NASHVILLEREGIONAL PROFILE

Published by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

NASHVILLE: Strategically located in the heart of the

Tennessee Valley, the Nashville region is where businesses

thrive and the creative spirit resonates across industries

and communities. The Nashville MSA has 14 counties and

a population of nearly 1.8 million, making it the largest

metro area in a five-state region. Many corporate

headquarter giants call Nashville home, including

Nissan North America, Bridgestone Americas, Dollar

General, Hospital Corporation of America and

Gibson Guitar.

A national hub for the creative class, Nashville has the

strongest concentration of the music industry in America.

The Nashville region’s educated workforce not only

provides an abundant talent pool for companies, but

also bolsters the region’s vibrancy, artistic and musical

essence, and competitive edge in technology and

innovation. The Nashville region is defined by a diverse

economy, low costs of living and doing business, a creative

culture and a well-educated population. Cultural diversity,

unique neighborhoods, a variety of industries and a

thriving creative community make Middle Tennessee

among the nation’s best locations for relocating,

expanding and startup companies.

50% OF THE U.S. POPULATION (150 MILLION PEOPLE) LIVES WITHIN 650 MILES OF NASHVILLE.

40 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE WITHIN 300 MILES OF NASHVILLE.

POPULATION GROWTH AND TOP EMPLOYERS

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2010: 39,105 // 2014: 39,764 (+1.7%)

TOP EMPLOYERS:

CHEATHAMCOUNTY

MAURYCOUNTY

RUTHERFORD COUNTY

WILSON COUNTY

DAVIDSON COUNTY

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

SUMNERCOUNTY

TENNESSEE

ROBERTSON COUNTY

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

NASHVILLE ECONOMIC MARKET

A.O. Smith Water Products, Trinity Industries, Homax

2010: 626,681 // 2014: 668,347

(+6.6%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Vanderbilt University, HCA, St. Thomas Health Services

2010: 80,956 // 2014: 85,515 (+5.6%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Maury Regional Medical Center,

IBEX Global, GM Spring Hill Manufacturing

2010: 172,331 // 2014: 189,961

(+10.2%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Gateway Medical Center, Trane, Austin Peay State

University

2010: 66,283 // 2014: 68,079 (+2.7%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Electrolux, Unarco Material Handling, Johnson Electric

2010: 262,604 // 2014: 288,906

(+ 10.0%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Nissan North America, Middle

Tennessee State University, National HealthCare

Corporation

2010: 160,645 // 2014: 172,706 (+7.5%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Volunteer State Community College, Sumner Regional Medical Center, Gap Inc.

2010: 183,182 // 2014: 205,226 (+12.0%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Vanderbilt Medical Group,

Community Health Systems, Nissan North America

2010: 113,993 // 2014: 125,376

(+ 10.0%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Cracker Barrel, Performance

Food Group, Amazon

2010: 6,346,105 // 2014: 6,549,352(+3.2%)

2010: 1,755,446 // 2014: 1,894,455 (+7.9%)

Davidson Wilson

RutherfordWilliamson

Maury

Dickson

Sumner

Cheatham

RobertsonMontgomery

DICKSON COUNTY

2010: 49,666 // 2014: 50,575

(+1.8%)

TOP EMPLOYERS: Tennsco, Nemak, TN Odom’s

Pride Sausage

CompanyNumber of employees Industry

Vanderbilt UniversityNissan North America

HCASaint Thomas Health

Randstad

Electrolux Home Products

Community Health SystemsCracker Barrel Old Country Store

Shoney’sThe Kroger Co.

Middle Tennessee State UniversityGeneral Motors

Maury Regional Medical CenterUPS

National HealthCare Corp.

Dollar General Corp.Ingram Content Group

Amazon.com

A.O. Smith Corp. Bridgestone Americas

AT&T

State Farm Insurance Cos.

Tyson Foods

Williamson Medical CenterThe Trane Company

Dell

YMCA of Middle TennesseeUnitedHealth Group

Ibex Global

LifeWay Christian ResourcesAsurion

Regions Financial Corp.

GenescoCigna-HealthspringCGS Administrators

Centerstone

Gateway Medical CenterJohnson Controls

Sumner Regional Medical CenterOHL

Austin Peay State UniversityBelmont University

Verizon Wireless

UBS

Unipres USAEmdeonGENCO

Schneider Electric

ComdataTractor Supply Company

General Mills

TOP REGIONAL EMPLOYERS NASHVILLE REGION’S DIVERSE ECONOMY

22,105

10,050

7,000

7,000

3,785

3,200

3,092

3,012

3,000

2,554

2,200

2,139

2,135

2,012

2,000

2,000

2,000

2,000

1,900

1,855

1,855

1,650

1,600

1,412

1,400

1,400

1,344

1,342

1,300

1,281

1,250

1,250

1,245

1,200

1,100

1,110

1,100

1,080

1,079

1,044

1,039

1,023

1,001

1,000

975

950

950

900

900

900

891

Management, information, admin.,

professional, and tech. services (19.3%)

Retail Trade (15.0%)

Finance, insurance, and real estate (11.9%)

Health care and social assistance (11.0%)

Accommodation and food services (9.1%)

Transportation, warehousing, and wholesale

trade (8.0%)

Construction (7.5%)

Education, arts, entertainment, and

recreation (4.3%)

Manufacturing (3.6%)

Miscellaneous services (10.4%)

40,613 business establishments (Nashville MSA)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013

Source: Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Research Center, 2015

National, regional or division headquarters in bold. Excludes government employers.

SKILLED AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE

High school graduate (includes equivalency)

Some college, no degree

Associate degree

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Educational AttainmentPopulation age 25 and older

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013

total workforce in the Nashville Economic MarketSource: TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development, 2014

28.6%20.6%

6.7%

32.3%

Race and Ethnicity

White (77.9%)

Black/African American (15.4%)

Asian (2.4%)

American Indian/Native Alaskan (0.3%)

Other/two or more races (4.1%)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013

941,770Age Characteristics

0-19 (26.5%)

20-29 (14.6%)

30-39 (14.0%)

40-49 (14.2%)

50-64 (19.1%)

65+ (11.7%)Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013

ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION

• Nashville International Airport is

located eight miles from downtown.

• Offers 390 daily arriving and departing

flights and provides service to more than

11 million passengers annually.

• Served by 10 airlines and provides non-

stop air service to more than 50 markets.

• Nashville is one of only six U.S. cities at the

convergence of three major interstate

highways – I-40, I-65 and I-24.

• The 440 Parkway Downtown Loop and Briley

Parkway link the urbanized areas; Route 840

connects 4 counties in an outer loop.

• 140 freight carriers and 150 truck

terminals

• CSX Transportation has two major rail yards

in Nashville, as well as an Intermodal

terminal, TDSI automatic distribution terminal,

and TRANSFLO terminal. Nashville is CSX’s

division headquarters.

• Port of Nashville on the Cumberland River;

9-foot navigation channel accessible to Ohio

River, Mississippi River, and Gulf of Mexico.

• Intercity bus system

• Music City Star suburban rail

• Nashville B-cycle bike-sharesystem

AIR

ROAD

AIR RAIL

TRANSIT

WATER

Accredited Four-Year & Postgraduate

Aquinas College

Austin Peay State University

Belmont University

Cumberland University

Fisk University

Lipscomb University

Meharry Medical College

Middle Tennessee State University

Nashville School of Law

Tennessee State University

Tennessee Technological University

Trevecca Nazarene University

University of the South

University of Tenessee Space Institute

Vanderbilt University

Columbia State Community College

Motlow State Community College

Nashville State Community College

Volunteer State Community College

Tennessee College of Applied Technology

Tennessee College of Applied Technology

Tennessee College of Applied Technology

Location

Nashville

Clarksville

Nashville

Lebanon

Nashville

Nashville

Nashville

Murfreesboro

Nashville

Nashville

Cookeville

Nashville

Sewanee

Tullahoma

Nashville

Columbia

Lynchburg

Nashville

Gallatin

Nashville

Dickson

Murfreesboro

TOTAL ENROLLED

Enrolled in 2013

574

10,339

6,915

1,501

646

4,580

801

23,881

640

8,883

11,118

2,406

1,701

100

12,757

5,225

4,900

10,007

8,153

1,014

481

335

117,292

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Accredited Two-Year Institutions & Tech Schools

HIGHER EDUCATION

More than 17,000 students graduate from Nashville-

area colleges annually, with 10,000 choosing to remain

in the Nashville region.

More than 117,000 students attend the Nashville region’s higher

education institutions.

LOW COST OF DOING BUSINESS - HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE

Tax Policy

State income tax: None on wages, 6% on types of interest income

Sales and use tax: 7% state tax rate, except food at 5%, 2.75% local option

Excise tax: 6.5% of Tennessee taxable income

Franchise tax: 0.25% of the greater of net worth or real and tangible property (minimum $100)

Inventory tax: None on finished goods inventory.

Professional privilege tax: $400

Unemployment insurance tax: 2.7% of the first $9,000 in wages for new employers

Tennessee is a business-friendly state with one of the nation’s lowest tax burdens. This keeps the cost of doing business

in Nashville at about 84 percent of the national average. Nashville offers a high quality of life in a low-cost business

environment. Because there is no personal income tax, your dollar goes further in Nashville than most cities in America

and throughout the world. With a cost of living 10 percent below the U.S. average and per capita income higher than the

national average, Nashville residents have more disposable income for educational and leisure activities.

Per Capita Income

County

Cheatham

Davidson

Dickson

Maury

Montgomery

Robertson

Rutherford

Sumner

Williamson

Wilson

Tennessee state total

U.S.

$35,594

$51,245

$33,039

$33,464

$41,695

$37,800

$35,113

$39,894

$69,439

$41,288

$39,558

$44,765

Property Tax

County

Cheatham

Davidson (general)

Davidson (urban)

Dickson

Maury

Montgomery

Robertson

Rutherford

Sumner

Williamson

Wilson

Tax rate %

2.78

3.92

4.51

2.90

2.62

2.97

2.96

2.49

2.50

2.31

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Unemployment Rate %

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0%

Nashville MSA

Tennessee

United States

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Economic Development

Courtney Ross

615-743-3079

cross@nashvillechamber.com

COST-OF-LIVING INDEXU.S. Average = 100

New York City 222.6

Boston 137.7

San Francisco 167.5

Seattle 126.9

Los Angeles 135.1

Austin 94.6Tampa 92.4

Atlanta 99.6

Nashville 90.2

Indianapolis 93.5

Chicago 116.7

Raleigh 93.3

Charlotte 95.0

Nashville Predators (NHL)

Tennessee Titans (NFL)

Nashville Sounds (MLB)

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere

Nashville Shores

Area farmers’ markets

More than 100 public parks

80 miles of paved trails

56 golf courses

30,000 acres of inland lakes

Ryman Auditorium

Schermerhorn Symphony Center

Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Nashville Ballet

Nashville Opera

Grand Ole Opry

Bridgestone Arena

More than 120 live performance venues

Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum

Frist Center for the Visual Arts

Johnny Cash Museum

Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Museum of Art

The Parthenon

Tennessee State Museum

CMA Music Festival

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

nashvillechamber.com

Platinum Level Certified: Valley Sustainable Community (TVA)

$9.7 billion music industry impact

More than 600 arts-related non-profits

200 downtown restaurants and bars

7,500 residents live downtown

55,000 people work in downtown core

Source: ACCRA Cost of Living 2014 annual data

Research

Garrett Harper

615-743-3020

gharper@nashvillechamber.com

nashvillechamber.com/researchcenter

SPORTS & LEISURE

CREATIVE VITALITY

PERFORMING ARTS

MUSEUMS & FESTIVALS