CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Once again, Clarksville has made Money magazine’s list of the 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S., landing in the “New Boomtowns” section.

“Clarksville may be one of the oldest cities in Tennessee, but it’s full of new jobs, new businesses and new people calling it home,” says the listing for Clarksville on the Money list released today.

This is the second time Clarksville has made the list, having been named the No. 1 Best Place to Live in 2019. Unlike in previous years, though, this time Money is providing a list of the top 50 without assigning a numerical ranking. They made their choices based in part on:

  • The health of the local job market.
  • The average housing costs borne by homeowners and renters.
  • The percentage of residents in poverty.
  • The quality of public schools.

Money categorized Clarksville in the New Boomtowns section of the list. Their description of Clarksville continues: “It’s no wonder young families are settling down here. (The average age of Clarksville’s residents is 30, ironically, making it one of the youngest of Tennessee’s cities, too.) The town offers ample access to hiking trails at state and local parks, boating and fishing on the Cumberland River and rock climbing at King’s Bluff. Clarksville’s downtown boasts the majestic Roxy Theatre, which first opened in 1947, a world-class museum and tons of shopping.”

The listing cites Clarksville’s rapid growth, in both job opportunities and population.

“The city is also a long-running Money favorite: In 2019, we named it the best place to live in the U.S. In the five years since, Clarksville has experienced meteoric growth, largely in the form of big investments by companies like LG Chem, which is building a 420-acre EV battery plant in the city. Last year, the city broke ground on two solar farms expected to provide clean energy to over 1,000 households. Over the next four years, Moody’s predicts, Clarksville’s job market will grow 9% — twice the national average.”

Key economic indicators

  • Population: 176,974
  • Median Listing Price: $325,000
  • Unemployment Rate: 3.50%

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts said the city is honored to again make the list. “We are also extremely proud to have become a mainstay of that list, having ranked at the top of it in 2019. We are going to continue working to provide good-paying jobs, affordability, and the kind of quality of life that continues to appeal to Money, and to so many people across the country.”

Two other Tennessee cities made the list: Chattanooga and Knoxville.

“This is just another indication of the great people we have in this community and the great people that make Clarksville an attraction for great places to live,” said Buck Dellinger, CEO of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council.

“Tennessee is a great place to live. Middle Tennessee is one of the best places to live in the state, and Clarksville is one of the most affordable and attractive, family and young person locations in Tennessee. So, our great school system, industrial park, and our own personality makes it a place that, when people come to visit, they want to make it a place they want to live, work and invest in.”

Jordan Renfro contributed to this report.