Moving from San Diego to Nashville: A Comprehensive Guide
Dec 22, 2023
Moving from San Diego to Nashville is equivalent to covering the breadth of the US state. You will be moving from the extreme southwest to the southeast. Both cities are 1,987 miles apart, so you should be ready for many changes in terms of weather, food, lifestyle, culture, and the cost of living.
Let’s see what Nashville, the Music City, has in store for those moving from San Diego, as revealed by intrastate movers.
Nashville is less crowded
Considering moving to a sparsely populated city? Nashville is fairly less crowded than San Diego. Nashville has a population of around 0.6 million, whereas San Diego has a population of 1.39 million.
There is a huge difference in population density, with 460 people per square kilometer in Nashville and 1,545 people per square kilometer in San Diego. Less population means more resources available for the residents.
Nashville enjoys four seasons in extreme
Unlike San Diego’s moderate climate throughout the year, with dry and warm summers and mild and cold winters, Nashville experiences all four seasons in extreme nature.
The summers are very hot and humid in Nashville. On the other hand, the winters are freezing with a prevalence of snow. You will also experience thunderstorms in the summer. The spring brings in a lot of grass, trees, and pollen. Thus, residents here should be aware of allergies.
The average temperature in summer in Nashville ranges from 71 degrees F to 89 degrees F, whereas in winter, it ranges from 32 degrees F to 48 degrees F.
Nashville has a lower cost of living
No matter what, the moving decision all comes down to the affordability of the city, and Nashville tops it off well. As per Salary.com, the cost of living in Nashville is 31.4% lower than in San Diego.
Meals, utilities, transportation, childcare, housing, and rent are cheaper in Nashville. However, it should also be noted that employers in Nashville also pay 12.5% less than in Nashville, as per numbeo.com.
The median house value in Nashville is half that of San Diego
Buying a house in Nashville is cheaper. As per Zillow, the median house value in Nashville is $427,290, about half of the average median house value in San Diego, $961,892.
If you are settling into Nashville permanently, it’s not a bad idea to look into buying prospects. Nashville has also shown a 3.3% increase in sales price since last year.
Renting in Nashville is also a feasible option. The average rent in Nashville is around $1,761, whereas in San Diego, the average rent of an apartment is $2,997, both figures as per RentCafe. However, some Nashville neighborhoods can be more expensive than others and should be researched accordingly.
No income tax in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee, has no individual income tax for residents and non-residents. It only has a flat corporate tax of 6.50%. This is a huge advantage of living in Nashville, allowing individuals to save their annual income.
On the other hand, San Diego has strict and varying income tax rates for residents and non-residents receiving income from California sources. The income tax in San Diego, California, ranges from 1% to 12.3%, depending on your income level. Even the sales tax levied in Nashville is slightly less than what is levied in San Diego on your business sales.
Nashville has fewer top schools and colleges
Compared to San Diego, Nashville may not host a variety of top schools and colleges, but enough to pursue the schooling and education of your dreams.
As per US News, some of the top high schools in and around Nashville include
- Merrol Hyde Magnet School, Hendersonville (31 in the national ranking),
- Central Magnet School, Murfreesboro (38 in the national ranking)
- Hume Fogg Magnet High School, Nashville (98 in the national ranking)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School, Nashville
Being a country music capital city, Nashville is famous for colleges amongst music enthusiasts. It’s known for its notable music programs and music production degrees. Nashville does host some of the best colleges in the world, like:
- Vanderbilt University (18 in the national ranking)
- Belmont University (236 in the national ranking)
- Lipscomb University
- Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville has the worst commute times
Be ready to hassle with traffic in Nashville. While the average commute time in San Diego is 26.1 minutes, the average commute time in Nashville is 28.6 minutes. It even has a low walk score, transit score, and bike score. This makes all means of transport in Nashville unworthy.
According to Inrix, Nashville is also ranked 131st on the list of the most congested cities in the world. This is also because, due to poor walkability and transit scores, people prefer their own cars to get to work. In fact, only 2.6% of the households in Nashville do not have cars.
Nashville has a thriving job market.
Unlike San Diego, Nashville’s job market isn’t just heavily restricted to tourism. Nashville, in fact, has a lower unemployment rate than San Diego. As per ycharts data, the unemployment rate in Nashville is 2.90%, with a long-term average of 4.90%. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in San Diego is 4.10%, with a long-term average of 5.71%.
People moving to Nashville can find jobs in many industries, including healthcare, automobiles, retail, technology, and music. Some of the top employers in Nashville include Amazon, Deloitte, Vanderbilt University, HCA Healthcare, Randstad (a staffing agency), Asurion (technology), Dell, and many more.
Nashville is a treasure trove of culinary experiences.
When in Nashville, indulge in the taste of fiery fried chicken, fluffy biscuits, meat, local burgers, classic wood-fired pizza, and more.
Some famous food outlets include Hattie B’s, Martin’s Bar-b-Que Joint, Biscuit Love, Desano Pizza, Pinewood Social, and more. There is a lot to explore in Nashville when it comes to food.
Nashville is full of museums
Moving from San Diego will make you miss the beaches in Nashville. The weekend vibes around the beach will stay unmatched in Nashville. However, if you are into music and history, here are some of the top attractions in Nashville you should know about:
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- Johnny Cash Museum
- Gaylord Opryland Resort
- Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery
- Lane Motor Museum
- Nashville Zoo
- Tootsies Orchid Lounge
Get Moving Now!
Has Nashville fascinated you enough to make a shift from San Diego? If yes, with its decades of experience, Allied Atlas can take care of this long move responsibly. We specialize in long-distance moves and will relocate you to Nashville at your convenience. Atlas Allied has been in the moving industry since 1925 and knows the ins and outs of residential moving. Get a free moving quote today.