Moving to or from Tennessee?
Country music in Nashville, blues in Memphis, the Great Smoky Mountains in between. No state income tax, and one of the strongest inflows in the country from California, New York, and Illinois.
- #15 Population rank
- 7,100,000 Residents
- Nashville Largest city
Why people move to Tennessee.
- Nashville — Music City, country music capital, honky-tonks on Broadway
- Memphis — birthplace of the blues, Graceland, Beale Street, world-class BBQ
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park — the most-visited national park in the US
- No state income tax — a major relocation driver
- Tennessee whiskey — Jack Daniel's (Lynchburg) and George Dickel
- Strong net inflow — one of the fastest-growing states in the country
Where people spend their time.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park Eastern TN
- Graceland Memphis
- Grand Ole Opry Nashville
- Beale Street Memphis
- Dollywood Pigeon Forge
- Ryman Auditorium Nashville
- Country Music Hall of Fame Nashville
- Jack Daniel's Distillery Lynchburg
Biggest cities in Tennessee.
Where most of Tennessee's moves originate and terminate.
-
Nashville Pop. 690,000
Capital; Music City; one of the fastest-growing US metros
Explore Nashville guide -
Memphis Pop. 620,000
Birthplace of the blues; logistics hub (FedEx HQ)
Explore Memphis guide -
Knoxville Pop. 195,000
University of Tennessee; gateway to the Smokies
Explore Knoxville guide -
Chattanooga Pop. 185,000
Tennessee River city; outdoor-adventure hub; strong municipal fiber
Explore Chattanooga guide -
Clarksville Pop. 175,000
Fort Campbell-adjacent; fastest-growing mid-size TN city
Explore Clarksville guide -
Murfreesboro Pop. 165,000
Nashville suburb; Middle Tennessee State University
Explore Murfreesboro guide -
Franklin Pop. 85,000
Affluent Nashville suburb; Williamson County seat
Explore Franklin guide -
Johnson City Pop. 70,000
Tri-Cities region (NE Tennessee); East Tennessee State University
Explore Johnson City guide
Where Tennessee movers come from and go to.
Most common moves to Tennessee from:
Most common moves out of Tennessee to:
Detailed guides for Tennessee city moves.
Each guide includes vetted movers, neighborhoods, climate, drive time, and what to expect on arrival.
Moving from a Tennessee city:
From Nashville:
- to Los Angeles, CA
- to Austin, TX
- to New York City, NY
- to Miami, FL
- to Chicago, IL
- to Phoenix, AZ
- to Charlotte, NC
- to Atlanta, GA
- to Dallas, TX
- to Houston, TX
- to Boston, MA
- to Seattle, WA
- to Denver, CO
- to Orlando, FL
- to Tampa, FL
- to San Francisco, CA
- to Portland, OR
- to Las Vegas, NV
- to San Diego, CA
- to Salt Lake City, UT
- to Minneapolis, MN
- to Raleigh, NC
- to San Antonio, TX
- to Indianapolis, IN
- to Philadelphia, PA
- to Washington, DC
- to Detroit, MI
- to Jacksonville, FL
- to Sacramento, CA
- to Columbus, OH
- to Pittsburgh, PA
- to New Orleans, LA
- to Memphis, TN
- to Louisville, KY
- to Cleveland, OH
- to Kansas City, MO
- to Cincinnati, OH
- to St. Louis, MO
- to Milwaukee, WI
- to Buffalo, NY
- to Albuquerque, NM
From Memphis:
- to Los Angeles, CA
- to Austin, TX
- to New York City, NY
- to Miami, FL
- to Chicago, IL
- to Phoenix, AZ
- to Charlotte, NC
- to Atlanta, GA
- to Dallas, TX
- to Houston, TX
- to Boston, MA
- to Seattle, WA
- to Denver, CO
- to Nashville, TN
- to Orlando, FL
- to Tampa, FL
- to San Francisco, CA
- to Portland, OR
- to Las Vegas, NV
- to San Diego, CA
- to Salt Lake City, UT
- to Minneapolis, MN
- to Raleigh, NC
- to San Antonio, TX
- to Indianapolis, IN
- to Philadelphia, PA
- to Washington, DC
- to Detroit, MI
- to Jacksonville, FL
- to Sacramento, CA
- to Columbus, OH
- to Pittsburgh, PA
- to New Orleans, LA
- to Louisville, KY
- to Cleveland, OH
- to Kansas City, MO
- to Cincinnati, OH
- to St. Louis, MO
- to Milwaukee, WI
- to Buffalo, NY
- to Albuquerque, NM
Moving to a Tennessee city:
To Nashville:
- from Los Angeles, CA
- from Austin, TX
- from New York City, NY
- from Miami, FL
- from Chicago, IL
- from Phoenix, AZ
- from Charlotte, NC
- from Atlanta, GA
- from Dallas, TX
- from Houston, TX
- from Boston, MA
- from Seattle, WA
- from Denver, CO
- from Orlando, FL
- from Tampa, FL
- from San Francisco, CA
- from Portland, OR
- from Las Vegas, NV
- from San Diego, CA
- from Salt Lake City, UT
- from Minneapolis, MN
- from Raleigh, NC
- from San Antonio, TX
- from Indianapolis, IN
- from Philadelphia, PA
- from Washington, DC
- from Detroit, MI
- from Jacksonville, FL
- from Sacramento, CA
- from Columbus, OH
- from Pittsburgh, PA
- from New Orleans, LA
- from Memphis, TN
- from Louisville, KY
- from Cleveland, OH
- from Kansas City, MO
- from Cincinnati, OH
- from St. Louis, MO
- from Milwaukee, WI
- from Buffalo, NY
- from Albuquerque, NM
To Memphis:
- from Los Angeles, CA
- from Austin, TX
- from New York City, NY
- from Miami, FL
- from Chicago, IL
- from Phoenix, AZ
- from Charlotte, NC
- from Atlanta, GA
- from Dallas, TX
- from Houston, TX
- from Boston, MA
- from Seattle, WA
- from Denver, CO
- from Nashville, TN
- from Orlando, FL
- from Tampa, FL
- from San Francisco, CA
- from Portland, OR
- from Las Vegas, NV
- from San Diego, CA
- from Salt Lake City, UT
- from Minneapolis, MN
- from Raleigh, NC
- from San Antonio, TX
- from Indianapolis, IN
- from Philadelphia, PA
- from Washington, DC
- from Detroit, MI
- from Jacksonville, FL
- from Sacramento, CA
- from Columbus, OH
- from Pittsburgh, PA
- from New Orleans, LA
- from Louisville, KY
- from Cleveland, OH
- from Kansas City, MO
- from Cincinnati, OH
- from St. Louis, MO
- from Milwaukee, WI
- from Buffalo, NY
- from Albuquerque, NM
Planning a Tennessee move.
Humid subtropical across most of the state. Hot, humid summers; mild winters with occasional snow. Great Smoky Mountains get more snow and colder temps. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes peak April through June, especially in Middle and West Tennessee. Remnant tropical storms occasionally affect the state in fall.
- Nashville's housing market is one of the tightest in the country. Mover demand follows — booking 6–10 weeks ahead is now standard for Nashville-area moves. Peak season (May–August) can see pricing 25–40% above the state average.
- Tennessee is split into three 'grand divisions' — West (Memphis), Middle (Nashville), and East (Knoxville/Chattanooga). Cross-division moves cover 200–400 miles and often require overnight driver stays. Plan 2-day delivery windows for Memphis-Knoxville or similar hauls.
- Tornado Alley's eastern edge runs through Middle and West Tennessee. Severe-weather move cancellations happen in April and May. Confirm your mover has weather-rescheduling clauses if moving during that window.
- No state income tax is real, but Tennessee has one of the highest combined sales-tax rates in the country (9.55% statewide average). Factor into your cost-of-living math — the net varies significantly by income level.
Intrastate household-goods movers in Tennessee must be licensed by the Tennessee Public Utility Commission (TPUC) and carry a valid HHG certificate. Verify any TN mover's license at the TPUC public lookup before signing. Interstate movers also need a USDOT number from the FMCSA.
Moving in Tennessee: FAQ.
How much does it cost to move within Tennessee?
Local moves under 50 miles run $700–$2,500 for a 1–2 bedroom and $2,300–$5,800 for a 3–4 bedroom. Nashville runs 15–25% higher than Memphis, Knoxville, or Chattanooga due to demand. Cross-state TN moves (Memphis to Knoxville = 400 miles) run $2,400–$6,500 for a 2-bedroom.
Why is everyone moving to Nashville?
Three reasons: no state income tax, a booming job market (healthcare, music industry, corporate HQ relocations from CA and NY), and moderate cost of living (though rising fast). Nashville added roughly 100 people per day throughout the 2010s. The tradeoff: housing costs have roughly doubled since 2015, and the city's infrastructure is struggling to keep up.
Do Tennessee movers need a state license?
Yes. Household-goods movers operating within Tennessee must be licensed by the Tennessee Public Utility Commission (TPUC). You can verify any TN mover's license at the TPUC public lookup. Unlicensed movers are most common in the Nashville market — always verify before booking.
Is the no-state-income-tax really a deal for Tennessee?
Yes, but less dramatic than Texas or Florida. Tennessee has no income tax, but its combined sales-tax rate of 9.55% is the second-highest in the country. For high earners, the savings vs. California or New York are significant; for middle-income households, the gap is narrower than headlines suggest.
Nashville, Memphis, or Knoxville — which is best?
Depends on industry and lifestyle. Nashville: healthcare, music, corporate growth; highest cost. Memphis: logistics, healthcare, BBQ and music culture; lowest cost. Knoxville: university, outdoor access to the Smokies, growing tech. Chattanooga is a fourth option — smaller but with outstanding internet infrastructure and a strong outdoor-adventure scene.
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