President Andrew Jackson was among Gallatin’s earliest landowners, and he spent much of his time here raising horses and going on raccoon hunts at the town’s Fairvue Plantation. Today, this Antebellum-era property marks the site of the modern-day Fairvue neighborhood, which features upscale homes and lakefront views. The city is also home to a charming and historic downtown complete with a variety of locally owned shops and eateries. With a population of about 45,000, Gallatin also has a growing industrial footprint. In 2020, Meta — Facebook’s umbrella company — opened a data center in the city’s industrial park, adding to the area's employment opportunities. As for neighborliness, Gallatin’s welcoming atmosphere earned it the Reader’s Digest “Nicest Place in America” award in 2017. Matt Clausen, a California native and Clausen Group Realtors’ managing broker, agrees with the accolade. “It’s a slower pace. People are nicer here, they’re communicative, they’re more social. That’s been changing over the last 15 to 20 years, of course, but people are more social, and they’re nicer,” he says, adding that parks and the proximity to the Cumberland River are another draw. “There’s a lot of appeal to this area.”
Swaney Swifts restaurant use to be an old pharmacy in Gallatin's downtown since 1950.
A major amenity of Gallatin is access to the Gallatin Marina for boating and water activities.
The META data center is located in Gallatin TN.
There are upscale home on the site of the historic Fairvue Plantation.
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Upscale neighborhoods along the water
Fairvue and the neighboring community of Foxland are two of Gallatin’s most sought-after neighborhoods. These sister communities belong to the Tennessee Grasslands, a country club that gives residents unique access to professional-grade golf courses and on-the-water living. Brick and stone homes with custom and contemporary Traditional designs make up the housing styles in these two neighborhoods; and both communities are on peninsulas, meaning homeowners can launch boats from their private docks.
Fairvue also sits on the site of the former plantation by the same name. Although modern renovations caused the property to lose its historic designation, those who pass by can still spot the centerpiece Greek Revival estate that once anchored the site. Other original fixtures that remain include a group of horse and cattle birthing stalls. Other neighborhoods, like East Main Street and the Woodson Terrace Historic District, have 19th- and 20th-century homes showcasing Tudor, Greek Revival and other classic styles.
Most single-family homes here cost roughly between $300,000 and $500,000. Gallatin has a median list price of just under $430,000, which is about $100,000 less than that of Nashville. “For the bulk of Gallatin, you can buy a brand-new home for about $360,000. It can be a three-bedroom, two-bath with a two-car garage or a one-car garage,” Clausen says. “It’s very easy to buy a very nice home in a very nice neighborhood and easily be in that $450,000-and-under mark.” A few homes, particularly those with direct waterfront access, can sell for price points reaching into the millions.
The Fairvue Plantation has several homes on the Cumberland River.
There are larger brick homes in the Farivue Plantation
The Foxland community has a golf course along the Cumberland River.
Gallatin residents have Old Hickory Lake to adventure and boat.
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Downtown Gallatin’s dining scene and downhome institutions like Top Hog
Like other small towns in the Nashville metro area, Gallatin has a historic downtown with vintage storefronts. Residents can browse this row of businesses, which ranges from cafes and casual eateries to clothing boutiques and antique stores. The Guilty Grind is a European-style bakery and coffee shop, while sister restaurant La Veneta serves traditional northern Italian cuisine. The Print Street Pizza and Pub is a popular watering hole with unique graffiti on its walls. While the city doesn’t boast a big nightlife scene, it does have a few late-night hangout spots like the Our Spot bar. The Palace Theater is a vintage movie house that still puts on films but also hosts live music and stage productions too. Gallatin also isn’t short on downhome Southern cooking. Institutions include Top Hog BBQ, a rustic establishment that’s easy to spot with its Porky Pig art. “I’m in real estate and I always go out of my way to take people to Liz’s Kitchen in Goodlettsville or Top Hog. Those are the two biggest names out here for traditional Southern,” Clausen says. Shopping centers with chain brands like Kroger, ALDI and Walmart exist along the Nashville Pike.
Print Street Pizza is a local hotspot for lunch in Gallatin.
The historic Top Hog BBQ is a local favorite in Gallatin.
Locals can get their groceries from Aldi in Gallatin.
The Guilty Grind is a busy coffee shop in Downtown Gallatin.
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Multi-purpose Triple Creek Cark and water sports along the Cumberland
Recreational amenities in Gallatin include athletic complexes, parks, walking trails, golf courses and water-oriented sports. The 185-acre Triple Creek Park is the city’s largest municipal green space and features numerous athletic fields for football, soccer, baseball or softball games. Disc golf players enjoy its 18-hole course, while dog owners will find a designated park for their pets. The all-access playground features several slides, extensive walking ramps and marked tracks for young bike riders. Triple Creek visitors can also access the Town Creek Greenway, a roughly 4-mile trail that contours the waterway of the same name and connects the park to downtown Gallatin.
From its fishing piers to its public boat ramps, the Cumberland River and Old Hickory Lake also provide their share of outdoor activities. Nearby, a handful of businesses, like Calico Jack’s east of Gallatin, rent boats for those who enjoy cruising out on the water. “We had a boat for years; now I just rent them. It’s easier,” Clausen says. “If you only go out five, six or seven times a year, it’s way cheaper to just rent it. There’s no maintenance. You just show up, turn the key, go and then leave it. Easy.”
Located on the tip of one of the peninsulas here, the Lock 4 Park is one of the most popular waterfront destinations in the area. Upon entering the park, visitors will pass through dense woodlands where mountain bikers practice their skills along the park’s extensive network of natural trails. It’s also common to spot wildlife here, including everything from small herds of deer to wild turkeys and coyotes. Out on the water, anglers can try to hook catfish, carp, bass and walleyes. “People will come up from across different states,” says Gallatin resident Jenna Graves, who regularly goes to Lock 4 to fish.
Triple Creek Park is located in Sumner County.
Old Hickory Lake near Gallatin is where locals love to boat on the weekends.
There are many homes along the Cumberland River with boat docks.
There are several miles of the Town Creek Greenway in Gallatin.
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Coming together in downtown Gallatin
The city keeps the community active throughout the year with its many seasonal events and celebrations, often held downtown. “All the community-based events and the way they get consistently scheduled is one of the main pulls, I think, to Gallatin. I really enjoy that. It’s one of my favorite things, and it’s just a lot of excuses for the whole community to come together. It’s a little something for everybody,” says Ally Clodfelter, the manager at the Guilty Grind cafe.
Downtowns streets are closed to accommodate events like The Main Street Festival held annually in early October since 1998. Featuring craft vendors, entertainment, food and children’s activities the event has grown, now hosting over 200 vendors and typically drawing around 30,000 people. The Third Thursday concert series takes place outdoors between June and September, and Square Fest is another large arts and crafts festival that brings in 25,000 visitors during the spring.
Those looking for fresh produce, breads, meats and seafood head to the Gallatin Farmers Market, which takes place on Saturdays near the downtown. Although the market usually occurs between spring and fall, it does put on special events like the Halloween Harvest in late October and the Christmas-themed Merry Market.
Locals in Gallatin can walk the safe town square and enjoy the quietness of the historical city.
Residents can shop and walk Water Ave for shopping and eating in Downtown Gallatin.
Locals can run errands and pick up gifts they find in Historical Downtown Gallatin.
Stop in to see Swaney Swift's vintage interior with Prescription signs and unique bar.
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Sumner County schools, private options and home of Vol State
The Sumner County Schools district provides public education in Gallatin and receives an overall A-minus grade from the ratings site Niche. The district oversees 16 schools within the city, including the all-grades R.T. Fisher Alternative School and the E.B. Wilson High School, the latter of which is an online school with an enrollment of just over 120 students. E.B. Wilson gets a B-minus from Niche, while R.T. Fisher is not yet rated by Niche or GreatSchools. Saint John Vianney Catholic School and the Sumner Academy provide private options, both serving prekindergarten to eighth-grade students.
Higher education institutions include the faith-based Welch College and Volunteer State Community College, which has its main campus in Gallatin and offers over 100 programs. Welch is a private Christian College that offers specialized degrees in divinity studies and various other programs through the graduate level.
Benny C. Bills Elementary School is located in Sumner County.
Joe Shafer Middle School is located in Sumner County.
Gallatin Senior High School is located in Sumner County.
Volunteer State Community College is a public community college in Gallatin, Tennessee.
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Growing industrial park with Meta data center
Gallatin’s population grew by about 47% between the 2010 and 2020 census counts and a 2023 estimate reports that the city’s population now hovers just above 50,000. Including new housing communities, nearly 100 developments in Gallatin are either under construction, awaiting construction or pending approval. The city also looks to continue improving its park spaces, roads and pedestrian access.
Sumner County government and the school district combine to be the biggest employers in the area, with over 4,500 workers, and both are based in Gallatin. Clothing retailer Gap Inc. is another major employer and has a distribution center in the city with about 1,500 employees. The city’s industrial park has also garnered attention over the past few decades, attracting companies like Meta and the Italian firearms manufacturer, Beretta.
While Gallatin has limited public transportation options, elderly residents can take shuttles through the Mid-Cumberland Public Transit’s dial-a-ride system. Otherwise, driving is how most here commute throughout the region. Major roadways include U.S. Highway 31 — also comprised of Nashville Pike and Gallatin Pike —takes residents to Nashville to the west. Tennessee State Route 109, which crosses the Cumberland and Old Hickory Lake, connects Gallatin to Wilson County to the south and Interstate 40. Although most here fly commercially out of the Nashville International Airport, Gallatin’s Music City Executive is an important resource for the business community.
The META data center is located in Gallatin TN.
Beretta's manufacturing facility is located in Gallatin TN.
Welch College was founded in 1942 and is located Gallatin.
Volunteer State Community College is a public community college in Gallatin, Tennessee.
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Important to know
The most recent and complete FBI stats show Gallatin has lower rates of violent and property crimes than Tennessee and at the national levels. Gallatin is also considered safer than Nashville, which has significantly higher violent crime and property crime rates.
Like much of the South, the area experiences mild winters and warm, humid summers. However, the region is prone to extreme weather events, particularly tornadoes. Middle Tennessee is the state’s most tornado-prone area, based on historic numbers tracked by the National Weather Service. A 2023 Risk and Vulnerability Assessment also shows that Sumner County has a high National Risk Index Score for tornadoes.
Written By
Yann Ranaivo
Photography Contributed By
Chase Brock
Video By
Conar McDaniel
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Robin Lyons,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Gallatin, TN sell after 38 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Gallatin, TN over the last 12 months is $414,950, down 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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