Sitting on the banks of the Cumberland River, Nashville serves as the state capital of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. Famous for its rocking country music scene, “Music City” is also a major hub of education, earning it a second nickname — “The Athens of the South.” With a rich history and a thriving economy, as well as excellent entertainment, it’s an increasingly popular city to call home.
1. How big is Nashville?
Nashville is the largest city in Tennessee, stretching across more than 525 square miles. Despite its large physical area, however, it only ranks as the 21st most populous city in the U.S., which is good news in terms of population density. The larger Nashville metropolitan area covers just under 7,500 square miles, taking in 13 counties.
The beating heart of Nashville is its lively and historic downtown area, which comprises eight major neighborhoods, chief among them being “Music Row.” Spreading out from there, you’ll find an additional 29 recognized neighborhoods. These tend to lean more residential/suburban and are loosely arranged by geographical designation — North, South, East, Midtown, etc.
2. What is the weather like in Nashville?
Nashville enjoys a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. Snowfall is common, mostly in January and February, though it tends to be fairly light. Meanwhile, spring and autumn can bring severe thunderstorms, hailstorms and even tornadoes.
Whether it’s summer or winter, keeping your items away from the damaging effects of extreme weather and high humidity is a good idea. Your home can only hold so much before becoming cluttered, but turning to self storage is a great way to keep seasonal and bulky items safe. Moreover, renting a self storage unit in Nashville can be a great idea for vehicle owners looking to keep their wheels in top condition. Scooters, motorcycles and even bicycles can benefit from staying in a climate-controlled unit over winter, while car owners can avoid cold-weather damage by keeping their vehicles under shelter.
3. Nashville’s job market — music and more
Nashville has a strong and diverse economy, with major sectors including healthcare, business, finance and of course the music industry. Indeed, the city is the second-largest center of music production in the country. Tourism is also a major sector, with millions of visitors coming here each year. In recent times, Nashville has also ranked among the best places for business and tech.
Businesses big and small across a number of sectors can make use of self storage in Nashville. The next major music stars could rent a unit with climate control to ensure their instruments stay in premium condition. At the same time, a storage unit is a great place for tourism businesses to store rental vehicles, hotel supplies and much more — maybe even some heavy rhinestone-studded costumes!
4. Universities and college life in Nashville
Nashville’s vibrant educational scene has resulted in the city being compared to ancient Athens. There are 24 major institutes of secondary education in the city, with Vanderbilt University being the largest and best known — it is also one of the leading research universities in the country, excelling in medicine and law programs.
With so many colleges and universities in the city, the student population may find accommodation tricky to come by. Many apartments and dorms may seem a little on the small side. Fortunately, there is an abundance of storage units in Nashville, which students can use to free up some space in their digs. Additionally, to avoid an expensive and logistically challenging move, students can also rent a self storage unit over the summer, allowing them to keep their belongings in town until the new term resumes in the fall.
5. Enjoying outdoor recreation in Nashville
Festivals, live gigs and outdoor concerts are an almost daily occurrence in Nashville, so you’ll never be short of things to do. Outside of music, the city offers a wide range of popular activities to enjoy due to its many waterways, including fishing, kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding. Renting a storage unit in Nashville provides a great place to store all the bulky equipment associated with these pastimes.
6. Moving to Nashville made easy with self storage
With its amazing entertainment scene and vibrant job market, people from all walks of life are flocking to Nashville. More people from Florida than any other U.S. state choose to relocate to Tennessee. On average, you can expect to pay a professional moving company between $3,600 and $3,900 to assist with such a move. To save costs, you can do it yourself, but for large moves this can be time-consuming and stressful, plus it can damage your possessions.
Regardless of which option you choose, renting a storage unit in Nashville can be a huge help throughout the moving process. Sending your belongings to storage rather than directly to your new home gives you flexibility and enables you to move in at your own pace. Once you’ve settled in, it’s worth hanging on to your storage unit. This is a great way to keep the house clutter-free and it provides an excellent solution if you plan to renovate.
7. Housing options in Nashville
Downtown Nashville has seen its skyline rise in recent years, with an influx of high-rise residential buildings in the past decade or so. Despite this, single-unit homes are more common in Nashville than apartments or condos. Outside of the downtown area, high-rise residential buildings are rare, with single family homes dominating much of the housing market.
If you want to be closer to the entertainment and economic hub of downtown, you might find yourself sacrificing a little space compared to choosing to live further out. However, this doesn’t need to be a problem. Renting self storage in Nashville is a great way to free up space, ensuring your home never feels cluttered.
Renting a self storage unit can come in handy if you live in a single family home too. You might find that your home can easily become cluttered with seasonal and bulky items that typically don’t get regular use. You can relocate them temporarily to a storage unit so you can better enjoy your living space. Moreover, a storage unit is a great idea if you’re remodeling your home. You can move the items from the areas under renovation into a storage unit instead of cluttering your home with these items until the project is completed.
You might also find yourself moving in with your parents and grandparents to form a multi-generational household. In this case, as two or more households come together under the same roof, additional furniture, appliances and family heirlooms will also need a temporary home. A storage unit is an excellent place to keep them until they can be used again.
8. Is Nashville a good place to live?
Ranking as one of the best places to live, Nashville is attracting many newcomers thanks to its combination of a balanced cost of living, employment opportunities and a vibrant cultural scene. Here are some of the most common moving routes to Music City:
Moving to Nashville from NYC
Moving from NYC to Nashville can bring a lot of perks. Selling your Big Apple home can help you get a larger one here as your dollar stretches further in Music City. As a booming city, there are plenty of jobs to choose from and you get to enjoy a much lower cost of living than in New York City. You might not even miss the vibrant cultural scene in NYC because Nashville boasts several festivals scattered throughout the year and has a great number of music venues, so entertainment opportunities abound here.
Moving to Nashville from Chicago
Leaving the Windy City for Nashville means so much more than giving up those cold Midwest winters. The real estate is more affordable here and schools are quite exceptional too, earning Nashville the nickname “Athens of the South” thanks to the presence of various higher education institutions such as Vanderbilt University, Lipscomb University and Tennessee State University. If you lived in a Chicago suburb and enjoyed access to the outdoors, you can keep enjoying nature here too, with the Great Smoky Mountains and Kentucky Bourbon Trail easily accessible from the city.
9. What are the storage options in Nashville, TN?
You might discover that renting a self storage unit in Nashville is helpful well beyond moving. Many of them offer climate control, 24-hour access, parking and cutting-edge security features that practically ensure your belongings stay undamaged and safe while they’re away from home. And there are plenty of options to choose from locally. The Nashville self storage market is home to over 3.7M square feet of self storage space.
Once you find your ideal facility, it’s time to consider unit sizes. The smallest unit size is 5’x5’, great for storing seasonal décor and smaller hobby gear. If you have bulkier items, you could upgrade to a 5’x10’ or a 10’x10’ unit. For the contents of a room or a studio, you can turn to a 10’x15’ unit. As for houses, a 10’x20’ or a 10’x30’ unit might be the best choice. If you’re not sure which unit size is right for your needs, you can consult this storage unit size guide.
To find your next self storage listing in Nashville, TN, browse the StorageCafe portal.
