BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (WMOT) -- A new study ranks the most family-friendly cities in Tennessee and you might be surprised by the results.
WMOT reporting partner Wallethub.com compared 21 livability indicators to rank the states’ largest communities. Analyst Jill Gonzalez says it was the smaller cities and suburbs that scored the highest.
“The top three cities in Tennessee -- remember to raise a family, so everything from family life and fun to education, health and safety -- start off with Franklin, that would be the number one spot, followed by Brentwood, and Germantown was number three.”
Gonzalez says Tennessee largest cities all scored in the bottom half of the list. Knoxville ranked 33, Chattanooga 38, and Nashville 39, while Memphis dropped all the way to 57. She says it was fairly typical big city problems that impacted their scores.
“Safety…of course bigger cities means higher crime rates., and then the socioeconomics here. We’re seeing more people living beneath the poverty line in several of those bigger cities, and of course things like housing affordability and unemployment rates.”
Wallethub says that some solid numbers combined with the state’s Southern charm makes Tennessee a great place for young families to make a home.
Would you like to take a look at the complete Wallethub study?