Cities in Tennessee are constantly getting named the best places to move. Are they?

• Tennessee cities like Chattanooga and Knoxville often show up on lists of the best places to live.
• Even with its growing population, its cost of living and home prices remain below national medians.

Millions of people have moved from coastal states to the Southeast since the emergence of remote work.

Some places like Northwest Arkansas or The Shoals in Alabama started offering perks during the pandemic — like up to $10,000 just for moving there — to entice a new crop of residents. Tennessee, it seems, doesn't have to.

"I've had clients come from Nevada, New York, and Massachusetts," Tennessee real-estate agent Kyrstin Frate of Keller Williams told Insider. "I've had quite a few from Florida recently, and tons from California."

According to data from the US Census Bureau and the University of Tennessee Knoxville's State Data Center, Tennessee's population grew by 82,988 people in 2022 — the largest amount in a single year since 2007.

By July 2022, movers had helped to push Tennessee's population estimate to 7,051,339, making it the 15th most-populated state in the country.

Even smaller Tennessee cities have experienced an influx in movers. Take Chattanooga, which lured remote workers during the pandemic with its nation-leading fast internet and tightly knit community.

Even Nashville dwellers are turning their back on city life and spreading out in smaller Tennessee towns like Clarksville, Pleasant View, and Ashland City, according to Frate.

"We're seeing a lot of people that are wanting land and not wanting to be so close to their neighbors," she said.

An inflow in residents, of course, means a diminishing amount of homes on the market. Because of that, home prices in Tennessee have increased.

"In 2017 my average sales price was in the $180,000s," Frate said. "Now my average sales price is in the low to mid $300,000s."

According to Redfin, Tennessee's median home price is $367,900. That's far below the national median of $467,700.

The so-called Volunteer State boasts a great job market with companies like Oracle, Dell, and Amazon choosing to open offices in the Nashville area. It also wooes outdoor enthusiasts with activities like fishing, hiking, and camping; and touts a lower cost of living than a lot of other states — and these are just some of the reasons why thousands of people are making it their home.

Did you move to Tennessee recently? Tell us some of your reasons for moving. Email reporter Jordan Pandy at jpandy@insider.com to share your story.