Best suburbs for city-like living: Here’s where Franklin ranked

Franklin landed at No. 4 out of the 912 cities ranked by Storage Cafe.

A view of the middle of the street of downtown Franklin at dusk, showing cars driving about.

Franklin, you’re easy on the eyes.

Photo by @lp130179

Table of Contents

If suburb living with a little urban flair is what you’re looking for, there’s no need to search far. Franklin ranked No. 4 in Storage Cafe’s recent report for “Best Suburbs for City-Like Living.”

The storage space marketplace compared over 900 cities with populations ranging 10,000-100,000 people in 100 of the largest US metropolitan areas. Nine factors were considered like residential landscape, education, and safety.

How Franklin stacks up

Storage Cafe identified three sectors as Franklin’s strongest attributes:

  • Business
  • Education
  • Amenities

Downtown Franklin received a standing ovation for its walkable streets, Victorian-style architecture, and lots of shops + restaurants. Franklin is touted for giving “many large cities a run for their money” for its variety of street festivals, music events, and family-friendly fun — we even spy a mention of the Main Street Festival + Bluegrass Along the Harpeth.

Party favor: Brentwood also snagged the No. 22 spot on the list.

More from NASHtoday
The annual Great Backyard Bird Count attracts over one million bird lovers nationwide to help record the bird population — here’s how you can get involved in Nashville.
Some are brand new, others have been around for years — but all of these Nashville-area festivals are on the calendar for 2026.
Billy Strings? Check. Rascal Flatts? Check. It’s not a bad idea to triple-check this list and get your concert tickets before they sell out.
Volunteer opportunities are still available across Nashville, with options ranging from outreach efforts to in-person cleanups.
The Jefferson Street Sound Museum and the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music were officially designated this week.
Put your money where your community is and help us create a guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local spots and sharing this page with a friend.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
Help out the city by reporting these street blemishes.
Whether you’re single, taken, or spending the holiday with friends — there’s a special event or date night idea that we think is your perfect match.
A state of emergency is in effect in Nashville as icy roads and widespread power outages persist.