Should we move to Nashville?
My wife and I are in our mid to late thirties and have a new born baby. We currently live in NYC and are both tired of the grind and high cost of living.
I work in PE and can work remote from anywhere in the country and have heard Nashville is a great place to live and raise a family and get an actual 3-4 BR house. My criteria is decent weather (not steaming hot like Texas or Arizona) while not being frigid cold like Chicago. Nice, friendly people, safe and with good school districts, decent homes without needing to spend 2mm bucks. I am really into music as well and also wouldn't mind being near somewhere with great walks and natural beauty/forests.
We are also considering Denver but it seems kind boring and not that close to skiing tbh - maybe I am wrong.
Thanks for the help.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, Nashville could be a compelling option for you and your family, considering your criteria. Here's a breakdown of how Nashville aligns with your preferences:
Weather: Nashville has a moderate climate, with four distinct seasons. It's warmer than Chicago but not as hot as Texas or Arizona. You'll experience a mild winter compared to NYC.
Friendly People & Safety: Nashville is known for its Southern hospitality and generally friendly atmosphere. As with any city, safety varies by neighborhood, but there are many family-friendly areas.
School Districts: This might be a concern. The WSO threads indicate that the schools in Davidson County may not meet your expectations, especially if you're looking for top-tier public education. Many affluent residents opt for private schools or live in neighboring counties with better school districts.
Housing: Compared to NYC, you'll get more house for your money in Nashville. While the real estate market has been hot, it's still possible to find a 3-4 bedroom house for less than $2 million.
Music Scene: Nashville is a music hub, especially for country music, but it's diverse and has a vibrant live music scene across various genres.
Natural Beauty: Nashville is near many parks and natural areas, offering great walks and access to forests. It's not as close to the mountains as Denver, but there's still plenty of natural beauty to enjoy.
Comparison to Denver: Denver is known for its proximity to the Rockies, which offers skiing and outdoor activities. It may not be as culturally vibrant as Nashville in terms of music, but it has its own charm and is generally not considered boring by outdoor enthusiasts.
Ultimately, the decision should also factor in the potential impact on your career in PE, the cost of living, and the lifestyle you envision for your family. It's worth visiting Nashville to get a feel for the city and see if it aligns with your expectations. Remember, moving with a newborn and establishing a new network can be challenging, but it could also be a rewarding fresh start. Denver and Nashville offer different lifestyles, so consider what aligns best with your family's needs.
Sources: Nashville Commercial Real Estate, One day to decide: US or UK?, Are you experienced? Thoughts on growing older, Would you move to a 'tier-2' city?, Question for Those Who Moved Cities
Thank you, Robot.
Two friends of mine actually recently moved there, both very happy with the area
That's great. Are they staying inside Nashville or a suburb?
One in one outside. Both have a lot more space than they had in NYC - they both really love it
It gets pretty hot in the summer but winter isn’t as bad as some of the places you mentioned. I’d also recommend Austin, TX. Yes the summer is hot and they have had a freeze or two in recent winters but great scene for music, young adult life, and housing is still relatively affordable if you’re from a coastal state
It all seems fine but I'm cautious about moving to the City of the Day.
What I mean by that is: I've seen this happen before where people from big expensive cities (usually NYC) are looking for a cheaper place to live, but still need some vague sense of culture/character. And there's this herd mentality where they will all decide at once that XYZ city is going to be the place they all flock to.
The example most will know is Austin a couple years ago. Older folks will remember a time when Charlotte was the hot spot for this kind of thing, maybe 15-20 years aqo. Today, it's Nashville getting the buzz.
I would just tread carefully because these are long term commitments. It's one thing to follow other herd behaviors . . I remember summer 2017 when every trendy person in NYC had to visit Iceland, or last year when everyone had to become an F1 fan and get into pickleball. There's something about our society today where if you're in a certain circle (big city, higher income, mainstream tastes) then everyone gets into the same shit at once. Imagine it's caused by social media but whatever the cause, it's noticeable.
A risk of doing this is that these places will lose their character after all the yuppies invade. Anyone who knows Austin can tell you that.
Another risk is, if you buy a home during or after the invasion, you might pay a lot for a house and then get your face ripped off when there's pullback. Folks who moved to Austin in '22 instead of '20 can tell you that.
None of this is to say Nashville isn't a great place, I just think you want to be aware of the risks before you go. Obviously these risks are mitigated if you reduce your commitment by not starting a family there, not buying a house etc.
Denver, by far over Nashville.
Nice! Why?
420, Snowboarding, and I hate country music.
100%
How is Denver not close to skiing? It is literally 80mi away. 65mi away if you're in Golden. That's a day trip.
I've heard from friends that live in Denver proper / Cherry Creek area that it is easily 2-3 hours with traffic to get into the mountains by car.
Damn ok wow
I mean it can be 2-3 hours if you leave at 9-11 AM on a Saturday, if there's a blizzard, if there's a major collision on I-70.
I would say typically you're looking at 1.0-1.5 hours each way. It isnt crazy quick but to get great access to amazing skiing AND be still based in a T20 city, you cant beat it really. Where else can you work in M&A (non-remote, for broader audience purposes) and actually have access to some of the best mountains in the world like that?
No offense OP, but you strike me as someone who could take or leaving skiing, because any enthusiast is going to salivate at being able to get to some of the best mountains in North America so quickly. I've been out to Denver / Aspen / Boulder 20+ times and still have yet to hit all the mountains (I'm not even close), so there not only a lot of options in close proximity, there are more options here than in any other state.
If you aren't into skiing or simply don't care, all good, but don't act as though getting to the mountains is like the trek to fucking Mount Doom or some shit.
can confirm
Charleston
Why?
I currently live in Charleston and one of the big drawbacks is that it is not a financial hub, so if you can work remotely that is a big plus.
The food, BBQ, and seafood is pretty good relative to the size of the city and the healthcare is exceptional. Lots of good doctors want to live in the area and MUSC and Roper hospitals are top notch.
The beaches are close by and if you want to live in a beach town like Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, or Isle of Palms, it is a nice escape even if you’re not on the water.
There are lots of creeks around the city and living in a house with a boat and a dock is very nice.
It used to be a LCOL city, but is more of a MCOL city now. The word is out about Charleston and the area has received a large amount of population growth recently, driving up prices in stores and real estate.
As far as floods and hurricanes go, I don’t consider them to be that big of a deal. I’ve been through many storms including Hugo and if you’re not in a flood zone or on the beach front, it should be ok.
Did a stint in Denver and currently live in Nashville.
Denver Pros: Skiing/Hiking (you're right i70 can be a bitch but you get decent at timing it), slept on food scene, Red Rocks, people are chillers.
Denver Cons: Some strange folks out west, winters are humbling, 3-4br in Cherry Creek will cruise up to that $2mm range, homeless pop.
Nashville Pros: Music scene, food scene, close to the smokies (fishing/hiking), nice people, solid private school scene
Nashville Cons: Californians (yups as above guy said), BNA is light on solid direct flights, housing market not totally fucked yet but getting there
Tbh most nice 4br houses in cherry creek school district are "only" 800k-1.2mm. Nashville it looks like you can find a nice house in Franklin for like 700k.
How is the level of violence/crime in Nashville compared to Denver?
Violence and crime in Nashville are much lower, especially if you are talking Brentwood or Franklin. I live closer to the city so there is occasional riff raff, but have never felt at risk or unsafe. As for Denver, Cherry Creek has initiatives in place to keep the homeless out--but once you leave CC North where gentrification has moved slower you can definitely feel it.
Agree with others, if you choose the right neighborhoods - it can be a great place to raise a family.
Not the biggest fan of the city unless you have at least a few million to spend (which seems to be your case). The well-off suburbs / city neighborhoods are really nice. It's kind of an 'old money' city in that sense.
Would consider LA, better than Nashville but wouldn't really compare the two as similar by any means. If I could work remotely in a high paying job, I'd consider OC or a nice suburb outside of LA proper. You get good weather and generally great beaches to go to, good public schools in any area with >1M homes outside LA proper. It's also a fairly diverse and international city, with better ability to go to Asia and Latin America, and more moderate politics with places like OC nearly 50/50
Nashville is probably a fine place as well, every place may seem more appealing to some and less to others
Taxes in Cali are wild and property prices are through the roof. You can't really find a decent house in the OC for under 1.5mm
This 100% - OC and SD are the spot for a remote worker with a 1-2M budget. Besides international access from LAX you also get SNA and SAN with transcon flights. I'd recommend Southern OC - think San Clemente, SJC, etc.
Ya you aren't finding a house there under 1.5mm and it's probably very mediocre. Then you have high taxes. There also aren't really any proper airports between SD and LA.
OP posts about moving to Nashville, mentioning he is loosely also considering Denver. Top rated comment is advocating moving to LA after saying "I wouldn't really compare the two". Top comments are determined by upvoted by bots or high school students, smh
No offense but it doesn’t seem like the greatest option based on what OP is looking to accomplish
How is your experience doing PE remotely? Have seen a lot of opps for remote PE. Seem like smaller shops, always wondered if it’s a big cut on comp
There is a cut on comp but I am appreciative of the flexibility and significantly better work hours...just doesn't make any sense for me to do it from NYC where my firm is located.
My all in is around 275k which is light as the sole bread winner and with a baby but I am hopeful that moving somewhere cheaper can help me support my family.
Any nice suburb town would be great. Would consider ones near the Atlanta area
If you want to live in Denver and enjoy the mountain lifestyle then don't live in Cherry Creek. There are plenty of nice neighborhoods that offer all the perks but have better access to the mountains and aren't nearly as expensive. Buy a house in another suburb of town for 60% the price and spend the balance on a condo in a mountain town you like.
Apparently the only decent school district is Cherry Creek schools. A friend said Littleton is mediocre but the rest is crap unless you go up to Boulder.
An underrated option is some Philly suburbs like Bryn Mawr, Radnor, Wayne, etc. 1-2M gets you a very good place there. Property tax mild compared to other NE states. Some of the top public/private schools in the country. Much better deal than Nashville iMO.
These are good suggestions. PA is surprisingly expensive compared to what I had thought, what do people do for work in those areas to afford homes over 1m? I see a lot of homes in that price range
Combination of old money (remember Philly was a big business center until the 70s) and Pharma execs. Prices are much lower than anything around NYC or even BOS/DC.
+1; I own a home in one of those towns. Great part of the country to raise a family. PA has some other great small towns outside of the main line as well that could be considered for a remote role: Media, Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, and New Hope are all great as well.
Chestnut Hill too
How about delaware? Places like Milton, Odessa etc you have mild weather that's generally warmer than NY, good demographics and housing costs are affordable and generally nice / more new
Would you consider FL? Great weather, no state income tax, lots of things to do (theme parks, beaches, tons of sports, great nightlife in Miami/Palm Beach), and was ranked the #1 state for education last year.
FL above MA for education?
Florida was ranked at the top school for education?
Are you sure it wasn’t the top dumbest educational systems?
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education
My source
Too much risk of flooding and hurricanes. Home insurance is through the roof, if you can get it at all as a lot of insurers are simply leaving Florida.
Good point. I just realized that TN has no state income tax too, so definitely a good spot to move.
I love Florida but don't think I could handle living there with all the floods and tornados. Seen some pretty horrific damage happening to houses and people losing everything as insurers back out of the state.
Super helpful! Do people have swimming pools in their homes much in Tennessee?
Would also recommend looking into NC, partially biased because my family lives there lol. Great state, the RTP area around Raleigh is pretty safe, great schools, nature, etc. Decent night life, but might be a little too boring for you, but with a family, I'm not sure how much you are going out at night lol. Lots of recent development so you can get great deals on houses. My friend and his wife also work remote, and recently bought a 4 bedroom house for ~500-600k iirc. Good access to the mountains (maybe a couple hours depending on where you live) and the beach. Outer banks is absolutely beautiful, the beaches there are amazing. Lots of nature and outdoorsy stuff to do.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Florida (Miami, Palm Beach, etc.).
Insurers are leaving the state due to all the floods and hurricanes. Tons of people having their homes torn to shreds and losing all their equity...
Magnam consectetur corrupti ducimus voluptatem modi aut quaerat. Velit dignissimos ratione quam rerum incidunt deserunt voluptas. Hic aut perferendis consequatur laudantium eveniet nemo quas corrupti.
Voluptas voluptate tenetur ipsam ut qui optio eos. Animi quia qui dolore voluptatem et quae quia. Doloribus aut repellendus optio alias assumenda consequuntur saepe. Ratione consequuntur placeat possimus fuga reprehenderit reprehenderit. Cupiditate magnam magnam qui beatae. Soluta vero vero ratione beatae.
Eligendi velit hic id voluptates dolor. Cum rerum voluptatem qui cum sed repellendus dolorem. Necessitatibus occaecati nostrum ut quaerat rerum. Ullam a ea itaque molestiae voluptatem sed expedita eum. Cupiditate et earum sequi sit dolorum tenetur.
Cum voluptatem reiciendis eveniet delectus culpa consequuntur deleniti sed. Odio reprehenderit cumque aspernatur dignissimos provident ratione.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Placeat doloremque consequatur dolorem dolor earum cumque. Accusamus odit ut accusamus sequi.
Modi aut provident libero quae voluptas et neque. Reprehenderit dolorum cumque labore voluptatum voluptates id. Et non temporibus porro atque sed. Quidem impedit qui et vel numquam doloribus. Aut iusto non est sed excepturi saepe quis.
Vitae consequatur dicta consectetur voluptatem doloribus. Ratione officia voluptatum quia quia. Incidunt soluta consequuntur aliquid qui rerum ipsum.
Fuga repudiandae corporis consequatur. Autem consequatur repellendus corporis earum iusto. Numquam et iure cupiditate eligendi autem quibusdam nesciunt. A aut aliquam et sunt harum doloremque adipisci. Eos quod officiis illo quia. Quam at odit sed quos repellendus a perferendis omnis. Voluptas voluptas et natus soluta. Aut hic ut nesciunt magni.
Voluptatem harum tempora officia doloremque omnis. Aut ut perferendis id sunt nostrum. A similique aut aut ad consequatur omnis.
Voluptatem ut impedit libero odit repellendus eveniet rerum minus. Dolores aut ea vero cupiditate quod nihil. Molestiae facilis quia iure debitis saepe.
Quia est distinctio accusamus non vero ducimus. Repellendus voluptatem earum voluptas exercitationem. Cum quasi voluptatem aperiam et nisi cum vel. Explicabo voluptatem dolor illo reprehenderit. Molestiae aut dignissimos consequuntur eligendi ducimus. Dolores harum dolorum quis molestias perspiciatis et. Error adipisci hic eum.