82% of Nashvillians say they can't afford to buy a house in Nashville
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The vast majority of people who live in Nashville say they can't afford to buy a house in the city, according to a new poll from Vanderbilt University.
Why it matters: Affordability remains a deep concern across the city, the poll shows, and residents want to see leaders do more to ease the cost of housing.
By the numbers: 82% of poll respondents said they couldn't afford to buy a house in Davidson County.
- A growing share of Nashvillians are pushing for progress on the issue, with 73% saying Mayor Freddie O'Connell should make affordable housing a priority. That issue was second only to education.
Yes, but: Residents have backed away from past support for multifamily housing complexes that would boost density and create new options for buyers. The issue has become a political hot potato as local leaders look for ways to address affordability.
- A slim majority of 53% say multifamily housing should only be allowed in dense areas, not in smaller neighborhoods. In last year's poll, most residents thought multifamily housing should be allowed everywhere.
What they're saying: Speaking to reporters on Friday, O'Connell said his office was working to build out the city's affordable housing through the Unified Housing Strategy, which calls for a massive surge in supply.
- O'Connell's last budget included $45 million for housing priorities.
State of play: In fiscal year 2025, city funding supported the construction and preservation of more than 1,800 affordable housing units, according to Metro housing data.
Reality check: Soaring housing costs are a problem nationwide, not just in Nashville. It is a bipartisan concern that federal officials are grappling with too.
- Prices in many cities skyrocketed during the pandemic, and higher mortgage rates exacerbated the problem, shrinking people's buying power.
The big picture: Economic anxiety permeates the poll results. The share of residents urging leaders to focus on "bringing new good jobs to the city" more than doubled — from 18% last year to 43% now.
- Only 8% called Nashville's economy "very good."
What we're watching: O'Connell's spokesperson told Axios the mayor's upcoming budget proposal will "undoubtedly include a focus on affordability."
How it works: The Vanderbilt Poll was conducted Feb. 20-March 14 and included 1,048 Nashville residents. The margin of error is +/- 4.05 percentage points.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say that city funding supported the construction and preservation of nearly 1,800 affordable housing units last year (not not more than 106,000).