South of Nashville, with 30 minute drive would be the Franklin area. It has some beautiful country and homes, but wil be very pricey. If south is your preference, to get the cost down you'll need to add some time to that drive and maybe look at Maury county area. Within 30 minutes of Nashville, north, east and west sides of town might be a little lower cost. Traffic is going to be a pain regardless of direction. About 20 years ago, I lived on the west side, out in the Kingston Springs area and the commute wasn't bad at all. It is beautiful country and convenient to anything you might want to do.
Nashville area has experienced so much growth in the last 10 years that it has become quite pricey. I live about 60 miles south of Nashville and it has even affected real estate prices here.
Good luck with the move and making the right decision!