Why Companies Keep Choosing Nashville & Franklin

There’s a reason Nashville keeps showing up on the short list for companies looking to relocate or expand.

And it’s not just because Tennessee has no state income tax.

Over the last decade, Middle Tennessee has quietly become one of the more attractive places in the country to do business — and Franklin has been a huge beneficiary of that growth.

Here’s what I’d tell someone trying to understand why.

The economics make sense.

Tennessee is an extremely business-friendly state.

There’s no state individual income tax on wages, the cost of doing business can be significantly lower than many major coastal markets, and state and local governments have been aggressive about attracting new employers.

For a company looking at California, New York, Chicago or other expensive markets, the difference can be substantial.

But there's another side to it...

Employees actually want to move here.

And I think that's a big part of the story.

Nashville has become much more than a music town.

When most people outside Tennessee think about Nashville, they still think about country music and Broadway.

That's obviously a huge part of the city.

But Nashville's economy is much more diverse than people realize.

Healthcare is massive here. Finance, technology, automotive, manufacturing and professional services all have a major presence.

Amazon, Oracle, Nissan and Mitsubishi are just a few of the major companies that have made significant investments in Middle Tennessee.

And every time another large employer expands here, it creates a ripple effect.

More jobs.

More people relocating.

More restaurants and retail.

More investment.

And eventually, more companies looking at the area.

Then there's Franklin.

This is the part I think gets overlooked.

A company can locate in the Nashville area and offer employees access to a major city, international airport, professional sports, restaurants and entertainment...

While those employees can live 20–30 minutes away in Franklin.

That's a pretty compelling combination.

You have Downtown Franklin.

Great neighborhoods.

Highly regarded schools.

Parks and open space.

Newer luxury communities.

Larger properties and acreage as you move toward College Grove and Leipers Fork.

And you're still connected to everything happening in Nashville.

For families relocating from places like California, Chicago or the Northeast, that's often exactly what they're looking for.

I've seen this from both sides.

I spent most of my real estate career in Silicon Valley before relocating my own family to Middle Tennessee.

So when someone tells me they're considering moving here for a job, I understand the decision differently than someone who has lived here their entire life.

You're not just comparing houses.

You're comparing your entire lifestyle.

What does $1.5M buy me here versus where I'm coming from?

What are the schools like?

Where should I live if I'm commuting into Nashville?

Do I want Franklin, Brentwood, College Grove or something closer to the city?

What's everyday life actually like?

Those are the questions that matter.

And it's why I continue to be bullish on this area long-term.

Corporate relocation alone doesn't guarantee that real estate values go up.

But jobs matter.

Population growth matters.

Quality of life matters.

And having companies continually willing to invest hundreds of millions — and sometimes billions — of dollars into Middle Tennessee certainly matters.

That's ultimately what I find so interesting about Franklin.

You're getting the benefits of being attached to one of the fastest-growing major metros in the Southeast...

Without necessarily feeling like you live in one.

And as long as companies continue choosing Middle Tennessee, I expect families will continue making the same decision.