Moving from Florida to Tennessee

If you are giving up sub-tropical weather and gorgeous ocean sunsets of Florida to move a little further inland, Tennessee is a great state that has a lot to offer. Tennessee has a moderate climate, mountains, breathtaking views, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure. The state also boasts a few big-name cities full of rich history. The landscape in Tennessee is full of mountains and rolling hills. The state is speckled with whiskey distillers, budding musicians and music legends, and tobacco farms. If nothing else, the locals know barbeque, whiskey, and music.

Benefits of Moving from Florida to Tennessee

Some may be baffled as to why you would want to leave the miles of palm-tree-lined coastline in Florida for a landlocked state like Tennessee. Although you won't find any natural palm trees growing in Tennessee, the state has its own attributes to get excited about.

Comfortable Climate with Different Seasons

Instead of hot, hotter, and hottest, Tennessee has distinctive seasons. In Florida, there is not much difference between one season and the next, and the beautiful color of fall and crisp, cool air warmed by bonfires are luxuries that most Floridians don't get.

The summers still get pretty hot with an average temperature of 92 degrees, sending many locals to cool off in the streams and springs in the Great Smoky Mountains. Although it may snow on occasion, winters don't get too cold. The average temperature in the winter months is 52 degrees. And the hills of Tennessee are filled with flowers, and rising temperatures as winter turns to spring. The heavily forested areas around the smoky mountains show off the beautiful colors of fall.

No Personal State Income Tax

Much like the state of Florida, Tennessee does not levy a personal income tax on its residents. If Floridians move to most any other state, state income taxes can be a bit of a shock and possibly a deterrent. Residents of Tennessee get to keep more of their hard-earned money in their own pockets.

Music is the Culture in Tennessee

While Nashville is most obviously known for its ties to country music, it has roots in jazz, blues, and rock and roll too. In Nashville and beyond, Tennessee offers loads of hole-in-the-wall venues for musicians to play live music, historical stages like the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium, and museums detailing music history.

Two of the largest attractions in Tennessee were built by - or in honor of - great music legends. Dollywood, located in Pigeon Forge, was founded by country music legend Dolly Parton in her hometown. Graceland is the former mansion of Rock and Roll legend Elvis Presley and is now open to the public.

Tennessee Whiskey

You can buy a bottle of Jack Daniels anywhere you go, but Tennessee is home to this brand and many others in the Whiskey industry. The locals have their own methods for making whiskey, and as a transplant to the area, you can learn all about it by touring one of their distilleries.

Tennessee knows how to have a good time, with its legendary whiskey distilleries and home-grown tobacco farms this southern state can provide the accouterments of a southern social call.

How Much Does it Cost to Move from Florida to Tennessee

The average linehaul moving cost from Florida to Tennessee with Allied is $3,000. An interstate move from Florida to Tennessee requires a little more than just buying a new house. Traveling almost 1,000 miles with all of your belongings requires careful planning and packing.

The cost of packing materials, packing services, transportation, unloading, housing, and personal transportation are just some of the expenses that you need to consider. Be prepared for the true costs of a cross country move by filling out our Instaquote above for a real cost estimate on your moving expenses.

Favorite Cities in Tennessee

Tennessee might be most famous for its rural-living, tobacco farming lifestyle synonymous with the Great Smoky Mountains, but it is home to a few big-name cities as well. Nashville and Memphis are trending cities, and they attract thousands of new residents every year.

Nashville

Known as the home of country music, Nashville, Tennessee, is the state capital. At just under 700,000 residents, Nashville is the most populous city in the state. This bustling city is vibrant and well-known for arts and entertainment.

Nashville is a growing city that is attracting many new residents, but surprisingly it is still an affordable place to live. Housing is still sitting at about $10,000 below the national average. And the schools are good. Nashville public schools have higher graduation and post-secondary succession rates than the national average.

Memphis

Memphis is the perfect blend between city-dwelling and affordable living. The thing about trendy cities is that the demand often drives up the cost of living. But in Memphis, the cost of living is 18% below the national average. The median home price is just $93,000, and the city is home to major employers like FedEx, Autozone, and St Judes Children's Hospital.

If Nashville is known as the home of country music, Memphis is known as the home of rock and roll. Memphis is home to many of the greats in rock and roll and soul music, including the king of rock and roll -- Elvis Presley. Beale street is one of Memphis' claims to fame. It is a strip of local music joints, bars, and eateries that embrace the rock and roll culture in Memphis, Tennessee.

Pigeon Forge

If you are looking for a place to land in the mountains, Pigeon Forge is the hub of the Great Smoky Mountain national forest. Like the other cities in Tennessee, Pigeon Forge is a high-tourist area. It brings in droves of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains. Like the rest of the state of Tennessee, the cost of living in Pigeon Forge is significantly lower than the national average. Unemployment is low, and housing is affordable, making Pigeon Forge accessible to most families.

How to Move from Florida to Tennessee

Taking on a long-distance move requires some planning and preparation. Everything from securing employment and housing to physically moving your belongings is a big project. Since employment is required by most families to provide funds to afford everyday expenses, landing a job in Tennessee is the first objective.

Most employers prefer local candidates. The logistics of interviewing and starting the job are much easier for locals, plus the risk of hiring someone who doesn't stay in the position long-term is greater if the candidate has no ties to the local area.

If it is feasible, save funds and make the move to Nashville so you can become a local during your job search. If that is not possible, consider transferring with your current employer. And, if neither of those is possible, dig in and be prepared for a higher-than-usual rejection rate. It will take some time to find an employer willing to hire a transplant.

Once you have figured out your employment situation, securing housing is the next big task. This one is a little tricky because you are not yet familiar with the area. You can hire a realtor that specializes in relocations -- this will have to be someone who is uniquely interested in investing the time into showing you around. Or, consider renting for the first six months to one year so that you can get acquainted with the area before making a more permanent decision about where to live.

Once you have the big pieces in place, Allied Van Lines can help with the logistics of moving your life from Florida to Tennessee. Allied can make your big move go smoothly with a full range of services from packing and loading the moving truck, to hauling your belongings across state lines and getting you settled into your new home.