Home to MTSU and the Nashville metro’s biggest suburb
Murfreesboro originally went by Cannonsburgh but got its current name from Hardy Murfree, a prominent officer who relocated to Tennessee years after fighting in the Revolutionary War. Murfree owned the land later used for the Oaklands Mansion, now a museum and one of the city’s most visited sites. While Murfreesboro still has a few pockets with historic small town charm, this place of more than 160,000 people is the Nashville metro’s biggest suburb.
Since World War II, Murfreesboro has transitioned from an agricultural to an industrial economy. The city is the home of Middle Tennessee State University, one of the state’s largest public higher education institutions. “The university is obviously the biggest draw. That’s what got me here. It’s what got a lot of people here, and a lot of them come and stay,” says Brad Hopkins, a Realtor with EXIT Realty Bob Lamb & Associate. “It is obviously kind of a suburb of Nashville, so that’s obviously a big draw, too. Lots of folks live here and work in Nashville.” In addition to MTSU and suburban comforts more than 30 miles from Nashville, Murfreesboro’s strong schools, active housing market, shopping areas and major employers keep its headcount climbing.
Murfreesboro is a growing city with over 160,000 calling it home in Tennessee.
Murfreesboro residents can find all their shopping needs at The Avenue.
The Oaklands Mansion was built in 1818 in Murfreesboro, TN.
Middle Tennessee State University is located on 550 acres in Murfreesboro.
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A mostly residential city with 21st-century contemporaries
Homes in the city exist along clusters of streets that branch off the major thoroughfares. The housing consists of condos, townhouses, single-family homes and luxury estates. Homes around the downtown area can date back to the early 1800s, while some 20th-century builds exist throughout other parts of the city. However, most homes here emerged during the 21st century, with many showing contemporary and ranch-style designs.
Depending on size, acreage and age, most single-family homes in the city run between $350,000 and $700,000. Townhouses mainly run between $300,000 and $400,000. For condos, less than 1,000-square-foot units start in the lower $100,000s, while the far larger ones can reach $400,000. Murfreesboro has a median list price of approximately $441,000, nearly $90,000 below Nashville’s. Murfreesboro’s median is also slightly over the national one.
Downtown Murfreesboro has a variety of historical homes dating back to the early 1800s.
Murfreesboro has a wide variety of single family home styles.
Murfreesboro has a growing population of townhomes being built all over the city.
Condominium complexes in Murfreesboro are spread throughout the city.
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Historic downtown staples and chains at Stones River and The Avenue
About 400 local businesses exist throughout the city’s downtown, a 20-block historic district anchored by a Neoclassical courthouse building from 1859. Institutions include City Cafe, Tennessee’s oldest-running restaurant. Opened in 1900, the establishment serves various breakfast and brunch items. Patrons at The Alley on Main often fill its dining floor to enjoy classic American eats and homestyle desserts. Downtown visitors can also catch a show at The Center for the Arts, a nonprofit theater company housed in an early-20th-century Italianate building. Its 2024 calendar includes productions of classics like “Death of a Salesman” and “Pippin.”
Two shopping malls sit within 1 mile of the downtown. Stones River Town Centre is an indoor collection of nearly 50 shops, eateries and lifestyle destinations. Its anchor businesses include AMC Theatres, Dillard’s and JCPenney. A little farther west, The Avenue Murfreesboro houses over 80 retailers and restaurants, with Dick’s Sporting Goods and Barnes & Noble among its biggest names.
Rutherford County Courthouse is one of six pre-Civil War courthouses still standing.
Alley on Main has American eats and a local vibe in Murfreesboro.
The City Cafe is the oldest running restaurant in Tennessee.
The Center for the Arts hosts a variety of performances in Murfreesboro.
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Farmers market and Friday night concerts in the downtown square
“We still have a quaint town square that reminds people of a small downtown area and lots and lots of events that take place around the square,” says James Manning, the executive director of the Oaklands Mansion. From June to October, hundreds turn out to the square each week for the Friday Nights concert series. Those in attendance sit back in their foldable chairs to listen to acts performing anything from big band and country to R&B and 1990s covers. The Murfreesboro Saturday Market runs between May and late October. Vendors sell various fresh produce and products like locally made barbecue sauces. Market visitors might even catch a fiddle performance as they’re browsing. “There’s something there almost every weekend,” Hopkins says about the square.
Other major city events include the “Celebration Under the Stars” at the Fountains at Gateway. The July 4 event features a more than 20-minute fireworks show, food trucks and live music. History enthusiasts can tour the Oaklands Mansion, an Italianate building and former plantation house. They can also walk outside in the park, where they’ll find an arboretum consisting of native Tennessee trees like oaks, sycamores, maples and redbuds.
The historic town square in Murfreesboro hosts Friday Night concerts in the Summer.
The Oaklands Mansion is a former historic plantation house in Murfeesboro.
Locals love to take walks in the arboretum at Oaklands Mansion in Murfreesboro.
The Fountains at Gateway hosts a 4th of July celebration every year in Murfreesboro.
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Disc golf, miles of trails, kayaking and staying fit at the Sports*Com complex
The city oversees roughly 1,200 acres of public recreation spaces, with amenities including parks and brick-and-mortar facilities. The 17-mile Murfreesboro Greenway System connects many of these destinations and draws pedestrians, bikers and skaters. Stones River runs alongside most of the greenway, providing multiple access points for kayakers and others with small boats.
Covering 430 acres, Barfield Crescent Park is the largest city-run green space. More than 7 miles of trails run through the park, along with an 18-hole disc golf course and eight baseball and softball fields. The site also has a volleyball court, tetherball equipment and horseshoe pits. The 81-acre McKnight Park houses the Sports*Com complex, where the amenities include fitness rooms and an outdoor pool. The park’s baseball and softball diamonds include the David Price Miracle Field, which was uniquely designed for disabled sluggers. History buffs and local students frequent the Stones River National Battlefield, a 700-acre expanse with Civil War artifacts.
Barfield Park has an 18 hole Disc Golf course in Murfreesboro
McKnight Park has a baseball field for disabled sluggers in Murfreesboro.
Stones River National Battlefield pays tribute to the Civil War battle in Murfreesboro.
Bikers love to ride on the Murfreesboro Greenway system at Manson Pike Boat Ramp.
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Two public school districts and MTSU’s top-rated audio engineering program
Murfreesboro City Schools serves prekindergarten to sixth grade students, while the Rutherford County Schools district handles the middle and high school levels. Both school districts get overall A-minus grades from Niche.
Notable institutions include Central Magnet School, which gets an A-plus from Niche and serves sixth to 12th grade students. Niche ranks Central Magnet as the top middle school and second-best high school in Tennessee. Several private K-12 schools also operate in the city, including the Providence Christian Academy, which gets an A-minus from Niche.
With an enrollment of about 20,000, MTSU is the state’s third-largest university by student population. However, the institution charges the lowest tuition among Tennessee’s five largest universities. MTSU’s academics include a top-rated audio engineering program. The 39 Grammy winners who have attended and taught at the university since 2011 have fueled the program’s reputation.
Academically gifted students in Murfreesboro may attend Central Magnet School.
Murfreesboro students may go to the Christian school Providence Christian Academy.
Blackman Elementary School enrolls over 1,100 students every year in Murfreesboro.
Middle Tennessee State University's motto is Agriculture and Commerce.
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Rutherford County government seat and major employers in Nissan and Amazon
Murfreesboro is the seat of Rutherford County, which means local government and the schools fuel much of the city’s employment. With about 7,200 employees, the county and the school district combine to be one of the largest employers in Murfreesboro. Nissan North America employs about 7,000 workers at its Smyrna assembly plant, enough to make it the largest private employer in Rutherford County. The plant employs many Murfreesboro residents. Amazon runs a fulfillment center in the city, which makes it among the biggest employers here. Saint Thomas Health operates Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, Murfreesboro’s main hospital.
Investment plans include the proposed Broad Street Development, an ambitious mixed-use project that would add 300 housing units, retail space, and a boutique hotel to the downtown area. The most recent census estimates show Murfreesboro has a population of just over 165,000, an 8% increase from the official 2020 count. However, a city-approved comprehensive plan projects Murfreesboro’s population will grow to nearly 230,000 in the 2030s. “It’s grown to a point where you don’t really have to leave and go to Nashville. We’ve got tons of restaurants, tons of shopping, great schools and lots of employment opportunities. It’s a thriving place,” Hopkins says.
Interstate 24 is the city’s main highway, taking commuters to Nashville, about 35 miles north. Interstate 840, an outer Nashville beltway, provides passage to other suburbs. Other commuters, particularly Nissan employees, take U.S. Highway 41 to go to the Smyrna plant. Although most here drive, the Murfreesboro Transit runs several bus routes in town. The Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority houses general aviation services, while the Nashville International Airport is the region’s hub for commercial flights.
Important to know
The latest FBI stats show Murfreesboro's violent crime rate is double the national average and slightly higher than Tennessee’s. The city’s property crime rate is also nearly 30% higher than the country’s. However, Murfreesboro is considered safer than Nashville. Murfreesboro’s property crime rate is nearly half of Music City’s, while its violent crime rate is about 25% lower.
Murfreesboro experiences four distinct seasons, but the transition between them varies yearly. Like the rest of Middle Tennessee and the South, the seasons include warm, humid summers and mild winters. Spring and late fall are the typical times for extreme weather events like tornadoes. Middle Tennessee is the most tornado-prone region in the state. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Murfreesboro, in particular, has a “relatively high” risk for ice storms, lightning, strong winds and tornados.
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