2023 Best Places to Retire in Tennessee

• Suburb in Tennessee

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  Rating 4.07 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: Great small town! A very quiet, safe, laid-back community. Lots of southern hospitality. Very friendly. Perfect place to raise a family!... Read 14 reviews

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• Population 1,146

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Great place to raise a family. Really nice outdoor spaces and friendly neighbors. You feel safe walking around any time of the day. All of the public spaces are very well maintained. It’s also a very quiet neighborhood, this are so quiet you can hear the crickets at night. There are a lot of active people always walking, riding bikes or playing at the local park. The crime rate is also quite low up here on the mountain. I do wish there was more ethic and cultural diversity.... Read 3 reviews

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• grade B

• grade A+

• Population 2,070

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN

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  Rating 3.8 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: Signal Mountain is a great little community. Low crime, great schools. The reviews that talk about how safe it is but then complain about the lack of diversity or how conservative it is are amusing. Is there night life? Nope. Go to Chattanooga for the night life. Why would you want it here? I say 5 stars for the "night life", which means black sky, lots of stars, and peace and quiet. The out of state guy complaining about the "crap housing" because of the prices...well guess who drove them up? All the out of state folks moving here BECAUSE of the schools and the community. I'm pretty sure your state will take ya back. Folks flooding Tennessee and Chattanooga in general have driven up housing prices. There's a reason they're moving here. In fact, I want to change my review of Signal. It's terrible. Stay away. No, really!... Read 25 reviews

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• grade A+

• Population 8,770

• Suburb of Memphis, TN

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  Rating 4.4 out of 5  87 reviews

Current Resident: Germantown is a suburb that is family oriented. Most people in Germantown commute to East Memphis (20 minute drive) for work, while students go to one of three local public schools (Germantown, Houston, or Collierville High School) or private schools (Briarcrest and Saint Georges High School). Primary education in Germantown is prioritized, but may sometimes be considered as elitist or exclusive due to religious affiliations or high costs of tuition. The population of Germantown is typically older and more wealthy, resulting in less nightlife and therefore less eating options compared to the much more lively Midtown or East Memphis areas.... Read 87 reviews

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• Population 40,955

• Suburb of Knoxville, TN

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  86 reviews

Current Resident: Farragut is a beautiful community. There are walking paths all round the town to encourage you to get outdoor and move your body, which I love! There are also all the amenities you could ever want with a small town feel. The school are some of the best in the state and lots of family friendly activities multiple times a year. With so much at your finger tips in Farragut, it’s hard to not fall in love with the town and surrounding areas.... Read 86 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 23,388

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN

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  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: An overall good place to live & work. Small town feel with a progressive city feel... Read 3 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 2,258

• Town in Tennessee

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 1,421

• Suburb in Tennessee

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 2,316

• Town in Tennessee

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  Rating 3.38 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: We have been here for 4 months and people are friendly. Churches on every corner and much to do even if you are not a golfer! Crime is low, taxes are low and nature is in abundance!... Read 8 reviews

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• grade B

• grade A

• Population 8,798

• Suburb in Tennessee

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 2,520

• Suburb in Tennessee

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  Rating 3.18 out of 5  11 reviews

Niche User: The police respond within a reasonable amount of time.... Read 11 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 8,759

• Suburb of Knoxville, TN

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  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Tellico Village is very clean, very safe and very, very beautiful. There is a large lake, Smoky Mountains close by, woods, hiking boating, golf, birding, swimming, gym, pools, restaurants, a library and tons of clubs and activities. You don't have to be wealthy to live here and residents are warm and friendly. It's no wonder residents refer to Tellico Village as "paradise". My husband and I call it "The Good Place".... Read 3 reviews

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• grade A

• Population 5,699

• Town in Tennessee

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: It's a beautiful, quiet place where people wave to you when you pass. I love living here and am so glad we moved out of the city to a more laid back place!... Read 4 reviews

• grade B+

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• grade A

• Population 1,643

• Suburb of Nashville, TN

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  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

Nearby Resident: Oak hill is just down the road from my current residence. This area of Nashville is outstanding. The neighbors are friendly and the the schools are amazing. There could be a bit of heavy traffic flow during rush hour but I don't blame anyone. It's has easy accesss because of i65 and Franklin pike. The cost of living here may be more than the surrounding areas but it's worth it. I would definitely recommend this neighborhood to anyone interested or planning on moving to Nashville. You'll only be minutes from downtown with is pretty cool. Honestly, I personally wouldn't change anything. Everyone and everything falls in place with this neighborhood. I can't complain.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 4,814

• Town in Tennessee

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  Rating 3 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived here most of my life while it's close to Knoxville and morristown and middlesbarro ky there's really nothing to do in the town we have jobs... Read 6 reviews

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• grade C

• grade A

• Population 2,767

• Suburb in Tennessee

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

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• grade A

• Population 3,966

• Town in Tennessee

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  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: I actually fell in love with this area 3 years ago. It has a beautiful small town charm. I felt safe going into stores in this area because they have security in and outside of the stores. That made me feel safer in my environment. We don’t have to leave the area that we live in because it offers many types of restaurants and retail stores. When it comes to cleanliness, this is one of the cleanest areas that I’ve ever seen in Memphis. Everyone is polite and nonjudgmental. Honestly, with me being a 5’11 African American female that says a lot about this area. I love Snowden School because my son was going through cancer treatments and dealing with ADHD. They’re hands on and helpful when it comes to keeping him focused on his schoolwork. I feel like I have found own piece of heaven on Earth. The only downside is the that the cost of living is higher in this area. That’s to be expected living in a area like this and it’s worth it.... Read 3 reviews

• grade C

• grade B minus

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• Population 1,166

• Suburb of Nashville, TN

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• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 4,959

• Suburb in Tennessee

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  Rating 4.52 out of 5  23 reviews

Nearby Resident: Jonesborough is a lovely place that reflects the history of the area in a charming and fascinating way. It celebrates its rich history of being the oldest town in Tennessee. I have lived near Jonesborough my entire life and I have always enjoyed the rural appeal of the area. It is an area that is well-known for its story-telling community. With plenty of events to attend and lots of ways to get involved, Jonesborough establishes an inviting atmosphere. This city has beautiful scenery and intriguing architecture that showcases the antiquity of the area. It provides a great educational experience.... Read 23 reviews

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• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 5,747

• Town in Tennessee

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  Rating 3.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: My experience with South Fulton, Tennessee is a positive one. I could not imagine sending my son to school in the Jackson Madison County School System. South Fulton seems safe, inviting to anyone of any age. Just married and feel like settling down? Buy a home in South Fulton, TN where your children can grow up with the best education the public school system has to offer. There are also Christian schools in Martin, TN. If you are ready to retire and just want to fish and read books, then South Fulton, TN is your ideal destination of retirement away from busy city noise. Have you heard about the black panther in Obion County? Keep your eyes peeled for a black panther that recently made headline news in Las Vegas and every other major city in the US. Quite surprising for such a small town. Just remember to always keep a lid tightly on your compost.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

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• Population 2,137

• Town in Tennessee

• grade A minus

• grade B

• grade A

• Population 2,970

• Suburb of Memphis, TN

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: Wonderful peaceful feeling! A place I love to come home too. People are friendly but not in a nosey way. Great biking roads and many ponds/lakes, easy access to interstate and rarely heavy traffic. The landscaping around the homes is gorgeous. I just wish we had a town square with some great restaurants and sidewalks on both sides of street in residential neighborhoods. Also check out the drainage in your yard before you buy a home. The developements have poor plans for water drainage. I do enjoy low taxes because we have no schools. I hope to keep it that way.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B+

• grade C minus

• grade A

• Population 2,521

• Town in Tennessee

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  Rating 3.92 out of 5  12 reviews

Nearby Resident: Small town charm that teaches you how to learn to enjoy the small things in life, close knit community where your neighbors are part of your family.... Read 12 reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• Population 4,236

• Suburb of Chattanooga, TN

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  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: I moved here when I was a kid, so I didn't have much say in it. But I absolutely loved it! Great schools, small town, but closed to bigger town if needed.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 1,810

• Town in Tennessee

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  Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Three way is the “way” to go. I have lived in three way for 8 years and love it! The community is amazing and supportive. The crime rate is like non existent and safe.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade C+

• grade A minus

• Population 1,689