01 · the cities
Nashville
Nashville is honky-tonk neon on Broadway, hot chicken so spicy it counts as a personality test, and a music scene that includes way more than country (though country is the headliner). The Ryman Auditorium is still the most acoustically beloved room in American music. Bachelorette parties on pedal taverns are now a recognized weather pattern. Pack stretchy pants for the biscuits.
full dispatch→Raleigh
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,790/mo
$1,663/mo
$127/mo less than Nashville (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$461k
$440k
$21k less than Nashville
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,543/mo
$6,295/mo
Nashville has $248/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
173 days
201 days
28 more than Nashville
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
4 days
5 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
8 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Nashville drops below 20°F on 5 more days per year than Raleigh.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
56 / 100
58 / 100
2.0 pts ahead of Nashville
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
47 routes
39 routes
8 fewer direct routes than Nashville
Metro size
Metro size
2.1M metro
1.5M metro
Nashville has 6.0x more events per month than Raleigh.
the verdict
3
Nashville
categories won
5
Raleigh
categories won
Raleigh leads on weather and wins overall.
run your numbers
How far does your Nashville salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works