Retire to Tennessee

Counties

Macon County:

The county was organized in accordance with the General Assembly of the state of Tennessee, 18 Jan 1842, which provided that a new county should be established. Macon County, created from parts of Sumner and Smith counties, was named in honor of Nathaniel Macon (1758-1837), a Revolutionary War soldier and North Carolina statesman.

Macon County, Tennessee is located in northern middle Tennessee. We are northeast of Nashville, Tennessee, and we border the State of Kentucky. It has traditionally been a rural, agricultural area. However, as new highways are being built through the county, we are becoming more industrial.

There is still plenty of open space, and many people are choosing to bring their families into Macon County to live and work. We have excellent schools, affordable housing, a low crime rate, excellent utilities, and very nice people.

Macon County Statistics:

Average year-round temperature/weather:

Rainfall (in.) 52.5

Snowfall (in.) 8.3

Avg. July High 88.5

Avg. Jan. Low 26.2

Median price of homes:
$91,200

Cost of living:
2008 cost of living index in Macon County: 78.8 (low, U.S. average is 100)

Macon County's cost of living is 30.03% Lower than the U.S. average.

Population of city/county and/or median age:
21,561 (2009)
Median resident age: 35.5

Recreational and Cultural:
There are seven lakes within a hour's drive of Macon County, six of them are Corps of Engineers lakes. These lakes provide extensive opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, and hiking.

• Dale Hollow Lake*
• Old Hickory Lake*
• Center Hill Lake*
• Barren River Lake*
• Standing Stone State Park
• Cordell Hull Lake*
• Percy Priest Lake*

*Corps of Engineers Lakes

Education:
Central Elementary School

Fairlane Elementary School

Lafayette Elementary School

Macon County High School

Macon County Junior High School

Red Boiling Springs School -- Grades 7-12

Red Boiling Springs Elementary School -- Grades K-6

Westside Elementary School

Colleges and Universities:

Volunteer State Community College-- Gallatin

Tennessee Technology Center-- Hartsville

Cumberland University-- Lebanon

Tennessee Technological University-- Cookeville

Vanderbilt University--Nashville

Belmont University

Fisk University

David Lipscomb University

Peabody College

Tennessee State University

Trevecca Nazarene University

John A. Gupton College

Draughons Junior College

Nashville State Technical Community College

Nashville Auto Diesel College

Middle Tennessee State University-- Murfreesboro

Western Kentucky State University-- Bowling Green, Kentucky

Medical Facilities:
Macon County General Hospital in Lafayette

Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin

Macon County is one hour from Nashville. Nashville is considered the medical center of the south with world-class hospitals such as Vanderbilt, St. Thomas, Baptist Hospital, Centennial, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Skyline and others.

Helicopter Service
In the event of an emergency that cannot be handled locally, Air Evac Lifeteam provides helicopter service from Lafayette directly to Nashville. The Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter is based in Lafayette.

Public Transportation
For routine trips to the doctor or hospital, the Upper Cumberland Human Resources Agency provides the Upper Cumberland Area Rural Transit System (UCARTS) van service. UCARTS provides a driver and a shared van, which will take passengers anywhere within Macon County or to and from places like Nashville, Lebanon, Cookeville and Gallatin. There is a small charge to ride the van.

Assisted Living & Nursing Homes
Macon County has one assisted living facility and two experienced nursing homes.

Pharmacies
Macon County has five pharmacies including four chain stores (Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Wal-Mart and Freds).

Additional Information:

Cities and towns

• Lafayette
• Red Boiling Springs