Parenting Magazine says Nashville the 3rd best city for families

Thinking I live in one of the best cities in the United States, I am pleased to see Nashville make all of the top ten list. I was a little surprised however to see Nashville make the top ten list for best place for families.  I thought being best place to party and best place to listen to live music might disqualify us from being considered as best place for families, but the honor is justified. Except for our magnet schools and charter schools, our schools are not the best and we are one of the places most likely to run over a pedestrian, and we have long commute times from the suburbs, but we have great parks, green ways, museums, lots of active church communities, family-friendly neighbor festivals most weekends, lots of history, and a lot of the live music events that are not rowdy affairs, and we are within a day trip of some of the nations most wonderful natural treasures. While gang activity and youth crime makes the news, it is generally restricted to the Black inner city and our gang problem is less than in other cities our size. Nashville is a diverse city economically and culturally and a great place for artist, young professionals, party animals, retired people, and families.

Parents based there rating on U.S. Census data, FBI crime statistics, reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and ratings from GreatSchools.com. Here is what they had to say:

3. Nashville, Tenn.
Known as Music City, Nashville is home to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which features musical artifacts and changing exhibits. It also has the Grand Ole Opry, which honors the biggest stars of the genre. Non-fans of country music still have plenty to enjoy. The Frist Center for the Visual Arts has exhibits that change every six to eight weeks. It features hands-on crafts, classes and interactive areas for kids. Get a lesson in American history at a national historical landmark by visiting The Hermitage, President Andrew Jackson's Greek Revival mansion, built in 1821. Take a closer look at the man gracing the $20 bill through his 1,000-acre estate.

Top Stories