Belle Meade, Tennessee

Overview

Belle Meade was absorbed into the metropolitan government of Nashville-Davidson County in 1963, but retains its independent city status, and its residents pay taxes both to the Metro government and to the City of Belle Meade. Belle Meade streets have distinct signage and the city has its own police force, its own mayor, and its own city hall. The vast majority of the Belle Meade area is designated by the ZIP code 37205. A few homes are in Zip Code 37215.

The 3.1-square-mile city takes its name from Belle Meade Plantation, known as the "Queen of Southern Plantations', which once encompassed 5,300 acres. In late 1904, the plantation, which had become insolvent, was sold and 2,200 acres were acquired for residential development. The manor house and several adjacent outbuildings were preserved.

The city is home to the Belle Meade Country Club ([1]), founded in 1901.

Notable residents

Belle Meade residents include former U.S. Vice President and 2000 Presidential Candidate Al Gore, entertainers Vince Gill and Amy Grant, Pulitzer Prize winning author Jon Meacham,Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court Frank Drowota, Thomas F. Frist, Jr., the co-founder and former CEO of the Hospital Corporation of America, the latter's son, investor Thomas F. Frist, III, fast food business executive C. Stephen Lynn, and John R. Ingram, the Chairman and CEO of the Ingram Content Group.

Geography

Belle Meade is located at 36°6′20″N 86°51′18″W (36.105558, -86.854942).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²), all land.

Belle Meade Boulevard ends at the main historic entrance for Percy Warner Park, the city's largest park.

Richland Creek flows through the neighborhood.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,943 people, 1,067 households, and 882 families residing in the city. The population density was 938.7 people per square mile (361.9/km²). There were 1,133 housing units at an average density of 361.4 per square mile (139.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.64% White, 0.34% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 1,067 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.4% were married couples living together, 3.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $144,720, and the median income for a family was $194,016. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $71,944 for females. The per capita income for the city was $104,908, which is by far the highest in the state and among the highest in the nation. About 0.7% of families and 0.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.