Five of the Middle Tennessee towns we cover have city limits that cross a county line: White House, Portland and Millersville (Sumner and Robertson), Goodlettsville (Davidson and Sumner) and Spring Hill (Williamson and Maury). Which side a parcel sits on is a deed-and-tax-bill fact, not a mailing-address fact, and it sets the county tax rate and the school district.
In the worked examples below, the gap between the two sides of one town runs from about $330 a year to about $1,360 at the example home prices used in each section — arithmetic from the certified 2025 rates. These five are the towns we have verified one by one, not a complete list of every split municipality in Middle Tennessee. Four towns people often assume are split (Nolensville, Thompson's Station, Eagleville, Old Hickory) are not, and they get their own sections below.
Why does a county line change what you pay for the same house?
Tennessee stacks two rates on most addresses: a county rate, plus a city rate inside city limits. Homes are assessed at 25% of appraised value — the Sumner County Assessor states it and walks the math — and rates are quoted per $100 of assessed value. So: appraised value × 25%, ÷ 100, × the combined rate. Every rate here is the 2025 certified rate from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury; every dollar figure is arithmetic from the certified 2025 rate, rounded to about $10 — an illustration, not a median price and not a forecast.
To check a town yourself: on the Comptroller's table a split town is listed under both counties, and that double listing is the evidence the city levies on both sides. Run the test statewide and you will find double-listed municipalities we do not profile — Ridgetop under Davidson and Robertson, Tullahoma under Coffee and Franklin. We publish a town only after verifying its own primary sources, so treat the five below as our verified set, and the Comptroller's table as the complete list of towns that levy a city property tax. A town that levies no city tax has no row at all, which is why Old Hickory does not appear on it.
White House — where does the line run, and what changes across it?
The city describes itself as approximately a 30-minute drive north of Nashville, at Exit 108 on I-65.
White House sits in both Sumner and Robertson counties — the city's own About page states it plainly, and the county line runs through the middle of town. Which county you're in is set by where the parcel sits, not by your mailing address: it determines which county's property taxes you pay and which county school district (Sumner County Schools or Robertson County Schools) serves the address. It shows on the deed and the county tax bill, and we confirm it for any specific home before you offer.
The city rate is the same on both sides — $0.8961 per $100 of assessed value (2025 certified rate) — but the county rate differs: Sumner County adds $1.421 for a $2.3171 combined rate, while Robertson County adds $1.80 for $2.6961. Tennessee assesses homes at 25% of appraised value, so on a $450,000 home that works out to roughly $2,610 a year on the Sumner side versus roughly $3,030 on the Robertson side — about $420 a year apart for the same house price. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
Water comes from White House Utility District, electric service from Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (which keeps a district office in White House), sewer from the City of White House, and natural gas from Piedmont Natural Gas — all per the city's own utilities page.
Portland — is it Sumner County or Robertson County?
Portland sits at the northern tip of Sumner County near the Kentucky state line, along I-65.
Portland is a Sumner County city whose incorporated limits cross into Robertson County — the Tennessee Comptroller's certified tax table lists the city in both counties. Which side a specific parcel sits on is a deed-and-tax-bill fact, not a mailing-address fact, and it decides which county's taxes apply and which county school district (Sumner County Schools or Robertson County Schools) serves the address.
Portland's 2025 certified city rate is $0.90 per $100 of assessed value on both sides of the line. Sumner County adds $1.421 for a $2.321 combined rate; Robertson County adds $1.80 for $2.70 combined. At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, a $400,000 home runs roughly $2,320 a year on the Sumner side versus roughly $2,700 on the Robertson side. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
Portland runs its own municipal utilities for water, sewer, and natural gas — the city's water department serves about 8,350 customers and its gas department about 4,425. Electric service comes from Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, which keeps a district office on South Broadway in Portland. At the edges of town, White House Utility District also serves parts of the surrounding area, so we confirm the water provider for any specific address.
Goodlettsville — why is the tax gap here so wide?
The city puts itself 15 miles north of downtown Nashville, with three I-65 exits (96, 97, and 98) plus US-31W, US-41, and Vietnam Veterans Boulevard (SR-386) access.
Goodlettsville sits in both Sumner County and Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County. By the city's own numbers, more than 50% of its land area is in Sumner County while roughly 60% of residents live on the Davidson County side. The parcel's county — on the deed and the tax bill — determines the tax bill and which district (Sumner County Schools or Metro Nashville Public Schools) serves the address, so we confirm it for any specific home.
This is one of the widest tax gaps of any split town in the metro. The 2025 certified city rate is $0.5068 per $100 of assessed value on both sides — but the Davidson side adds Metro's $2.782 county rate ($3.2888 combined) while the Sumner side adds $1.421 ($1.9278 combined). At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, a $400,000 home runs roughly $3,290 a year on the Davidson side versus roughly $1,930 on the Sumner side — about $1,360 a year apart for the same price of house. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
Water and sewer billing follows the county split, per the city's own services page: White House Utility District serves Sumner County residents, Madison Suburban Utility District serves Davidson County residents, and Metro Water Services serves select Davidson County addresses. Electric on the Davidson side is Nashville Electric Service, which serves all of Davidson County; we confirm the electric provider for Sumner-side addresses individually.
Millersville — what does the Sumner-Robertson boundary change?
Millersville straddles the Sumner-Robertson county line — the city's own About page says it "is located on the boundaries of Sumner and Robertson Counties," and the Tennessee Comptroller's certified tax table lists it in both. The parcel's county of record (deed and tax bill) determines which county's taxes apply and which county school district (Sumner County Schools or Robertson County Schools) serves the address. The city incorporated in 1981.
Millersville's 2025 certified city rate is $0.6698 per $100 of assessed value on both sides. Sumner County adds $1.421 for a $2.0908 combined rate; Robertson County adds $1.80 for $2.4698 combined. At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, a $350,000 home runs roughly $1,830 a year on the Sumner side versus roughly $2,160 on the Robertson side. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
Per the city's utility-services page: water comes from White House Utility District; electric is either Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation or Nashville Electric Service depending on the address; natural gas is Piedmont; sewer is billed through City Hall.
Spring Hill — Williamson or Maury, and does it actually matter?
The city's own history page places Spring Hill 35 miles south of Nashville. The same page puts the city at approximately 28.7 square miles.
Spring Hill sits in two counties — Williamson and Maury — with the line crossing the city roughly along its middle. Which county a parcel sits in is a deed-and-tax-bill fact that sets the county tax rate and which district (Williamson County Schools or Maury County Public Schools) serves the address. It's one of the first things we confirm on any Spring Hill home.
The 2025 certified city rate is $0.739 per $100 of assessed value on both sides. The county share differs: the Williamson side's certified county rate for Spring Hill is $1.27 ($2.009 combined) while the Maury side's is $1.91 ($2.649 combined). At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, a $550,000 home runs roughly $2,760 a year on the Williamson side versus roughly $3,640 on the Maury side — about $880 a year apart. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
One oddity if you cross-check: the Comptroller's Spring Hill/Williamson row carries $1.27, while the same table carries $1.30 for Brentwood, Fairview, Nolensville and Thompson's Station. We publish the certified row as filed.
Water is the city's own utility, Spring Hill Water. Electric service depends on the address — the city's FAQ names three providers operating inside the city: Middle Tennessee Electric, Columbia Power and Water Systems, and Duck River Electric. Your electric bill (or a pre-offer check with the city) confirms which one serves a given home.
Which nearby towns are not split, even though people assume they are?
Four towns that come up constantly here are not split. The Comptroller's certified table lists three of them under one county only, and carries no row at all for the fourth. Here they are at a glance, then the same county, tax and utility facts we gave the five above.
| Town | County | 2025 certified combined rate | School district |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nolensville | Williamson only | $1.30 county + $0.34 town = $1.64 | Williamson County Schools |
| Thompson's Station | Williamson only | $1.30 county + $0.103 town = $1.403 | Williamson County Schools |
| Eagleville | Rutherford only | $1.8762 county + $0.4051 city = $2.2813 | Rutherford County Schools |
| Old Hickory | Davidson only | Metro $2.782 (GSD) or $2.814 (USD) | Metro Nashville Public Schools |
Nolensville — is all of it in Williamson County?
Nolensville is entirely in Williamson County — unlike several nearby towns, no part of it crosses a county line; the Tennessee Comptroller's certified tax table lists it under Williamson County only. Addresses are served by Williamson County Schools.
For 2025, the certified rates are $1.30 per $100 of assessed value for Williamson County plus $0.34 for the Town of Nolensville — $1.64 combined, one of the lower combined rates in the region. At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, an $800,000 home runs roughly $3,280 a year. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
The town itself provides no utilities — its own services page says so plainly. Electric comes from Middle Tennessee Electric, water from Nolensville College Grove Utility District, sewer from Metro Water Services, and natural gas from Atmos Energy.
Thompson's Station — is it Williamson County or Maury County?
The town's own history page places it approximately 25 miles south of Nashville, just south of Franklin.
Thompson's Station is entirely in Williamson County, between Franklin to the north and Spring Hill to the south — the Tennessee Comptroller's certified tax table lists it under Williamson County only. The town incorporated in 1990. Addresses are served by Williamson County Schools.
For 2025, the certified rates are $1.30 per $100 of assessed value for Williamson County plus just $0.103 for the town — $1.403 combined. At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, a $650,000 home runs roughly $2,280 a year. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
Per the town's utilities page: water from H.B. & T.S. (Hillsboro, Burwood & Thompson's Station) Utility District, electric from Middle Tennessee Electric, and natural gas from Atmos Energy. The town itself provides sewer only in specific subdivisions — Allenwood, Avenue Downs, Bridgemore Village, Fields of Canterbury, Littlebury, Tollgate Village, and Whistle Stop — so we confirm sewer vs. septic for any specific home.
Eagleville — is it in Rutherford County or Williamson County?
The city describes itself as "just 26 miles from Nashville and less than an hour's drive to the Nashville International Airport."
Eagleville is an incorporated city in Rutherford County — the Tennessee Comptroller's certified tax table lists it under Rutherford County only, and the city's own site points residents to Rutherford County government. Addresses are served by Rutherford County Schools.
For 2025, the certified rates are $1.8762 per $100 of assessed value for Rutherford County plus $0.4051 for the City of Eagleville — $2.2813 combined. At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, a $400,000 home runs roughly $2,280 a year. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm current figures with the county trustee.
Per the city's own directory: water from Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County, electric from Middle Tennessee Electric, natural gas from Horton Highway Utility District, and broadband from United Communications. CUD's rate schedule also covers Eagleville's STEP sewer system.
Old Hickory — which county is it in, and why is there no city tax?
Old Hickory is not an incorporated city — it's a Davidson County community inside Metro Nashville, with its own mailing address (Old Hickory, TN 37138) on the Cumberland River at Old Hickory Lake. There is no Old Hickory municipality on the Tennessee Comptroller's certified tax rolls, so there is no separate city tax: property here is taxed at Metro Nashville-Davidson County rates, and addresses are served by Metro Nashville Public Schools.
Because Old Hickory is part of Metro Nashville, the 2025 rates are Metro's: $2.782 per $100 of assessed value in the General Services District or $2.814 in the Urban Services District, depending on which district the address falls in (the Davidson County Assessor's record says which). At Tennessee's 25% residential assessment, a $350,000 home runs roughly $2,430-$2,460 a year. Rates change with reappraisals; confirm with the Davidson County Trustee.
Electric is Nashville Electric Service, which serves all of Davidson County. Water and sewer are Metro Water Services, Metro Nashville's own utility.
Which school district and which law-enforcement agency serve each side?
We name both as plain facts, then hand you the primary sources.
The districts: Sumner County Schools or Robertson County Schools (White House, Portland, Millersville); Sumner County Schools or Metro Nashville Public Schools (Goodlettsville); Williamson County Schools or Maury County Public Schools (Spring Hill); Williamson County Schools (Nolensville, Thompson's Station); Rutherford County Schools (Eagleville); Metro Nashville Public Schools (Old Hickory).
Law enforcement splits the same way, and the FBI's agency roster shows it: the White House, Portland, Millersville, Goodlettsville and Spring Hill police departments are each listed under both of their counties, exactly as the tax table lists the cities. The towns that are not split list one county apiece on the same roster — Nolensville Police Department under Williamson, Eagleville Police Department under Rutherford. Alongside them are the Sumner, Robertson, Williamson, Maury and Rutherford county sheriff's offices, and on the Davidson side — Old Hickory included — the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. A sheriff's office generally reports on unincorporated areas; a city with its own police department reports separately.
For the data itself: the Tennessee Department of Education State Report Card, the NCES Search for Public Schools, the district's own school-zone and bus-route lookup, the FBI Crime Data Explorer and TBI Crime Statistics — all linked on our School & Crime Data page. We do not rank, score or characterize any district or agency; the FBI itself asks users not to rank places with its data.
What should you do next?
Find the county of record. The mailing address will not tell you, and neither will the listing. Three places name it outright: the deed, the county tax bill, and the county assessor's parcel record — which, for Davidson addresses, also says whether a parcel is General Services District or Urban Services District, a $0.032 per $100 difference. The county trustee has the bill at current rates.
Check the rate at the source. The Tennessee Comptroller publishes the certified property tax rates for every county and municipality, without a login. The Sumner County Assessor walks the 25% math; the Davidson County Assessor publishes the Metro GSD and USD rates. Then run your price point through our property tax by county calculator, or read up a rung with the Sumner County guide.
Or ask us. Give us an address, a subdivision or a cross street and we can tell you which county it falls in, which district serves it, the current combined rate and who provides the electric — usually the same day. We represent buyers at little or no cost to you. Call or text 615-265-1000.
Rates are the Tennessee Comptroller's 2025 certified rates, verified at primary sources 2026-08-24 and re-checked against the Comptroller's certified 2025 data feed on 2026-09-02. Dollar figures are arithmetic from the certified 2025 rate at Tennessee's 25% assessment ratio — illustrations, not median prices. Agency county listings are from the FBI Crime Data Explorer agency roster for Tennessee (api.usa.gov/crime/fbi/cde/agency/byStateAbbr/TN), read 2026-09-02.
