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Tennessee · 176 graded towns

Towns and cities in Tennessee

19 of Tennessee’s 176 graded towns and cities (11%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Nolensville ranks first in the state with an A+; schools (A+) and jobs & income (A+) are its strongest grades; cost of living (C−) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How Tennessee compares: report cardBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordable townsSafest townsTowns with the best schoolsHealthiest towns
176
towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade
19
grade A− or better nationally
1
of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade
115
smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades
Towns by letter
A+1A4A−14B+13B8B−19C+18C24C−30D26D−19

All 176 graded towns, by county

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, in 77 counties, A to Z inside each. The rank is among 175 Tennessee towns on the best places to live list. A town that spans counties is listed in the one where most of it lies.

176 graded towns, A to Z.

Sort within each county:
Jump to a county (77)

Anderson County 3 graded

  1. C+Clinton#65 of 17510,466
  2. C+Oak Ridge#69 of 17535,395
  3. C−Oliver Springsalso in Roane County#103 of 1753,433

Bedford County 1 graded

  1. D−Shelbyville#167 of 17526,146

Benton County 1 graded

  1. CCamden#96 of 1753,690

Blount County 5 graded

  1. CAlcoa#98 of 17513,689
  2. B−Eagleton Villageunincorporated, Blount County#50 of 1755,598
  3. B−Louisville#43 of 1754,562
  4. A−Maryville#16 of 17532,442
  5. B−Seymourunincorporated, Blount County · also in Sevier County#57 of 17516,216

Bradley County 4 graded

  1. DCleveland#150 of 17551,172
  2. B−Hopewellunincorporated, Bradley County#44 of 1752,634
  3. B−South Clevelandunincorporated, Bradley County#42 of 1757,452
  4. CWildwood Lakeunincorporated, Bradley County#79 of 1753,495

Campbell County 1 graded

  1. DLa Follette#152 of 1757,176

Cannon County 1 graded

  1. CWoodbury#97 of 1752,828

Carroll County 2 graded

  1. C+Huntingdon#61 of 1754,462
  2. C+McKenzie#72 of 1755,632

Carter County 1 graded

  1. B−Elizabethton#55 of 17514,350

Cheatham County 3 graded

  1. CAshland City#93 of 1755,650
  2. B−Kingston Springs#58 of 1752,758
  3. A−Pleasant View#17 of 1755,797

Chester County 1 graded

  1. B+Henderson#29 of 1756,590

Claiborne County 2 graded

  1. DHarrogate#138 of 1754,454
  2. C−New Tazewell#119 of 1752,846

Cocke County 1 graded

  1. C−Newport#122 of 1757,049

Coffee County 2 graded

  1. C−Manchester#123 of 17513,776
  2. DTullahoma#142 of 17521,279

Cumberland County 3 graded

  1. DCrossville#147 of 17513,113
  2. CFairfield Gladeunincorporated, Cumberland County#88 of 1759,487
  3. C−Lake Tansiunincorporated, Cumberland County#125 of 1754,437

Davidson County 4 graded

  1. BBelle Meade#39 of 1752,621
  2. CForest Hills#95 of 1754,473
  3. C−Goodlettsvillealso in Sumner County#124 of 17517,506
  4. C+Oak Hill#74 of 1754,581

DeKalb County 1 graded

  1. D−Smithville#157 of 1755,620

Dickson County 2 graded

  1. C+Dickson#71 of 17517,051
  2. B−White Bluff#45 of 1754,516

Dyer County 2 graded

  1. D−Dyersburg#166 of 17515,906
  2. B−Newbern#59 of 1753,222

Fayette County 3 graded

  1. COakland#87 of 17510,835
  2. C−Piperton#111 of 1752,889
  3. D−Somerville#164 of 1753,622

Franklin County 3 graded

  1. C−Estill Springs#113 of 1752,692
  2. C+Sewaneeunincorporated, Franklin CountyCollege campus2,936
  3. DWinchester#154 of 17510,438

Gibson County 4 graded

  1. D−Humboldt#160 of 1757,841
  2. A−Medina#14 of 1755,813
  3. DMilan#141 of 1758,367
  4. C−Trenton#116 of 1754,137

Giles County 1 graded

  1. DPulaski#143 of 1758,394

Grainger County 1 graded

  1. CBean Station#85 of 1753,190

Greene County 3 graded

  1. C−Greeneville#102 of 17516,141
  2. C−Mosheim#115 of 1752,547
  3. A−Tusculum#7 of 1753,421

Hamblen County 1 graded

  1. DMorristown#149 of 17533,517

Hamilton County 10 graded

  1. B+Apisonunincorporated, Hamilton County#32 of 1754,271
  2. DChattanooga#137 of 175194,144
  3. B+Collegedale#31 of 17511,499
  4. CEast Ridge#99 of 17521,921
  5. A−Harrisonunincorporated, Hamilton County#19 of 1758,011
  6. BMiddle Valleyunincorporated, Hamilton County#38 of 17512,187
  7. C+Red Bank#76 of 17512,405
  8. CSale Creekunincorporated, Hamilton County#78 of 1752,955
  9. ASignal Mountain#2 of 1758,824
  10. C+Soddy-Daisy#66 of 17513,474

Hardeman County 2 graded

  1. D−Bolivar#174 of 1755,043
  2. DWhiteville#151 of 1754,482

Hardin County 1 graded

  1. D−Savannah#169 of 1757,689

Hawkins County 3 graded

  1. B−Church Hill#51 of 1757,297
  2. C+Mount Carmel#64 of 1755,540
  3. C−Rogersville#129 of 1754,690

Haywood County 1 graded

  1. D−Brownsville#173 of 1759,301

Henderson County 1 graded

  1. C−Lexington#127 of 1758,130

Henry County 1 graded

  1. CParis#94 of 17510,468

Hickman County 1 graded

  1. B−Centerville#56 of 1753,589

Humphreys County 1 graded

  1. DWaverly#139 of 1754,430

Jefferson County 4 graded

  1. CDandridge#83 of 1753,947
  2. CJefferson City#80 of 1759,103
  3. B+Strawberry Plainsunincorporated, Jefferson County#25 of 1752,669
  4. C+White Pine#63 of 1752,619

Knox County 6 graded

  1. A−Farragut#12 of 17525,121
  2. B+Hallsunincorporated, Knox County · another Halls is in Lauderdale County#28 of 17510,272
  3. BKarnsunincorporated, Knox County#37 of 1754,115
  4. C−Knoxville#108 of 175202,021
  5. B−Mascotunincorporated, Knox County#49 of 1753,277
  6. B+Powellunincorporated, Knox County#21 of 17513,739

Lake County 1 graded

  1. D−Tiptonville#171 of 1753,333

Lauderdale County 1 graded

  1. D−Ripley#175 of 1757,499

Lawrence County 1 graded

  1. DLawrenceburg#156 of 17512,236

Lewis County 1 graded

  1. DHohenwald#132 of 1754,151

Lincoln County 2 graded

  1. DFayetteville#146 of 1757,068
  2. A−Park Cityunincorporated, Lincoln County#15 of 1752,813

Loudon County 3 graded

  1. C−Lenoir City#101 of 17512,530
  2. BLoudon#35 of 1756,963
  3. B+Tellico Villageunincorporated, Loudon County#30 of 1757,414

Macon County 1 graded

  1. CLafayette#91 of 1756,020

Madison County 1 graded

  1. D−Jackson#172 of 17569,339

Marion County 2 graded

  1. C+Jasper#73 of 1753,636
  2. CSouth Pittsburg#81 of 1752,927

Marshall County 1 graded

  1. DLewisburg#145 of 17513,517

Maury County 2 graded

  1. DColumbia#144 of 17550,072
  2. DMount Pleasant#148 of 1755,103

McMinn County 2 graded

  1. C−Athens#109 of 17515,263
  2. CEtowah#90 of 1753,786

McNairy County 1 graded

  1. DSelmer#133 of 1754,575

Monroe County 2 graded

  1. D−Madisonville#161 of 1755,428
  2. DSweetwater#140 of 1756,706

Montgomery County 1 graded

  1. C−Clarksville#126 of 175188,829

Moore County 1 graded

  1. DLynchburg#131 of 1756,920

Morgan County 1 graded

  1. CCoalfieldunincorporated, Morgan County#77 of 1752,754

Obion County 1 graded

  1. D−Union City#158 of 17510,814

Overton County 1 graded

  1. CLivingston#92 of 1754,147

Putnam County 3 graded

  1. C−Algood#105 of 1754,165
  2. C−Cookeville#114 of 17538,212
  3. C−Monterey#117 of 1752,827

Rhea County 1 graded

  1. C−Dayton#106 of 1757,819

Roane County 3 graded

  1. C−Harriman#120 of 1756,192
  2. BKingston#34 of 1756,299
  3. C−Rockwood#121 of 1755,607

Robertson County 3 graded

  1. C+Coopertown#68 of 1754,843
  2. B−Greenbrier#54 of 1757,170
  3. DSpringfield#136 of 17520,090

Rutherford County 4 graded

  1. AChristianaunincorporated, Rutherford County#3 of 1754,777
  2. CLa Vergne#82 of 17542,146
  3. C+Murfreesboro#67 of 175171,178
  4. CSmyrna#86 of 17563,321

Scott County 1 graded

  1. D−Oneida#165 of 1753,899

Sequatchie County 1 graded

  1. C−Dunlap#128 of 1756,089

Sevier County 3 graded

  1. DGatlinburg#135 of 1753,715
  2. D−Pigeon Forge#159 of 1756,598
  3. D−Sevierville#162 of 17519,010

Shelby County 7 graded

  1. A−Arlington#18 of 17515,703
  2. BBartlett#40 of 17556,416
  3. B+Collierville#22 of 17551,909
  4. B+Germantown#20 of 17540,001
  5. A−Lakeland#11 of 17514,422
  6. D−Memphis#170 of 175609,647
  7. D−Millington#168 of 17512,953

Sullivan County 6 graded

  1. C−Bloomingdaleunincorporated, Sullivan County#110 of 1759,292
  2. CBlountvilleunincorporated, Sullivan County#89 of 1753,309
  3. C−Bristol#112 of 17528,107
  4. BColonial Heightsunincorporated, Sullivan County#36 of 1753,258
  5. C−Kingsport#130 of 17557,530
  6. B−Spurgeonunincorporated, Sullivan County · also in Washington County#53 of 1754,071

Sumner County 7 graded

  1. B−Gallatin#47 of 17554,590
  2. B+Hendersonville#27 of 17564,266
  3. C+Millersvillealso in Robertson County#70 of 1756,438
  4. B−Portland#46 of 17513,658
  5. B+Shackle Islandunincorporated, Sumner County#24 of 1754,404
  6. B+Westmoreland#23 of 1752,879
  7. B+White Housealso in Robertson County#26 of 17517,872

Tipton County 4 graded

  1. B−Atoka#48 of 17510,645
  2. CBrighton#100 of 1752,892
  3. DCovington#155 of 1758,585
  4. CMunford#84 of 1756,996

Trousdale County 1 graded

  1. B−Hartsville/Trousdale County#52 of 17512,623

Unicoi County 2 graded

  1. B−Erwin#41 of 1756,019
  2. C−Unicoi#118 of 1753,861

Union County 1 graded

  1. DMaynardville#153 of 1752,723

Warren County 1 graded

  1. D−McMinnville#163 of 17513,943

Washington County 3 graded

  1. C−Johnson City#104 of 17574,943
  2. BJonesborough#33 of 1756,990
  3. C+Oak Groveunincorporated, Washington County#62 of 1754,626

Weakley County 2 graded

  1. C+Dresden#60 of 1752,911
  2. C−Martin#107 of 17511,060

White County 1 graded

  1. DSparta#134 of 1755,038

Williamson County 6 graded

  1. ABrentwood#4 of 17545,313
  2. A−Fairview#10 of 17510,877
  3. AFranklin#5 of 17590,226
  4. A+Nolensville#1 of 17515,789
  5. A−Spring Hillalso in Maury County#6 of 17561,336
  6. A−Thompson's Station#13 of 1759,469

Wilson County 3 graded

  1. A−Green Hillunincorporated, Wilson County#8 of 1756,866
  2. C+Lebanon#75 of 17553,412
  3. A−Mount Juliet#9 of 17545,172
Also in Tennessee

Not on the ranked list

College campuses

Graded like every town, but left off the best-places lists: more than half the residents are college students (ACS), so its figures mostly describe student life. They appear on the subject lists with a “College campus” label.

  • C+Sewanee Franklin County · 68% college students

Not graded (1)

Towns of 2,500+ without enough data for an overall grade. Their pages show every subject that is graded.

  • –Nashville 745,904 people. No overall grade: no schools or health figures, and the overall needs three of the four.

Smaller places 115 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in Tennessee

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Tennessee rankings →
Best places to live175 towns · #1 NolensvilleBest small towns107 towns · #1 Signal MountainMost affordable towns177 towns · #1 Strawberry PlainsSafest towns129 towns · #1 NolensvilleTowns with the best schools176 towns · #1 Brentwood and Fairview and Franklin and Lakeland and Nolensville and Thompson's StationHealthiest towns176 towns · #1 Oak HillBest towns for jobs & income177 towns · #1 Belle MeadeMost walkable towns177 towns · #1 KnoxvilleTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk177 towns · #1 TusculumBest towns for the outdoors177 towns · #1 Oak RidgeMost historic towns177 towns · #1 FayettevilleTowns with the most civic life150 towns · #1 TullahomaTowns with the least snow170 towns · #1 HendersonDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns170 towns · #1 MontereyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters184 towns · #1 MemphisDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers184 towns · #1 Bartlett and 3 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers184 towns · #1 Mountain CityDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes177 towns · #1 Belle Meade and Forest HillsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes176 towns · #1 MosheimDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns146 towns · #1 LebanonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries19 towns · #1 GatlinburgDescribed, no letters