Cottage Living's "Top 10 Cottage Communities"

No Tennessee neighborhoods made the list of what Cottage Living magazine called its "Top 10 Cottage Communities." In fact, no Tennessee neighborhoods made the publication's honorable-mention list. When it comes to "places with porches and gardens, parks and playgrounds; streets where you can stroll to locally owned shops" Tennessee seems to have come up lacking or seems to have plenty of rivals to its own "cottage communities," because it was shut out.

Cottage Living's criteria for judging "cottage communities" included:

Homes (30 percent): vernacular architecture, cottage-y scale (not sprawling, in line with original neighborhood design—no teardown zones), affordability (as related to regional income levels and real estate prices), walkability

People (30 percent): diverse and caring neighbors, well-organized community network, social events for fun and good causes

Shops and Hangouts (20 percent): colorful, independent retail stores and eateries within walking distance.

Greenspace (10 percent): parks, playgrounds, nature preserves.

Cottage Twist (10 percent): signature characteristic that brings a smile.

Communities closest to Nashville making the list were in Asheville, NC and in Indianapolis, IN.