Is Tennessee a Good Place to Start a Family in 2024?

Yes, for most young families Tennessee is a good place to put down roots: the state does not tax wages, the cost of living sits about 10% below the national average, and the Memphis and Nashville metros have suburbs with their own highly regarded school districts. As movers at Spyder Moving and Storage TN, we help couples and growing families move into the state from our Memphis office, and the same questions come up on almost every estimate: what it costs, how the schools work, how safe the neighborhood is and which town fits. This guide, updated for 2026, answers each one and then walks through the best places to raise a family in Tennessee, including towns that work well if you’re moving with teenagers.

Is Tennessee a good place to raise a family?

For most families, yes. The biggest advantages are lower housing costs, no state income tax on wages, a strong job market and plenty to do outdoors. The drawbacks are a high sales tax, uneven school quality between districts, hot summers and a car-dependent lifestyle. Where you live inside the state matters more than the state itself, so here is a quick look at the places families ask us about most:

Tennessee is also a diverse state, with families from all backgrounds living in both busy cities and quiet rural counties. A family that moves to Cordova with our Cordova TN movers, for example, gets suburban streets with Memphis jobs, shopping and hospitals a short drive away.

How affordable is Tennessee for a young family?

Tennessee is cheaper than most states, and much cheaper than the coasts. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) puts the state’s cost of living index at 89.7 in the second quarter of 2026 (U.S. average = 100), with housing at 80.0. California sits at 140.3 and New York at 132.6 on the same index, so a family moving from either state usually gets a bigger home and yard for the same budget.

Taxes help too. Tennessee does not tax wages or salaries, and the Hall tax on interest and dividends ended in 2021. The trade-off is sales tax: 7% on most goods and 4% on groceries at the state level, plus up to 2.75% local tax, which adds up when you’re buying diapers, school supplies and furniture. The Tax Foundation puts the state’s effective property tax rate at a low 0.52% of home value.

Housing and the real estate market

Tennessee’s housing market offers everything from new subdivisions in the suburbs to older homes in city neighborhoods. Prices vary a lot by metro: the Nashville area and Williamson County are the most expensive, while the Memphis suburbs and West Tennessee towns are noticeably cheaper. Start looking early and work with a local agent who knows the school zones, because two houses a mile apart can be in different districts. Some families we move go from Memphis to Nashville for a job or a change of pace, and others look past the state line; moving from Memphis to Charlotte is a common choice for families chasing finance and tech jobs.

How good are the schools in Tennessee?

School quality in Tennessee depends heavily on the district, which is why so many parents choose a town by its schools first. Around Memphis, six suburbs (Germantown, Collierville, Lakeland, Bartlett, Arlington and Millington) have run their own municipal school districts since 2014, while Memphis and Cordova are served by Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Germantown is a frequent choice for that reason, and our Germantown TN movers often hear school zones mentioned before square footage.

A few rules apply statewide:

• Kindergarten age: A child must turn 5 on or before August 15 to start kindergarten that school year, and must be enrolled by their sixth birthday.
• School choice: Families can choose public, private, charter or home schooling, and the state also runs education savings account programs.
• College after high school: Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship that covers tuition and mandatory fees at the state’s community colleges and colleges of applied technology for eligible graduates.

Our guide to school enrollment for families new to Tennessee lists the documents you’ll need, such as proof of address and immunization records.

What healthcare is available for children in Tennessee?

Families have access to some of the best-known pediatric care in the country. Memphis is home to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Nashville has Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, and Knoxville has East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Outside the big metros, choices are thinner, so check how far the nearest pediatrician and emergency room are before you buy in a rural county.

For insurance, children who don’t qualify for TennCare may be eligible for CoverKids health coverage, the state’s version of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. It covers children under 19 who meet the income rules, with free preventive care and low copays for sick visits.

What are the job prospects for parents in Tennessee?

Tennessee’s job market is steady. The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported a 3.4% unemployment rate in August 2026, below the 4.1% national rate. Health care is big in every metro, Memphis is a logistics hub built around FedEx and the river and rail network, and Nashville adds music, health care management and corporate offices. Manufacturing jobs are spread across Middle and East Tennessee. Some families relocate to Collierville with help from our Collierville TN moving crews so one parent can work in Memphis while the kids attend the town’s schools.

What is there to do with kids in Tennessee?

Plenty. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free to enter (you only need a parking tag for stops longer than 15 minutes), and its trails, streams and picnic areas make easy weekend trips from Knoxville and Chattanooga. In Memphis, families head to Shelby Farms Park, the Memphis Zoo and the riverfront, while Nashville has the Nashville Zoo, the Adventure Science Center and live music almost everywhere. Chattanooga’s Tennessee Aquarium is another favorite. Add the state parks, lakes and caves, and you won’t run out of outings.

What is community life like for families in Tennessee?

Tennessee towns tend to be friendly, and much of social life runs through schools, churches, youth sports and local festivals. That makes it easier for new parents to meet other parents quickly. Families who move with help from our local Memphis movers often tell us that signing the kids up for a soccer league or a library program in the first month did more for settling in than anything else.

Is Tennessee safe for families?

Safety in Tennessee varies a lot from one neighborhood to the next. Parts of Memphis and Nashville have high violent crime rates, while many suburbs and small towns are much quieter. Look up crime data for the exact neighborhood, visit at different times of day and talk to people who live there. Parents asking whether Cordova is safe, for example, should look street by street, because Cordova is a large part of Memphis rather than a separate city. Memphis apartment movers on our team hear this question constantly, and our list of the safest places to live in Tennessee is a good place to start your research.

What is the weather like for families in Tennessee?

Tennessee has four real seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with highs in the 90s common in Memphis and Nashville, which is great for pools and lakes but hard on outdoor play in the afternoon. Fall is long and colorful, spring brings flowers and also the peak tornado season, and winters are generally mild, with occasional snow and ice storms. Keep a family plan for severe weather and know where your safe room or interior shelter is.

How easy is it to get around Tennessee with kids?

Plan on driving. Interstates 40, 24, 65 and 75 connect the major cities, and Memphis to Nashville is a straight run on I-40, but public transit outside the downtown cores is limited. Nashville voters approved a transit plan in 2024 that adds bus service, sidewalks and smart signals over the coming years, and Memphis has MATA buses, yet most families with school-age kids still need a car for every adult. When you compare houses, time the school run and the commute at rush hour.

How can you make moving to Tennessee with a family easier?

The hardest parts are usually picking the neighborhood, starting a new job and helping the kids find friends. Visit before you move if you can, and drive the neighborhood on a school day. Join local parent groups online, and once you arrive, get involved in school and community events right away. Crews from Spyder’s Memphis furniture movers see families settle in faster when the kids’ rooms are unpacked first, so their routine is back in place within a day or two. It also helps to know the common mistakes when moving with kids, such as rushing the process or skipping neighborhood research, before you start packing.

Best places to raise a family in Tennessee

The factors above apply statewide, but where you land matters most. These are the places families ask us about most often, from the Memphis metro to small towns and the capital. Everything is connected by interstate or US highway, so you can live in a quiet town and still reach a big city for work, sports or shopping.

Memphis and its suburbs

Memphis is the largest city on the Mississippi River and the practical choice if you need a wide job market plus plenty for kids to do: museums, parks, theaters, the zoo, the Grizzlies and a legendary music scene. Families who want quieter streets with the same access usually look at Germantown, Collierville and Cordova, or at Lakeland in eastern Shelby County, which has its own school system. Moving companies in Lakeland TN like ours see a steady stream of families with kids of every age. Just across the state line, there are also good reasons to live in Horn Lake MS, a DeSoto County option for Memphis commuters.

Small towns near Memphis for families with teenagers

If your kids are older, a close-knit small town can make the transition easier because everyone’s teenagers know each other and newcomers get noticed, in a good way.

• Atoka is the largest town in Tipton County, on US 51 north of Memphis, with newer neighborhoods and Tipton County Schools. Atoka TN movers on our team handle a lot of family relocations here.
• Brighton, a short drive north of Atoka on US 51, is home to Brighton High School and a community where parents meet other parents quickly.
• Brownsville is the seat of Haywood County, along Interstate 40 in the heart of West Tennessee, with families who have lived there for generations. Its location keeps both Memphis and Jackson within easy reach. Brownsville TN movers from Spyder serve the area.
• Macon is a small, rural community in Fayette County east of Memphis where kids have room to roam. It’s a real change of pace from city life.

Is Nashville a good place to raise a family?

Nashville is a good fit if you or your teens want city life: it’s the biggest job market in the state, with Metro Nashville Public Schools, more restaurants, attractions and events than you can get through, and the Titans, Predators and Nashville SC for sports fans. College-bound kids have Vanderbilt, Belmont, Lipscomb and Tennessee State in town. The downsides are higher housing costs and traffic, which is why many families choose Williamson County suburbs such as Franklin and Brentwood instead.

Moving to Tennessee with teenagers: what to consider

Small children adapt fast; teenagers have friends, teams and a school they don’t want to leave. A few things make the move go smoother:

• Talk early and often. Bring your teen into the conversation while you’re still comparing towns, not after the lease is signed. Let them research schools, clubs and things to do in the shortlist cities.
• Give everyone a job. Assigning each family member a part of the move, from decluttering their room to planning the route, turns resistance into ownership.
• Visit first. Walk the high school, drive the neighborhood on a weekday and check how far practice fields and part-time jobs are.
• Point out the upside. Eligible graduates can attend community or technical college tuition-free through the Tennessee Promise scholarship program, and the state’s rivers, lakes, caves and mountains give teens plenty to explore.
• Stay involved after the move. Help them join a team or activity in the first few weeks; that is usually where new friendships start.

What makes Tennessee a good place to start a family today

Put together, the picture is clear: lower housing costs, no tax on wages, strong suburban school districts, top children’s hospitals and a friendly, family-centered culture. The trade-offs are a high sales tax, summer heat and the need to drive, and the right town matters more than the state as a whole. For most young families we move, that balance makes Tennessee a smart place to grow.

When you’ve picked your town, Spyder Moving and Storage can handle the move with our own crews and trucks, from packing the nursery to storage while you close on a house. Call our Memphis office at 901-329-9064 or request a free moving estimate to start planning your family’s move to Tennessee.