A Nashville Reality Check

While Nashville is now the largest city in Tennessee and among the fastest-growing in the nation, a new report reveals that for many, the economy just isn’t working. Fox 17 reports on a study that reveals Nashville is a national leader in percentage of students living in poverty. Here’s more:


Music City is breaking national records, but not in a good way this time. According to a new report by Metro Social Services, the city ranks ninth in the country for students living in poverty in comparison to other districts. The three page report was presented to the 11 member Minority Caucus of the Metro Council on Monday.


The report found half of the city’s workforce makes less than $35,000 a year and when companies move to town, a majority of those jobs go to those not from Nashville. The report also shows working class families are starting to leave Nashville. Moreover, at least seven people a day are relocating.

The report comes amid a major budget crisis in the city and follows previous reporting indicating Nashville’s teachers are paid well below what it takes to actually live in the city.


Imagine working for 25 years in the same profession, earning an advanced degree in your field, and making $7000 less than the “comfortable living” salary for your city? That’s what’s happening in MNPS.

What’s perhaps most striking about these numbers is that Nashville’s leaders have been aware of these issues for years and have so far done little to actually address them.

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