Nashville Takes Fourth Place for Best City in the South

Belmont Vision Multimedia. (Zach Watkins)

Nashville is the No. 4 best city in the South, according to a Southern Living magazine readers’ poll with over 17,000 respondents. 

“Out of all the cities in the South I've been to, Nashville is definitely one of my favorites,” said freshman Ella LeGrange. 

Sophomore Mallory Piedmont, freshman Zion Graybill and freshman Abigail Ryan are from various Southern cities. 

All three said they agree that Nashville is one of the best cities in the South, and they think it has perks that their own cities don’t. 

“I came from Dallas, which is kind of the bigger city in Texas. And I find it hard to do stuff there,” said Graybill. 

Nashville's music scene is one of the biggest attractions for tourists and Belmont students alike, whether it be for country or other genres. However, there’s more to Nashville than just music, said Piedmont. 

The Southern Living article that posted the poll results agrees that there is much more to what makes Nashville stand out. 

“Music is just one part of the equation in this fun-loving city that has experienced exponential growth in recent years,” according to the article by Tara Massouleh McCay. 

The bustling atmosphere and the opportunities to make connections are another part of why some Belmont students love Nashville. 

“You're right in the heart of where all that stuff is happening. It's a great place to make connections with people, and I think that's the main advantage,” said LeGrange. 

Many industries are booming and creating jobs for new graduates, according to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. 

“I would say Belmont also has really great opportunities with the workforce … you have such a better opportunity here than some other places just because it's in Nashville,” said Graybill. 

Ryan agrees that Nashville helps make Belmont an appealing school; it combines Southern charm with a high-quality liberal arts education. 

“I think that helps with the draw of like, ‘Oh, it's in Nashville, so it's Southern, but still very different,’” said Ryan. 

With Nashville’s growing popularity, LeGrange and Piedmont worry that this title will increase the amount of people moving to Nashville, creating further overpopulation and gentrification. LeGrange specifically thinks that Nashville is losing some of its original spirit. 

Despite possible concerns, Piedmont, LeGrange, Ryan and Graybill all said they hope to stay in Nashville. 

“I really like being here. I like the neighborhood feel and it's very homey... Each little pocket of Nashville has its own thing to offer,” said Piedmont. 

Written by Olivia Abernathy