Google the phrase “Nashville’s growth,” and you’ll discover a wide range of articles. “Tennessee economic growth outpaces the nation,” heralds a May 2017 headline from the Tennessean. “Nashville’s growth seen as cautionary tale” declares a headline in the Tallahassee Democrat.
Look a little further and you’ll find more. Nashville has been ranked on several Forbes’ lists, such as #30 for best places for business and careers, #8 in job growth and #61 in education. The city has overtaken Memphis as Tennessee’s largest city, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization expects the 10-county region surrounding Nashville to top a population of 2.6 million in the next 18 years.
If you’ve lived in Nashville long—or even just visited—you know the city is growing. With about 100 people a day moving to the city, being well informed about the city’s growth and plans for the future is imperative. Community members, small business owners, executives, students and more all need to be a part of the conversation. Here’s why.
1. Nashville is attracting a lot of talent.
Our city may be known as “Music City, U.S.A.,” but musical talent isn’t the only kind of talent being drawn to Nashville. In 2014, Nashville ranked seventh nationally in growth of educated young professionals ages 25-34 in a report by City Observatory. Still a center for the music industry, publishing, tourism and entertainment, Nashville is also a hub for healthcare industries, banking and transportation. It’s an exciting time to live in Nashville, but for the city to continue to be a place where people want to live and work, we must plan for the future now.
2. Keep Nashville, Nashville.
Long known as a big city with the small-town feel, Nashville’s culture and character have played a role in setting the city apart from others. Much of what makes Nashville special can be attributed to the neighborhoods. From the Nations to Wedgewood-Houston, Sylvan Park to Sobro and everywhere in between, Nashville is full of surprises, quirks and special places that make Nashville the city we love. No matter where you live in the city, you should be informed about and active in shaping the future of your neighborhood.
3. Ease our growing pains.
It’s an exciting time to live in Nashville, but all the growth isn’t without a few growing pains. The city is in the process of developing solutions to ease traffic congestion and offer more transit options. Affordable housing, education, poverty and crime are all hot-button issues that must be dealt with in the coming years. To be a part of the solution, we need to be educated about our city, the needs of the residents and make educated plans for the future.
4. Keep our business future healthy.
WalletHub, a personal finance website devoted to helping people attain financial fitness, recently ranked Nashville in the top 150 “Best Large Cities to Start a Business.” Comparing cities according to a variety of factors that included five-year business survival rate to office space affordability, the experts ranked Nashville 60th, topping San Diego, New York City and Chicago, among others. It’s exciting to see business owners achieve success in our city, but ensuring that continues well into the future is dependent on the decisions our city makes now.
Nashville 2020: The Future of Our Neighborhood
You can learn more about Nashville growth and the future of the city at Nashville 2020: The Future of Our Neighborhood, a luncheon and panel discussion featuring Mayor Megan Barry, Council Member Colby Sledge, community leader Bobby Joslin and real estate executive Tom Smith. Dr. Dan Boone, Trevecca’s president, will moderate the discussion. Click below to learn more and register.
