Best Neighborhoods in Nashville TN: A Local Guide

What are the best neighborhoods in Nashville, TN? It depends on what you want day to day. Germantown, Hillsboro Village, 12 South, and Wedgewood-Houston put you close to downtown with shops and restaurants you can walk to. Green Hills, Belle Meade, and Forest Hills offer larger lots and established streets on the south and west sides. East Nashville neighborhoods like Lockeland Springs, Inglewood, and Edgefield have older homes with a lot of character, and areas like Bellevue, Donelson, and Crieve Hall give you more space a little farther out.

I'm Nik Shewmaker, a fifth-generation Nashville native. Below is a quick look at each Nashville neighborhood I've written a full guide for, with a link to the details, zoned schools, and live listings for each one.

Nashville Neighborhoods at a Glance

12 South

Walkable shops and restaurants along 12th Avenue South, Sevier Park, and early 1900s bungalows mixed with newer homes, about 2 miles from downtown. Read the full 12 South guide.

Antioch

A large Metro Nashville community in the southeast, along I-24, with subdivisions from the 1970s on, new construction, and The Crossings redevelopment. Read the full Antioch guide.

Belle Meade

A small separate city on Nashville's west side known for large homes on big, tree-lined lots and quick access to West End and Green Hills. Read the full Belle Meade guide.

Bellevue

A large suburban area in southwest Nashville next to the Warner Parks and the Harpeth River, with homes from many decades plus new construction. Read the full Bellevue guide.

Belmont-Hillsboro

A National Register historic neighborhood between Hillsboro Village and 12 South, known for early 1900s bungalows and foursquares next to Belmont University. Read the full Belmont-Hillsboro guide.

Berry Hill

A tiny separate city next to 100 Oaks nicknamed Music Hill, where many small homes have become recording studios. Read the full Berry Hill guide.

Bordeaux

A northwest Nashville neighborhood across the Cumberland River with mid-century brick homes on larger lots and growing new construction. Read the full Bordeaux guide.

Charlotte Park

A West Nashville neighborhood near the Cumberland River with post-World War II ranches on generous lots and a growing number of new builds. Read the full Charlotte Park guide.

Cleveland Park

A close-in neighborhood between Dickerson Pike and Ellington Parkway with older cottages, new builds, and an overlay that allows detached ADUs on many lots. Read the full Cleveland Park guide.

Crieve Hall

Brick ranch homes on large wooded lots in south Nashville, built mostly in the 1950s and 1960s, just north of Brentwood. Read the full Crieve Hall guide.

Donelson

An established east Nashville area near the airport and the Opry, known for postwar brick ranches and a WeGo Star train station. Read the full Donelson guide.

Eastwood

An East Nashville neighborhood of older homes and newer infill around Eastland Avenue, a few minutes from Five Points. Read the full Eastwood guide.

Edgefield

One of Nashville's oldest neighborhoods, with Victorian homes in a historic district just across the river from downtown. Read the full Edgefield guide.

Forest Hills

A separate city south of Green Hills known for larger lots, rolling hills, and a quieter, more spacious feel. Read the full Forest Hills guide.

Germantown

A historic neighborhood just north of downtown, settled in the 1850s, with Victorian homes, condos, and well-known restaurants. Read the full Germantown guide.

Glencliff

A South Nashville neighborhood along Antioch Pike with mid-century ranches on good-sized lots, newer infill, and quick access to I-24 and I-440. Read the full Glencliff guide.

Goodlettsville

A small city north of Nashville that spans Davidson and Sumner counties, with Moss-Wright Park, Rivergate shopping, and I-65 access. Read the full Goodlettsville guide.

Green Hills

South Nashville along Hillsboro Pike, home to The Mall at Green Hills and the Bluebird Cafe, with brick ranches and newer rebuilds. Read the full Green Hills guide.

The Gulch

A walkable urban neighborhood on the south edge of downtown, built on former rail yards and made up mostly of condos in mid-rise and high-rise buildings. Read the full The Gulch guide.

Hermitage

A Metro Nashville community east of Donelson near J. Percy Priest Lake and Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, with a wide mix of subdivisions from the 1970s on. Read the full Hermitage guide.

Highland Heights

A neighborhood north of East Nashville with older cottages and a large share of newer homes and HPR pairs, about 2.5 miles from downtown. Read the full Highland Heights guide.

Hillsboro Village

A walkable streetcar-era district next to Vanderbilt, surrounded by bungalows and cottages built between 1910 and 1940. Read the full Hillsboro Village guide.

Inglewood

An East Nashville neighborhood along Gallatin Pike known for brick and stone cottages, Tudors, and ranches from the 1930s to the early 1950s. Read the full Inglewood guide.

Joelton

A semi-rural Metro Nashville community off I-24 with wooded hills, small farms, and homes on acreage near Beaman Park. Read the full Joelton guide.

Lockeland Springs

A historic East Nashville neighborhood of early 1900s homes on tree-lined streets near Shelby Park and Five Points. Read the full Lockeland Springs guide.

Madison

A Metro Nashville community about 8 miles north of downtown with brick ranches, newer homes, Rivergate, and the historic Amqui Station. Read the full Madison guide.

McFerrin Park

A fast-changing neighborhood just north of Main Street, close to downtown and Five Points, with cottages, new builds, and townhomes. Read the full McFerrin Park guide.

The Nations

A former industrial area in West Nashville centered on 51st Avenue, now known for new construction, local restaurants, and the silo mural. Read the full The Nations guide.

Oak Hill

A small separate city in south Davidson County with large wooded lots, Radnor Lake State Park, and Metro Nashville schools. Read the full Oak Hill guide.

Old Hickory

A lakeside community in northeast Davidson County on Old Hickory Lake, originally built around the DuPont plant in 1918. Read the full Old Hickory guide.

Rosebank

A quieter East Nashville neighborhood near Shelby Bottoms Greenway, with older cottages, ranches, and newer homes. Read the full Rosebank guide.

Salemtown

A small North Nashville neighborhood just north of Germantown with cottages, new builds, and townhomes within walking distance of restaurants. Read the full Salemtown guide.

Shelby Hills

An East Nashville neighborhood next to Shelby Park, with older homes and newer builds a short drive from downtown. Read the full Shelby Hills guide.

Sylvan Heights

A West Nashville neighborhood along Charlotte Avenue next to Sylvan Park, with older cottages and lots of new construction. Read the full Sylvan Heights guide.

Sylvan Park

A West Nashville neighborhood laid out in 1887, with sidewalks, bungalows, McCabe Park, and streets named for western states. Read the full Sylvan Park guide.

Wedgewood-Houston

A former industrial district just south of downtown with art galleries, GEODIS Park, townhomes, and new construction. Read the full Wedgewood-Houston guide.

West Meade

West of Belle Meade, with post-World War II brick ranches on large wooded lots and Warner Parks just to the south. Read the full West Meade guide.

West Nashville

Established neighborhoods west of downtown along Charlotte Pike and Harding Pike, close to I-40 and the Warner Parks. Read the full West Nashville guide.

Whites Creek

A rural Metro Nashville community with a National Register historic district, farmland, and homes on acreage. Read the full Whites Creek guide.

Woodbine

A South Nashville neighborhood along Nolensville Pike with early 1900s bungalows, mid-century homes, and an international food scene. Read the full Woodbine guide.

How to Choose a Nashville Neighborhood

Start with your commute and how you want to spend your free time. If you want to walk to dinner, look closer in: Germantown, 12 South, Hillsboro Village, or Wedgewood-Houston. If you want a bigger yard, look at Crieve Hall, Bellevue, Donelson, or Forest Hills. If older homes with character matter most, East Nashville and Sylvan Park are good places to start. Then check school zones for the specific address, since zones in Metro Nashville can vary from street to street.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most walkable neighborhoods in Nashville?

Germantown, 12 South, Hillsboro Village, and parts of East Nashville like Lockeland Springs and Five Points are among the most walkable, with shops, restaurants, and parks within a few blocks of many homes.

Which Nashville neighborhoods have the largest lots?

Forest Hills and Belle Meade are known for large lots, and Crieve Hall and parts of Bellevue also have generous yards compared with neighborhoods closer to downtown.

Are Belle Meade and Forest Hills part of Nashville?

Both are small separate cities inside Davidson County. They have their own city governments and rules, but they are surrounded by Nashville and served by Metro Nashville Public Schools.

How do I check school zoning for a Nashville home?

Use the Metro Nashville Public Schools zone finder for the exact address. Each of my neighborhood guides lists the schools for an address I checked, but zones can change and some streets split.

Find Your Nashville Neighborhood

If you want help narrowing down where to live in Nashville, or you want to know what your home could sell for, call or text me at (615) 585-0022.

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