2025 Freest cities in tennessee

The City Freedom Index is the state's most comprehensive analysis of city policies. The Index ranks Tennessee's 30 most populous cities based on 25 metrics across four categories: Free Enterprise, Private Property, Individual Liberty, and Cost of Government. You can click on each city to learn more about its ranking, as well as re-sort the rankings by each of the four categories by clicking on that category title at the top. You can download the full spreadsheets here with each city’s z-scores across all categories.

See our methodology for more details.

Note: For this index, 1 means most free, and 30 means least free.

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Rank City Population (2023) Free Enterprise Private Property Individual Liberty Cost of Government Best Worst
1 La Vergne

1 - La Vergne

The Nashville suburb of La Vergne remains in the top spot since the first City Freedom Index in 2020. La Vergne prevailed as the top ranked city for Free Enterprise as well as ranking highly in Cost of Government. Through limited regulations and licensing for small businesses, low property taxes, and operating few city-owned enterprises, La Vergne’s policies still make it the freest city in Tennessee.

 39,597 1 11 12 5 Free Enterprise Individual Liberty
2 Farragut

2 - Farragut

The city of Farragut has made an impressive jump up from ninth place in 2020 to second place in 2025, in part due being the top ranked city in Cost of Government. Despite having a ban on short-term rentals, Farragut ranked highly for freedom in Private Property and Free Enterprise, while remaining in the top half of cities for Individual Liberty. One notable mention is that Farragut is the only city on the index without a property tax.

 25,579 6 13 13 1 Cost of Government Private Property
3 Gallatin

3 - Gallatin

With low property taxes, limited pension liability, and no fee for large gathering permits, Gallatin has moved up in the index, becoming one of the top five freest cities. Alongside high rankings in Cost of Government and Individual Liberty, Gallatin also has a significantly higher ranking in Free Enterprise compared to 2020 due to low transient business license fees and allowing some private competition with city-owned enterprises.

 50,355 15 15 5 4 Cost of Government Free Enterprise
4 Brentwood

4 - Brentwood

While retaining a high rank in Free Enterprise and Individual Liberty, the city of Brentwood’s lower Private Property ranking contributed to its move from second place overall to fourth. Five years later, Brentwood is still the city with the best pension situation, having maintained a more than fully funded pension plan and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liability. Brentwood’s ban on short-term rentals and strict regulations on the square footage of home businesses leave Private Property as its worst metric in 2020 and 2025.

 45,265 2 27 4 12 Free Enterprise Private Property
5 Hendersonville

5 - Hendersonville

Hendersonville retains a respectable ranking in the 2025 CFI, though it has fallen a few spots. The city has a less than impressive ranking in Individual Liberty, with the cost and application time for an event permit remaining high. Through limited animal regulation, low property taxes, and few city-owned enterprises, Hendersonville is still one of the freest cities in the index.

 63,618 7 4 27 7 Private Property Individual Liberty
6 Shelbyville

6 - Shelbyville

As the only new addition to the index since 2020 thanks to population growth, Shellbyville impressively comes in sixth overall with high rankings in all metrics except Free Enterprise. With a small government size and an above-average pension situation, Shelbyville ranks in the top five cities for Cost of Government. Shelbyville’s worst metric was Free Enterprise, mostly due to the lack of a permit process allowing the operation of food trucks.

 25,132 19 8 7 3 Cost of Government Free Enterprise
7 Jackson

7 - Jackson

The city of Jackson has made an impressive jump up to seventh place overall, while holding the third-best ranking in Private Property. Jackson made improvements in each category, except Free Enterprise, where it remained in its 2020 spot. Through updating the ease and accessibility of its municipal code and freeing up some fireworks regulations—just to name a few—residents of Jackson can enjoy being in the top 10 Freest Cities in Tennessee. However, Jackson’s numerous city-owned enterprises and limited number of businesses that can sell alcohol both contribute to a below-average Free Enterprise ranking.

 68,264 17 3 10 11 Private Property Free Enterprise
8 Cookeville

8 - Cookeville

With strong scores in Individual Liberty and Cost of Government rankings, Cookeville places eighth overall. Low property taxes, no permit requirement for large gatherings, and limited restrictions on animal regulations support Cookeville’s high ranking. Fees for short-term rental and yard sale permits, as well as food truck permits and going out of business permits, all lower Cookeville’s Free Enterprise and Private Property scores.

 36,657 16 12 8 8 Individual Liberty Free Enterprise
9 Mt. Juliet

9 - Mt. Juliet

Still maintaining its place in the top 10 freest cities, the City between the Lakes boasts low property tax rates and holds the second lowest overall Cost of Government in the index. Mt. Juliet’s biggest weakness remains its low rating in Private Property, ranking near the bottom, due to the fees for short-term rental and yard sale permits, as well as high impact fees.

 42,912 5 30 11 2 Cost of Government Private Property
10 Morristown

10 - Morristown

Morristown has dropped down by multiple ranks, scoring lower in all metrics except for overall Cost of Government, where it improved for 2025. The city’s Free Enterprise score decreased the most since 2020, due to numerous city-owned enterprises as well as high permit fees for businesses that serve alcohol and food trucks. Morristown suffers from the long wait times for large gathering permits and heightened animal restrictions.

 32,099 12 7 9 15 Private Property Cost of Government
11 Lebanon

11 - Lebanon

Lebanon flanks the top 10 freest cities in our index, having top 10 scores in both Private Property and Cost of Government rankings. The city has no limit on the number of businesses that can sell alcohol, which contributes to its above-average Free Enterprise score. While Lebanon does not require permits for short-term rentals or home businesses, it does have high impact fees, which even out the city’s Private Property ranking.

 48,112 14 9 17 9 Private Property Individual Liberty
12 Oak Ridge

12 - Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge has improved significantly in its freedom ranking since 2020, jumping up from sixth to fourth freest city for Free Enterprise. This city is home to few city-owned enterprises and boasts no city regulations on short-term rentals. Oak Ridge still suffers from some of the heaviest sales and property taxes in the state, having the 22nd highest overall Cost of Government.

 33,397 4 14 15 22 Free Enterprise Cost of Government
13 Clarksville

13 - Clarksville

Clarksville has made one of the largest drops in the index between 2020 and 2025, while still ranking in the top 10 cities for Individual Liberty and Cost of Government. Clarksville’s below-average Private Property score is mostly due to high permit fees for short-term rentals and a $200 permit fee for any home business.

 180,716 25 22 3 6 Individual Liberty Free Enterprise
14 Columbia

14 - Columbia

After five years, Columbia remains in the middle of the pack, with above-average rankings only in Free Enterprise and Cost of Government. Columbia’s residents can enjoy average property tax rates and limited regulations on the square-footage of home businesses, but will still need to pay for a yard sale permit.

 47,445 11 21 22 10 Cost of Government Individual Liberty
15 Spring Hill

15 - Spring Hill

The city of Spring Hill scores best in Free Enterprise while also maintaining an above average ranking in Cost of Government. High impact fees contribute to Spring Hill’s low score in Private Property. These fees are counteracted by the city’s below-average property tax rates, which help balance Spring Hill’s overall ranking.

 57,637 8 23 21 13 Free Enterprise Private Property
16 Cleveland

16 - Cleveland

Cleveland manages to keep the same overall ranking in 2025. Making them one of the top three best cities for Private Property, Cleveland has low building permit fees and no regulations on yard sales and animal restrictions. Cleveland’s lowest metric, Individual Liberty, is weighed down by heightened gun usage restrictions and above-average court costs.

 49,086 9 2 29 14 Private Property Individual Liberty
17 Maryville

17 - Maryville

Maryville manages to keep a top 10 ranking in Free Enterprise while all other metrics fall average or below-average. Both Maryville’s limited regulations on the number of businesses that can sell alcohol and their few city-owned enterprises ensure their high Free Enterprise score. Unfortunately, Maryville’s strict regulation on animals and short-term rentals, among other policies, prevent them from achieving a higher ranking overall.

 32,436 10 26 14 17 Free Enterprise Private Property
18 Smyrna

18 - Smyrna

Another city that has dropped in ranking over the last five years, Smyrna, still maintains the sixth lowest property tax rate in the index, making Cost of Government one of the city’s two highest metrics. Smyrna’s high limits on the number of businesses that can sell alcohol support the city’s Free Enterprise ranking. Yet above-average building permits and high impact fees lower Smyrna’s ranking.

 57,418 13 17 23 16 Free Enterprise Individual Liberty
19 Bristol

19 - Bristol

The small city of Bristol makes a move up in the index, still scoring high in Private Property while all other metrics ring in below-average. Despite quite high property tax rates, the city maintains no taxpayer funded lobbying. Bristol notably has the second most restrictive policies on businesses that sell alcohol, significantly lowering its score in Free Enterprise.

 27,854 20 5 25 18 Private Property Individual Liberty
20 Franklin

20 - Franklin

Unlike the neighboring suburb of Brentwood, Franklin again falls below-average in three metrics with a Free Enterprise third place ranking keeping it afloat. Franklin’s impressive Free Enterprise score can be attributed to its minimal city-owned enterprises. Despite low property tax rates improving its Cost of Government score, high city debt dragged Franklin down.

 88,558 3 28 24 21 Free Enterprise Private Property
21 Murfreesboro

21 - Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro has fallen well below average in our 2025 index. A top 10 Individual Liberty score keeps Murfreesboro from a lower overall ranking, mostly because no permits are necessary for large gatherings on city property. Once again, Murfreesboro’s strict regulation of home businesses and $350 special use permit fee led to the city being the fifth worst city for Private Property regulation.

 165,430 23 25 6 20 Individual Liberty Private Property
22 Chattanooga

22 - Chattanooga

Chattanooga’s outlook in the City Freedom Index improved this time around as the city reached 22nd place overall in 2025. Impressively, Chattanooga has the freest Individual Liberty policy in the state, yet that is not enough to counteract poor performances in Free Enterprise and Cost of Government metrics. Chattanooga is home to the third-highest property tax rates and second-lowest score for pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) liability.

 187,030 26 10 1 24 Individual Liberty Free Enterprise
23 Kingsport

23 - Kingsport

One of the Tri-Cities, Kingsport, still maintains the most respect for Private Property, but once again, this was not enough to bump the city up into the top 20 overall. Above-average property taxes, additional municipal sales tax, and one of the largest municipal government costs leave Kingsport with the fourth-highest Cost of Government.

 56,704 18 1 18 26 Private Property Cost of Government
24 Johnson City

24 - Johnson City

Johnson City has below-average rankings in all four metrics, leaving it in 24th place overall. The city’s best metric is Private Property, owing to limited regulations on short-term rentals and home businesses. Numerous city-owned enterprises and high property taxes contribute to Johnson City’s lower overall ranking.

 73,337 22 19 26 19 Private Property Individual Liberty
25 Memphis

25 - Memphis

Bluff City’s ranking remains unchanged in the 2025 City Freedom Index. Memphis has the second most respectful Individual Liberty policy in the state, but that seems to be where Memphis ends its affection for less regulation. With the most expensive Cost of Government, residents may be singing the blues after paying the highest property tax rates out of the cities in the index.

 618,639 28 16 2 30 Individual Liberty Cost of Government
26 Germantown

26 - Germantown

Germantown once again scored below average in three out of four metrics. The worst metric remains Cost of Government, where Germantown also comes in just behind Memphis due to high property tax rates, municipal sales taxes, and debt per capita. Despite short-term rentals being prohibited, Private Property regulation is where things start looking up for Germantown. Residents can enjoy the fewest restrictions on home businesses and below-average building permit fees.

 40,267 21 6 19 29 Private Property Cost of Government
27 Collierville

27 - Collierville

Despite below-average rankings in most categories, Collierville has moved up one spot in the index rankings. The Memphis suburb’s score benefits from policies like low building permit fees, and above-average pension plan and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liability. Where Collierville falls short is their prohibitions on short-term rentals, food trucks, numerous city-owned enterprises, and animal restrictions.

 51,317 27 20 28 25 Private Property Individual Liberty
28 Knoxville

28 - Knoxville

Reaching near the bottom of our index, Knoxville scores below-average on all four metrics. While Knoxville no longer has the toughest restrictions on fireworks, it still maintains high fees for short-term rental and business permits. The highest level of taxpayer-funded lobbying, above-average property taxes, and a $700 large gathering permit fee bring down Knoxville’s overall ranking. Knoxville’s only redeeming policies are limited restrictions on short-term rentals and home occupations but do little to balance out numerous other restrictive policies.

 198,162 29 29 20 23 Individual Liberty Free Enterprise
29 Nashville

29 - Nashville

The most populous city in the state, Nashville no longer comes in last in our index. Its best metric was respect for Individual Liberty, while also having the worst score for Free Enterprise regulation. The city does poorly due to high competition with the private sector through city-owned enterprises, and high fees for short-term rental permits and building permits. Nashville still has the worst pension and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liability in the state, in addition to high costs for taxpayer-funded lobbying.

 687,788 30 24 16 28 Individual Liberty Free Enterprise
30 Bartlett

30 - Bartlett

The Memphis suburb of Bartlett, unfortunately, comes in last in our 2025 City Freedom Index. Despite being ranked 18th in Private Property, Bartlett’s other metrics in Individual Liberty and Cost of Government led to the suburb’s poor ranking. High court filing fees, above-average property taxes, and additional municipal sales taxes each contributed to Bartlett’s drop in ranking. Additional fees and restrictions on businesses that sell alcohol do not improve Bartlett’s policy landscape either. One of the only positive policies in sight for Bartlett is that some private competition is allowed with city-owned enterprises.

 56,030 24 18 30 27 Private Property Individual Liberty
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