5 Best Towns Near Nashville For Retirees

The best retirement towns that are close to Nashville cater to active, budget-conscious seniors who enjoy going for hikes and spending time with grandchildren. As an example, Crossville and White Bluff are both close to scenic state parks, with accessible mountain trails and golf courses, while also providing fun activities for grandkids, such as a 17,000 square foot playground. Some of these outdoor spaces have an intriguing history, going back to the War of 1812, which gave Tennessee its reputation for military service. Despite being under two hours away from Nashville, all of these towns have a median house listing price at or below the state median, while also providing proximity to general hospitals.

Crossville

Crossville sits at the crossroads of several large cities, with Nashville being around a 1-hour, 48-minute drive away, and Knoxville and Chattanooga a mere 75 and 80 miles away from the town, respectively. This convenience comes with a fair price tag as well, with a median house list price that is below the Tennessee state average. The town itself is worth spending time in, especially for active seniors who enjoy hiking.

Crossville is on the Cumberland Plateau and has more than 25 hiking trails throughout numerous Appalachian Mountain parks, including the Cumberland Mountain State Park and Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. Many of these trails are accessible, such as the Amherst Hiking Trail, which goes through the Fairfield Glade Forest on trails between Sherwood and St. George Lakes. Crossville also contains several charming historic sites, such as the Historic Crossville Depot and the Homesteads Tower Museum, which was constructed in 1938 to serve as a headquarters for the New Deal homesteading initiative, championed by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Cookeville

At under an hour and a half from Nashville and with a median listing price below Tennessee’s statewide median, Cookeville is both an affordable town and an active community. The town is especially skilled at putting on a good show, such as theatrical performances at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center or the second biggest fireworks display in Tennessee during its Red, White, and Boom 4th of July festival.

Some of Cookeville's best performances take place outside, with its more than 150 waterfalls in the surrounding region at state parks like Burgess Falls State Park and Cummins Falls State Park. Cummins Falls, in particular, is just nine miles north of the city and has served as a hiking and swimming spot for visitors for more than 100 years. Cookeville helps its residents stay healthy not just through outdoor spots but also its well-reviewed Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

White Bluff

White Bluff is one of the closest towns on this list to Nashville, at around 40 minutes away. It's an affordable community with a median house list price below the state average. White Bluff has a strong community focus, with festivals held throughout the year, such as the Main Street Festival in October and White Bluff Independence Day Festival on the 4th of July. It's a great town for seniors who have grandkids over often, with the Field of Dreams offering a 17,000 square foot playground right outside of the Community Center.

Seniors who love to spend time outside can go to the Montgomery Bell State Park, just a short drive west of White Bluff. Here one can find many types of outdoor activities, like hiking through rolling hills, fishing by Lake Acorn, or going golfing at one of nine Tennessee Golf Trail courses.

Fayetteville

Fayetteville is one of the most affordable small towns within two hours of Nashville, with a median list price that's around $90,000 below the state average. It has a population of just over 7,000 people who can easily compete with the big city on the art front, with Carriage House Players putting on shows such as They Promised Her the Moon and Dragonfly Gallery and Design showcasing local artists in the center of downtown Fayetteville.

Fayetteville is also crucial in Tennessee's military history, as it was the site of Camp Blount, where General Andrew Jackson recruited troops for the War of 1812 in October 1813. The sheer number of volunteers he received gave the state its nickname of the Volunteer State. Today, Historic Camp Blount is being developed into a full park telling the history of the larger War of 1812. Seniors can purchase a little piece of history for themselves at one of the many antique shops in Fayetteville, such as Sissy's Antiques & Interiors. Lincoln Health is the main general hospital serving the town and the surrounding region.

White House

White House is only 35 minutes away from Nashville, with a median list housing price just below the state median. The town got the name White House due to a two-story white house built in the region, which stood out due to how rare white houses were during the 1830s. Today, that house has been rebuilt as a replica called the White House Inn Museum. The museum preserves artifacts from Hamilton's Fort, which was built in 1788 as the first settlement in the region.

For seniors with dogs, they can take them out for a stroll at the Rover's Ridge Dog Park, or enjoy time with grandchildren at the splash pad at Municipal Park.

The crossroads are a good place to be, as they offer close access to anything one could need. That's certainly the case with these retiree-friendly Tennessee towns, both due to their proximity to Nashville and to a diverse array of activities, whether that's spending a day exploring the Cumberland Plateau in Crossville or antique hunting in Fayetteville. They accommodate socially active seniors as well through grand town festivals, such as Cookeville's massive fireworks. The best attributes of all of these towns are that they offer affordable housing in prime real estate in the crossroads of Tennessee.