Known as the "Nursery Capital of the World," McMinnville sits at the heart of Tennessee between Nashville and Chattanooga. Home to 14,000 people, this agricultural hub offers natural beauty and a small-town feel. “It’s quaint and welcoming,” says Dorinda Walker, affiliate broker with Paul Holder Realty & Auction. “People are drawn to the terrain and scenery. You have mountains, flatlands, natural waterfalls and lots of beautiful rivers and lakes. There are a lot of tourist attractions that aren’t super heavily commercialized.” A small commercial hub in the center of the city features historic buildings occupied by independent shops and restaurants.
Common industries include manufacturing and agriculture, with plant nurseries leading the way.
Homes on midsized lots can be found all over McMinnville.
Main Street in McMinnville is home to a variety of boutiques and restaurants.
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Ranch-style homes sprawl on quarter acre lots
The median home price is $263,000, well under the national median. Ranch-style homes and New Traditional homes are most common, often on lots from a quarter-acre to 2 acres. “We have a lot of farms,” says Walker. “And housing is definitely growing, but we’re still growing on a scale that’s a half-acre lot or larger. So not like what you’d see in a typical metropolitan area.”
Downtown, the Historical Preservation Committee dictates guidelines for renovation. “The local people are on board with that because we are revitalizing, but the historic committee preserves the original historic value in a lot of the buildings,” says Walker. She describes the importance of maintaining downtown, not only for the historical value, but also because many buildings and structures function as geographic waypoints. “We’re small-town — people use the landmarks for directions. When people give directions downtown, they’ll say it's either 'before the fountain' or 'after the fountain.' ”
Ranch homes dot the landscape of McMinnville.
McMinnville is home to a variety of houses including newly built traditional houses.
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Theaters, parks and natural landmarks
McMinnville has five parks: Riverfront, Ramsey, Rocket, Pepper Branch and Pistole. The Milner Recreation Center offers a water park and sports fields. In the winter, the city has an ice rink downtown. Serving as the centerpiece of McMinnville, The Park Theater presents live performances in a building dating back to 1939.
Cumberland Caverns, a national natural landmark, features concerts and walking tours.
Milner Recreation Center offers indoor recreation activities for the locals of McMinnville.
Pepper Branch Park offers a place for children to climb safely in McMinnville.
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Restaurants and boutiques in the historic downtown
Downtown is the hub of McMinnville, with shops and restaurants lining historic streets. “In this area, everybody that’s business-minded tries to centrally locate to the downtown,” says Walker. “It's packed.” Popular cuisine choices include BBQ and Mexican food, with coffee shops also taking center stage. Most restaurants are independently and locally owned, with few chains and fast food places to be found.
Vanilla Bean Baking Company offers fresh baked goods and coffee to the residents of McMinnville.
Collins River BBQ in McMinnville is a source of great food, cold craft beers, friendly service and live music.
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Nurseries serve as a major part of the agriculture industry
Home to over 450 nurseries, McMinnville’s climate and soil make it ideal for many plants. Nurseries here cultivate everything from fruit trees to ornamental grasses, generating over $300 million annually for the city. “Almost any tree, shrub and plant around the world has been generated here or grown as a seedling,” says Walker.
McMinnville is known as the "Nursery Capital of the World",
Over 400 nurseries can be found in McMinnville.
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The Warren County School District
The Warren County School District scores a C on Niche. Its 6,500 students are split between nine elementary schools, eight middle schools and three high schools. Motlow State Community College's McMinnville Campus offers more than 75 academic programs.
Warren County High School as of 2024 had a student population of 1,862.
Warren County Middle School offers education to students in grades 6-8 in McMinnville.
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Equidistant to Nashville and Chattanooga
Intersected by U.S. Route 70S and State Route 56, McMinnville offers direct routes to Nashville 76 miles northwest and Chattanooga 74 miles southeast. GO Upper Cumberland Public Transit provides several routes throughout the city. The Nashville International Airport is 72 miles away.
Crime and climate
McMinnville has a humid summers and experiences four seasons.
According to FBI data, the rates of reported violent crime in McMinnville are equal to the Tennessee average and national average, though rates of property crime are lower.
Written By
Stephanie Davison
Photography Contributed By
Andrew Nelson
Video By
Elia Faith Crianza
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Dale Nichols,
an experienced agent in this area.
On average, homes in McMinnville, TN sell after 79 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in McMinnville, TN over the last 12 months is $350,000.
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