Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County in the north-central part of the state. Nashville is also a major hub for the health care and publishing industries.
Nashville has a population of 569,891 (as of the 2000 census), making it the second largest city in Tennessee (below Memphis). The population of the entire 13-county Nashville metropolitan area is 1,311,789, making it the largest metropolitan area in the state.
A resident of Nashville is called a Nashvillian.
The data below is for all of Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County, including satellite cities within the county (such as Belle Meade and Berry Hill). See Nashville-Davidson (balance) for demographic data on Nashville-Davidson County excluding satellite cities.
As of the census of 2000, there are 569,891 people, 237,405 households, and 138,169 families residing in the city. The population density is 438.1/km2 (1,134.6/mi2). There are 252,977 housing units at an average density of 194.5/km2 (503.7/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 66.99% White, 25.92% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.33% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.42% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. 4.58% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Nashville's estimated population for 2004 is 572,475 people.
There are 237,405 households out of which 26.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% are married couples living together, 14.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% are non-families. 33.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.30 and the average family size is 2.96.
In the city the population is spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $39,797, and the median income for a family is $49,317. Males have a median income of $33,844 versus $27,770 for females. The per capita income for the city is $23,069. 13.0% of the population and 10.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.1% of those under the age of 18 and 10.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. 4.6% of the civilian labor force is unemployed.
The following is a statement of the number of people living in Nashville by decades: 1830, 5,566; 1850, 10,165; 1870, 25,865; 1890, 76,168; 1900, 80,865; 1910, 110,364; 1920, 118,342; 1940, 167,402.
Although Nashville is renowned for being a major music recording center and tourist destination, its largest industry is actually health care. Nashville is home to more than 250 health care companies, including Hospital Corporation of America, the largest private operator of hospitals in the world. As of 2006, it is estimated that the health care industry contributes $18.3 billion a year and 94,000 jobs to the Nashville-area economy.
Other major industries in Nashville include insurance, finance, and publishing (especially religious publishing). The city also hosts headquarters operations for several Protestant denominations, including the United Methodist Church, Southern Baptist Convention, and National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc..
Several major motion pictures have been filmed in Nashville, including The Green Mile, The Last Castle, Gummo, Coal Miner's Daughter, and Robert Altman's Nashville.
Founded by James Robertson and a party of Wataugans in 1780 on the site of a natural sulfur spring and salt lick called French Lick, and originally called Fort Nashborough, Nashville quickly grew due to its prime location, accessibility as a river port and a major railroad center. In 1843, the city was named the permanent capital of the state of Tennessee.
By 1860, when the first rumblings of secession began to be heard across the South, Nashville was a very prosperous city. Tennessee reluctantly sided with the Confederacy and became the last state to secede from the Union. The city's significance as a shipping port made it a desirable prize as a means of controlling important river and railroad transportation routes. In February 1862, Nashville became the first state capital to fall to the Union troops.
Though the Civil War left Nashville severely damaged and in dire economic straits, the city quickly rebounded. Within a few years, the city had reclaimed its important shipping and trading position and also developed a solid manufacturing base. The post-Civil War years of the late 19th century brought a newfound prosperity to Nashville. These healthy economic times left the city with a legacy of grand classical-style buildings, which can still be seen around the downtown area.
It was the advent of the Grand Ole Opry in 1925, combined with an already thriving publishing industry, that positioned it to become Music City USA. In 1963, Nashville annexed the remaining unincorporated land in Davidson County and thus became the first major city in the United States to form a metropolitan government. Since the 1970s, the city has experienced tremendous growth, particularly during the economic boom of the 1990s under the leadership of Mayor Phil Bredesen, who made urban renewal a priority, and fostered the construction or renovation of a number of the city's landmarks, including the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Public Library downtown, the Gaylord Entertainment Center and The Coliseum. These last two structures enabled professional sports to come to Nashville, as the Tennessee Titans and the Nashville Predators began play.
Source:
USANashville.com
HOTELS • REAL ESTATE • JOBS