Will Nashville ever add Kentucky counties to the metro population figures? (Clarksville: cost, association)

[Zedd90]

As the title states, will Nashville become big enough to influence or absorb the Kentucky counties on the border of TN into the metropolitan area?

[GWoodle]

The Clarksville MSA takes in 2 Ky counties. Ft Campbell & the 101st Airborne makes the difference.

Maybe someday when I-69 is finished from Hopkinsville to Evansville to Indianapolis.

[shinestx]

Not likely soon, if ever. The growth of the MSA just hasn't been nearly as rapid to the north. It's starting to crank up now, but there's a lot of land in Sumner and Robertson and it's tough to develop with rocky, hilly terrain. Given the cost differential being negliglble (actually favoring TN a smidge) I don't expect enough KY residents working in the Nashville MSA to stay in KY for any COL advantages. There's 30 miles between downtown Nashville and the KY-TN line; and the bordering counties in KY just don't have a critical mass of commuters in/out. I expect that Clarksville and Montgomery County as it approaches 300,000 will eventually be included in the Nashville CSA, and by association Christian County may be also.

[Zedd90]

At most I can potentially see Simpson Co. be added just from the proximity alone. But that probably won't be for a really long time. Clarksville's and maybe their metro will added before Simpson Co.

[Shakeesha]

Originally Posted by GWoodle

The Clarksville MSA takes in 2 Ky counties. Ft Campbell & the 101st Airborne makes the difference.

Maybe someday when I-69 is finished from Hopkinsville to Evansville to Indianapolis.

This would be neat to have a direct route to Indy. I wonder if Nashville would be a new control city on the interstate signs.

Originally Posted by shinestx

Not likely soon, if ever. The growth of the MSA just hasn't been nearly as rapid to the north. It's starting to crank up now, but there's a lot of land in Sumner and Robertson and it's tough to develop with rocky, hilly terrain. Given the cost differential being negliglble (actually favoring TN a smidge) I don't expect enough KY residents working in the Nashville MSA to stay in KY for any COL advantages. There's 30 miles between downtown Nashville and the KY-TN line; and the bordering counties in KY just don't have a critical mass of commuters in/out. I expect that Clarksville and Montgomery County as it approaches 300,000 will eventually be included in the Nashville CSA, and by association Christian County may be also.

This makes sense. I could definitely see Clarksville being added to the CSA. I think as the north side of town develops more, Hendersonville/Madison/Rivergate may become a new jobs center with a focus on office parks and headquarters, similar to what is near BNA but with more mixed use. Gallatin is growing fast, too. That may draw in more commuters. I don't see Springfield, Ashland City, or Pleasant View attracting that kind of growth anytime soon.