Who moves to Nashville, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Davidson County, TN, home of Nashville, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 44,086from other US counties
- Moved out
- 48,004to other US counties
- Net
- −3,918more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 165tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Rutherford County, TN (Murfreesboro) | 3,735 |
| Williamson County, TN (Franklin) | 3,169 |
| Sumner County, TN | 2,078 |
| Wilson County, TN | 1,698 |
| Montgomery County, TN (Clarksville) | 1,104 |
| Shelby County, TN (Memphis) | 894 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 748 |
| Robertson County, TN | 605 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 587 |
| Maury County, TN | 475 |
| Cheatham County, TN | 472 |
| Knox County, TN (Knoxville) | 466 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Rutherford County, TN (Murfreesboro) | 6,012 |
| Williamson County, TN (Franklin) | 4,157 |
| Wilson County, TN | 3,643 |
| Sumner County, TN | 3,475 |
| Montgomery County, TN (Clarksville) | 2,130 |
| Robertson County, TN | 1,160 |
| Cheatham County, TN | 968 |
| Maury County, TN | 775 |
| Shelby County, TN (Memphis) | 557 |
| Dickson County, TN | 543 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 473 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 418 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 17,393 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Tennessee and 26,693 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Shelby County, TN (Memphis) | 894 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 748 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 587 |
| Knox County, TN (Knoxville) | 466 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 386 |
| Hamilton County, TN (Chattanooga) | 353 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 348 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 345 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Shelby County, TN (Memphis) | 557 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 473 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 418 |
| Hamilton County, TN (Chattanooga) | 413 |
| Knox County, TN (Knoxville) | 382 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 335 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 305 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 302 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Nashville come from?
Most people moving into Davidson County, TN come from nearby counties, led by Rutherford County, TN (3,735 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Shelby County, TN.
Where do people leaving Nashville move to?
The top destination is Rutherford County, TN (6,012 people). Farther away, the most popular is Shelby County, TN.
Are more people moving to Nashville or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 44,086 people moved into Davidson County, TN from elsewhere in the US and 48,004 moved out, a net loss of 3,918 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Nashville with any city it trades people with, like Nashville vs Memphis, Nashville vs Los Angeles, Nashville vs Chicago, Nashville vs Knoxville.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Nashville.