costs | Living costs in Nashville are lower than in many other big cities in the US, even though they are still higher compared to national average. |
Housing | Many retirees in Nashville have a hard time finding a decent and affordable place to stay since housing shortage is a big problem in this region. |
Climate | Nashville has a subtropical climate with hot and humid summers and rather cool winters. |
Crime | Nashville crime rate is significantly higher compared to national average and many pensioners in Nashville no longer feel comfortable and safe in certain parts of the city. |
Opportunities to Socialize | Nashville has decent senior center, bars and many other locations where you can hang out with people of your age. |
Entertainment | Retirees in Nashville can spend lots of time outdoors in nature, can go to the movies, go to the opera, visit museums, watch sports games and do many other interesting things. |
Public Transport | While Nashville has decent public transport near the city center, public infrastructure becomes worse in the suburbs. |
Walkability & Bicycling | Nashville is a relatively bicycle-friendly community and you can also get most things you need for daily life within walking distance to your home as long as you live close enough to the city center where distances are usually rather short. |
Medical Infrastructure | People who retire in Nashville are able to find good medical treatment as long as they have enough money to cover those financial bills. |
Supply of Material Goods | Thanks to decent public infrastructure, you will never run out of important material goods in Nashville. |

Reasons to Retire in Nashville
- Decent public transport in Nashville
- Retirees in Nashville can get around by bicycle
- You may not need a car as a pensioner in Nashville
- You can enjoy great summers in Nashville
- People in Nashville can spend lots of time outdoors
- Retirees in Nashville can stay fit
- Decent senior centers in Nashville
- You can meet up with other retirees in decent bars
- Many opportunities to socialize for pensioners in Nashville
- Decent restaurants in Nashville
- Nashville is one of the most tolerant cities in Tennessee
- Easy to get from and to Nashville
- Pensioners in Nashville have a decent internet connection
- Good medical infrastructure in Nashville
- You will find most things you need within walking distance
- Decent supply of material goods in Nashville
- Good future outlook for retirees in Nashville
- Living costs in Nashville are relatively low
- Decent air quality in Nashville
Decent public transport in Nashville
One advantage of retiring in Nashville is that you will have a pretty decent public transport system which you can use as a retiree so you can save lots of money on gas and can also do good for our environment at the same time.
Retirees in Nashville can get around by bicycle
Since Nashville is a pretty bicycle-friendly city, you will also be able to get around by bike in an efficient manner and this can be great for you as a retiree since you can save lots of money on transportation, do good for our environment and can also stay fit at the same time.
You may not need a car as a pensioner in Nashville
Thanks to good public transport and decent bicycling infrastructure, retirees in Nashville may not even need a car to get around and this can be important since the older you get, the less likely it will be that you will be able to operate a car in an efficient manner and having proper transportation alternatives available is therefore crucial to stay mobile as a senior in Nashville in the long run.
You can enjoy great summers in Nashville
Another upside to retiring in Nashville is that you can experience pretty great summers in this region.
In fact, there are many sunny and hot days in Nashville during summers and you can therefore really enjoy your time as a retiree in Nashville in case you love the heat.
People in Nashville can spend lots of time outdoors
Thanks to good weather and many leisure activities in nature, you can also spend lots of time outdoors in the Nashville region and this gives you the opportunity to get lots of fresh air and you will therefore be in a better mood compared to people retiring in places where they are more likely to just watch TV indoors all day long.
Retirees in Nashville can stay fit
Since you can do many things in nature and will also have good weather while you can get around by bicycle in a pretty efficient manner, retiring in Nashville can be great since you can just stay fit and vital in a natural manner and this may help you reduce your risk of suffering from serious health problems in the long run.
Decent senior centers in Nashville
Since you will have many decent senior centers in Nashville, you will also have a pretty easy time meeting up with other retirees to get helpful and valuable tips on how to improve your senior life in Nashville and also on how to save lots of money in Nashville in the long run.
You can meet up with other retirees in decent bars
There are also many great bars where you can hang out with other people of your age and can also discuss what’s going on in the world so you can have many interesting conversations and can also get a different perspective on life in general which will make you likely more tolerant in the long run.
Many opportunities to socialize for pensioners in Nashville
In general, you will find many locations and opportunities to socialize as a pensioner in the Nashville region.
For instance, you can go to the bookstore, visit a museum or just meet new people on various occasions of daily life so you can make many good friends in the long run and never feel lonely as a pensioner in Nashville.
Decent restaurants in Nashville
You will also find many good restaurants in the Nashville region and if you have enough money, you can try many delicious foods which can make your retirement in Nashville much better in the long run.
Nashville is one of the most tolerant cities in Tennessee
Since Nashville is one of the most tolerant cities in Tennessee, you will also be welcome no matter where you come from and can have a great time as a pensioner in Nashville since you can hang out with many other great people of your age.
Easy to get from and to Nashville
Since Nashville has a big international airport, your loved ones also have a rather easy time visiting you and this can be great since you will likely have many guests and will therefore not feel as lonely as people retiring in smaller towns which are harder to reach.
Pensioners in Nashville have a decent internet connection
Since you will have a decent internet connection, you can also make video calls and also get the latest news on a real-time basis so you will know what’s going on in the world and can adjust important decisions accordingly.
Good medical infrastructure in Nashville
Another benefit of retiring in Nashville is that you will also find many good doctors and hospitals and as long as you have enough money, you can get really good medical treatment in this region.
You will find most things you need within walking distance
Nashville also has pretty decent public infrastructure and this means that you will find most things you need for daily life pretty close to your home and don’t have to walk long distances as a retiree in Nashville.
Decent supply of material goods in Nashville
Also overall supply of material goods is pretty decent in the Nashville region and this means that you will never run out of important material things and also don’t have to drive to other big cities to get what you need.
Good future outlook for retirees in Nashville
Since Nashville is the biggest city in Tennessee, lots of money will be invested in infrastructure projects in this region and this can be great for you as a retiree since you can greatly benefit from many of those projects.
Living costs in Nashville are relatively low
While living costs in Nashville are slightly above national average, they are still far lower than in many other big metropolitan regions and while people retiring in San Francisco or other expensive regions have to spend lots of money on drinks and many other things of daily life, you can save lots of money in the Nashville region in this regard.
Decent air quality in Nashville
Compared to many other big cities, Nashville also has pretty decent air quality and this may give you the incentive to spend lots of time outdoors and you may therefore be able to stay fitter compared to people just spending more time indoors in more polluted regions.
As you can see, there are many reasons for retiring in Nashville.
Yet, there are also some drawbacks of retiring in Nashville that I want to discuss for you in the following so you can better decide whether you still want to retire in Nashville or rather want to move to a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Retiring in Nashville
- Many retirees in Nashville struggle to pay rent in a reliable manner
- Lack of affordable housing is a big problem for pensioners in Nashville
- Housing shortage may become even worse in the future
- Many locals can’t afford to live in Nashville anymore
- Many retirees in Nashville live below the poverty line
- Social inequality is about to increase in Nashville
- Crime is a big problem in Nashville
- Your loved ones may have to worry about your well-being
- Natural disasters may become a problem in Nashville
- Public infrastructure is not great outside the city center
- Cold winters may deter many people from retiring in Nashville
- Many retirees in Nashville live in rather dodgy neighborhoods
Many retirees in Nashville struggle to pay rent in a reliable manner
One downside to retiring in Nashville is that rents are already pretty high and many people who retire in Nashville are no longer able to pay their rent in a reliable manner and therefore have to worry about getting evicted on a regular basis which may also lead to all sorts of mental health issues sooner or later.
Lack of affordable housing is a big problem for pensioners in Nashville
In general, it is pretty hard for many retirees to find affordable housing options and many retirees in Nashville therefore have to search for many months until they find a decent and affordable place to stay.
Housing shortage may become even worse in the future
Since Nashville becomes increasingly popular all over the US, many people may move to Nashville sooner or later and housing shortage may become even worse in the future.
Many locals can’t afford to live in Nashville anymore
Many locals are also no longer able to pay rent and other basic expenses and therefore have to leave the Nashville region sooner or later which is bad news for you as a retiree since you will have fewer knowledgeable people to socialize with.
Many retirees in Nashville live below the poverty line
Another problem with retiring in Nashville is that many pensioners in this region live below the poverty line.
In fact, people who don’t own property become increasingly desperate since they no longer know how to pay rent and other expenses due to skyrocketing property prices and are also no longer able to afford many nice things.
Social inequality is about to increase in Nashville
Due to increasing property prices and rents, social inequality tends to get worse in the Nashville region and this may lead to all sorts of social problems in the long run.
Crime is a big problem in Nashville
You should also know that crime rates in Nashville are way above national average and many pensioners in Nashville no longer feel safe in certain parts of the town and may also no longer want to leave their homes during nighttime.
Your loved ones may have to worry about your well-being
Since Nashville is not the safest city, your family and friends may also worry about your well-being on a regular basis and by retiring in Nashville, you may therefore also impose a certain emotional burden on your loved ones.
Natural disasters may become a problem in Nashville
If you are unlucky, you may also get hit by natural disasters in the Nashville region and may lose your home or even your life in case you are unlucky.
Public infrastructure is not great outside the city center
While public infrastructure is really good near the city center of Nashville, it becomes worse in the outskirts and if you are not able to afford to live close to the city center, your senior life in Nashville may be much more exhausting since it will be harder for you to get around.
Cold winters may deter many people from retiring in Nashville
Another disadvantage of retiring in Nashville is that you will also experience pretty cold winters and if you can’t stand the cold at all, you may be far better off retiring in San Antonio or other warmer places instead.
Many retirees in Nashville live in rather dodgy neighborhoods
Since rents have increased quite a lot over the past decade, many retirees in Nashville also have to live in rather dodgy districts since they are simply no longer able to afford to live in a nicer area which is often too expensive.

Top 10 Retiring in Nashville Pros & Cons – Summary List
Retire in Nashville Pros | Retire in Nashville Cons |
---|---|
Decent public transport in Nashville | Rents in Nashville have skyrocketed over the past decades |
Retirees in Nashville can get around by bicycle | Many retirees in Nashville struggle to find a decent place to stay |
Pensioners in Nashville can spend lots of time outdoors | Housing shortage may become even worse in the future |
Many nature activities to choose from around Nashville | Nashville is not the safest city |
Retirees can experience real seasons in Nashville | Your loved ones may have to worry about your well-being |
Decent senior centers in Nashville | Nashville may be too cold for many retirees |
Retirees find most things they need close to their home | Public infrastructure is pretty poor in the suburbs of Nashville |
Decent air quality in Nashville | Social problems in Nashville are about to get worse |
Many bars and restaurants to socialize in Nashville | Nashville is not located at the coast |
Decent medical infrastructure in Nashville | Natural disasters may become a problem |
Is Nashville A Good Place To Retire?
While retiring in Nashville can make quite a lot of sense since living costs are still affordable, you will have decent medical infrastructure and good public transport, you should also keep in mind that rents have become pretty expensive and Nashville is also not the safest city.
Alternative Cities To Retire
If you don’t want to retire in Nashville, you should also have a look at the following articles:
Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Denver
Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Washington D.C.
Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Dallas
Sources
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/davidsoncountytennessee
Own research.

About the author
This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.
My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.
Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.
In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.