“It tells me all about community events, like Bible study, Bunco and walking groups,” said Buchanan, who moved into his Thompson’s Station house in December.

Buchanan and hundreds of other homebuyers like him are flocking to Thompson’s Station and nearby Spring Hill, south of Franklin along Interstate 65. So many are arriving that both towns are conducting special censuses to keep up with their population growth.

Homeowners like Janelle and Greg Hutti are attracted by the small-town sense of community and prices that are affordable. After living near Los Angeles, they moved to Spring Hill to raise their family and to open Be Well Chiropractic.

“It’s like Franklin or Brentwood, with the same quality of life for a lower cost,” said Janelle Hutti.

They moved into their new house, built by John Maher Builders, in December.

“Spring Hill has grown faster than any area of the country. (There are) young families our age. It’s a good place to raise a family,” she said.

Gravitating south

Like the Huttis, Buchanan moved into his new house in December. He is the first buyer to close on a home built by Miami-based Lennar Homes, one of the country’s largest builders, in Tollgate Village. The company has plans for a total of about 700 homes in Tollgate and in Bridgemore Village. Both subdivisions are in Thompson’s Station.

D.R. Horton, the country’s largest homebuilder, recently entered the Middle Tennessee market and has plans for 150 homes in Spring Hill’s Williams Park subdivision.

The Jones Co., one of Middle Tennessee’s most active builders, has been constructing homes in the area for years. The company is building homes in Spring Hill’s Belshire and Wade’s Grove subdivisions.

Ole South has built more than 1,000 homes in the area since 2001. The company is active on both the Maury and Williamson county sides of Spring Hill.

John Maher Builders has five residential developments in Spring Hill that will have more than 2,800 residences and a value of more than $500 million when they are complete. The company also has 150 acres for commercial development.

Quick commutes on I-65 and State Route 840, Williamson County’s highly regarded schools, a thriving local economy and affordable prices add to the area’s appeal, said Andy Pfeifer, Lennar’s division president in Middle Tennessee.

“Williamson County is always a sought-after address. Brentwood and Franklin are more expensive. Very few people can afford that stratosphere, so people are gravitating farther south,” said Pfeifer.

Rural charm

A combination of factors makes the area so attractive, said Andy Oxley, city manager in the Nashville area for D.R. Horton.

“Affordability, quality schools and proximity to Nashville make Spring Hill an excellent place to purchase a home,” he said. In addition, shopping, dining and entertainment are available locally or minutes away in Cool Springs.

Buchanan, who lived in several locations in Williamson County before moving to Thompson’s Station, said the area has maintained its rural charm despite its rapid growth.

“It’s still a rural, picturesque community. It’s just a family environment, children riding bikes,” he said.

But it also has all the conveniences expected of a Williamson County address, said Buchanan as he checked the community’s app for any activities he might want to join in.

“I always had my eye on Tollgate,” he said.