re: Most affordable Nashville suburb?

Nashville, overall, is very clean and safe. Great place to be. We've been here over 19 years and wouldn't move.

I use the "Crime Mapping" site all the time. Most agencies report to it:

LINK

Further into Nashville, there are a lot of "transitional" neighborhoods. Areas like "the Nations" (one of the hotter areas off Charlotte Pike) or "Wedgewood" (near the old Greer Stadium) used to be places you wouldn't put your toe in, but now, they're HOT. And EXPENSIVE.

Generally, some of the Northeast parts of Nashville are bad (like off of Dickerson Pike and Trinity Ln) or east of I-65 (like near Buchannan) or near the Napier projects (off of Lafayette). But you wouldn't be looking there anyway. Hell, 'ish happens down town every day, but I've never felt threatened even at night going to dinner or concerts. Very well policed and lit.

Bellevue is your spot for what you described unless you want to try living out in the middle of nowhere (which is fine and beautiful, just not as convenient).