Is moving to Memphis, TN right for you?
Music is to Memphis what life is to the living. Memphis is known for blues, rock 'n' roll, soul music, and some of Tennessee's leading tourist spots. Memphis has one of the lowest costs of living in the entire United States and homes are easily affordable in the city.
Famous for its endless entertainment, Memphis is Tennessee's second most populous city and one of the best places to live in Tennessee. Memphis spectacular outdoor activities, great weather, and shorter commute time makes it a perfect place for many millennials.
If you'd like to live in a city where every day is a holiday, and the entertainment is endless, moving to Memphis Tennessee is right for you. To help you weigh your options carefully before making a decision, we've curated key data about living in Memphis.
Here's all you need to know before making up your mind about moving to Memphis:
Learn some facts about Memphis before moving to the city to help you decide if it's the right place for you.
How many people call Memphis their home? Before making up your mind about moving to Memphis, The Population of Memphis is 651,073 and it's the second largest city in Tennessee. Here's a simple breakdown of the city's population:
How fast can you commute if you're moving to Memphis, TN? Most of the residents in Memphis, TN move around the city with their personal car rather than rely on the public transportation system.
Tip: While moving the home, safety of your belongings is the priority and you need a trustworthy mover at your side. Know the top-rated moving companies in Memphians, TN.
Moving to Memphis, TN gives you the opportunity to experience all four seasons in a year. Here's a simple analysis of the weather in Memphis, Tennessee:
Memphis, the home of the blues, could be the perfect place for you if you're considering moving to another city. We've curated the key reasons why moving to Memphis is a great idea:
The birthplace of Blues and Rock 'n' Rolls is a destination to catch up with endless music. On every nook and corner of the city, you will come across a music club playing live music and every second person in Memphis is a crazy music lover looking for an opportunity to display his talent. There’s no place on the planet as Memphis to explore Rock 'n' Rolls.
Memphis is the 7th best city to start a business in the US. The availability of resources, attractive corporate taxes, labor costs, industry variety, and the affordability of office space per square foot play major roles in making Memphis a hot start-up destination.
The housing expenses in Memphis are 34% lower than the national average and transportation expenses like bus fares and gas prices are 11% lower than the national average. While the median home rent in this Tennessee city is $825 per month, you could own a home for $228,326. This is much lower when compared to nearby cities, such as Nashville.
One of the great things about Memphis is affordable accommodation. You can rent a studio apartment for $683 and a one-bedroom house for $770. The monthly rent for a two-bedroom home is approximately $908 while a three-bedroom house is $1,240.
You can buy a medium house in Memphis for $124,779, which is much lower than the national average. However, home values have gone up 19.7% over the past year.
In Memphis, you don’t need to stay inside either in winter or in summer. Whether it's hitting the links, the trails, or family-focused attractions, Memphis is a stellar choice for outdoor enthusiasts to explore, almost year-round.
Here are a few activities to engage outside in Memphis:
From music fests to foodie feasts, Memphis is packed with festivals year-round and the city is always in the festival mood. Here are some of the must-explore events and festivals in Memphis:
Tennessee does not levy tax on your earnings which means your bank account will be fatter than your friends in other states. However, there is a 6% tax on interest and dividends and a 7% sales tax.
From the pristine scenic beauty to the lip-smacking goodness that is Memphis-style barbecue, the residents have got reasons to be happy living here. Memphis is ranked the 9th happiest city in the country in 2023 and also the 7th most spiritually fulfilled city. In professional life, Memphis ranks 4th happiest city in the US to work.
The 4 distinct kinds of weather make Memphis a comfortable place to live and work year-round.
The city experiences all 4 kinds of weather – winter, summer, spring & fall. The summers are long, hot, and muggy while winters are short, very cold, wet, and windy. Thunderstorms can happen any time of the year but are common in the spring months.
The delicacies at Memphis are mouthwatering and mostly famous for slow-cooked, dry rub barbecue ribs. However, Memphis cuisines are not just limited to barbecues but the food diversity is large.
Here are a few dishes you should not miss in Memphis:
Moving to Memphis gives you good job opportunities completed with a low cost of living and no income tax. In addition, fuelled with high voltage music, Memphis is a city with a pulse.
Moreover, the city is surrounded by serene settings. But Memphis has also got reasons not to move here. You need to study both the pluses and minuses of Memphis before taking the final call. To help you, we have got the honest pros and cons of living in Memphis.
Here are the key pros and cons of moving to Memphis, TN:
The Pros of Living in Memphis | The Cons of Living in Memphis |
---|---|
Great housing market | Memphis has one of the highest crime rates in the U.S. |
Dependable healthcare system | The traffic in Memphis is terrible |
Enjoy endless entertainment | Sometimes the heat in Memphis is unbearable |
Growth in tech jobs | Memphis has one of the worst poverty rates in the U.S. |
You'll enjoy sports | High sales tax |
Memphians are friendly | You'll need a car to move around in Memphis |
Top-quality education | You may have to deal with tornadoes and violent storms |
Great commuting network with shorter commuting time | Traveling to anywhere from Memphis is difficult |
Memphis is a foodie's paradise | Bugs everywhere, mosquitoes, chiggers, and more |
The weather is remarkable | Poor public transportation system |
Grocery and utilities are below average |
Tip: When you’ve got a home to move in Memphis, TN, getting the best moving quote will be your goal. Request moving company quotes to save on moving cost.
Looking to buy a home in Memphis after moving to the city? We have collated key metrics of the Memphis real estate market to help you put the right foot forward.
One of the best parts of moving to Memphis is that the city's real estate market is known for having some of the most affordable homes in the entire United States. More than 50% of Memphis residents are homeowners and the city's real estate value is constantly on the rise. Here's a simple analysis of Memphis real estate market:
Before you make a call to move to Memphis, it is important to know the city’s health system. Despite ranking high in healthcare, life expectancy is lower in Memphis than the national average and the city also has serious obesity issues.
Let’s take a look at a few health-related facts in Memphis
Here’s a list of top-rated hospitals in Memphis
Memphis, TN is home to many neighborhoods. Since you're considering moving to Memphis, TN, the following are the best places to live in the city using data from HomeSnacks:
Here are the 10 best neighborhoods in Memphis, TN:
Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Windyke-Southwind | 10,884 | $275,875 | $85,767 |
2 | Cordova-Appling | 83,223 | $143,825 | $65,003 |
3 | Eads-Fisherville | 14,121 | $197,233 | $77,857 |
4 | River Oaks-Kirby-Balmoral | 42,038 | $169,116 | $64,831 |
5 | East Memphis-Colonial-Yorkshire | 107,753 | $133,731 | $47,789 |
6 | Hickory Ridge-South Riverdale | 92,024 | $90,668 | $45,212 |
7 | Raleigh | 54,460 | $68,098 | $37,105 |
8 | Midtown | 62,752 | $96,608 | $34,572 |
9 | Berclair-Highland Heights | 33,880 | $54,679 | $29,979 |
10 | White Haven-Coro Lake | 88,153 | $69,690 | $34,319 |
Memphis is one of the least expensive cities to live in the United States. The cost of living in Memphis is rated 76.0 using a United States average of 100. This means the cost of living in Memphis is 24 times lower than the United States average. If you're moving to Memphis, you wouldn't have to bother about the high cost of living. Housing is rated as the most significant factor in the cost of living metric.Also, you can calculate your cost of moving to Memphis using a free moving cost calculator. You can request for free moving quotes to get multiple quotes from professional moving companies.
Since you're mulling over moving to Memphis, you should be aware that the city has some of the least expensive rental markets in the entire United States. Renting a home in Memphis is fairly easy and 5.3% of homes in the city are available to rent, the United States average is 2.1.
In Memphis, renters make up 41.9% of the population and since you're considering moving to Memphis, you may decide to buy or rent a home. To help you get started, since you're contemplating moving to Memphis, TN here's a simple analysis of the Memphis rental market compared to the U.S. average.
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START MY QUOTEHow much will you start earning if you move to Memphis, TN? Depending on your current location, you may end up earning more or less when you move to Tennessee. Let's find out how much you will most likely earn in Tennessee.
The booming economy of Memphis has significantly contributed to the city’s job market. One of the robust economies in the Southeastern United States, Memphis’ job sector highly stresses manufacturing, transportation, and shipping. If you're mulling over moving to Memphis, here are all the key information you need to know about the city’s job market:
While moving to Memphis, it is important you know the best-paid jobs as you may consider switching the career. To know the job market better, we’ve listed the top-paid jobs in Memphis.
Memphis is home to hundreds of companies, both small and large, giving jobs and contributing to the city’s economy for long decades. Here are some of the companies that made the best use of the business climate in Memphis and grew up as top players.
Memphis, TN is known for its endless entertainment. But there's more to Memphis than Blues and Rock 'n' Roll. While considering if moving to Memphis is right for you or not, here's a list of the best things to do in Memphis if you eventually chose the city:
Considered as the birthplace of Rock & Roll, Sun Studio played a prominent role in the careers of Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. It is now open to the public and displays a lot of memorabilia, including vintage recording equipment to original pressings of the earliest times.
An icon street in Memphis, Beale Street is one of the most visited places in Tennessee where music rules. The 1.8-mile street has nightclubs, restaurants, and shops and is a melting pot of delta blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll, R&B, and gospel.
The museum complex has a lot of historic buildings that exhibit the history of the civil rights movement in the US from the 17th century to the present. It is built around the former Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. There are presentations of iconic exhibits and oral histories of lesser-known civil rights activists.
A part of the Memphis landscape since the 1960s, Malco is an iconic place to catch up with movies, played on its 4 screens with excellent audio features. There are just 321 drive-in theaters left in the US and that increases the significance of Malco.
The 2,308-seat Orpheum Theatre is a landmark of Memphis that has hosted art performances for over 90 years. It is the first building in Memphis to be on the National Register of Historic Places.
A multipurpose arena FedExForum hosts ice hockey, family shows, and concerts. The arena is spread over 14 acres, can seat up to 19,000 people and has 1,000 premiere courtside seats.
A minor league baseball stadium in Memphis, Autozone Park in downtown Memphis can seat up to 10,000 spectators. It is home to the Memphis Redbirds and Memphis 901 FC and has hosted many major events since its opening in 2000.
The oldest and largest art museum in Tennessee, Memphis Brooks Museum of Arts has 29 galleries displaying works from Greece, Rome, and the Americas; Renaissance masterpieces from Italy; English portraiture; American painting and decorative arts; contemporary art; and a survey of African art. The museum building is a US National Landmark.
A community market selling farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, Memphis Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from April to October. In Memphis, this market is the best place to buy farm produce and is normally crowded with both residents and visitors.
In Memphis, the best way to see the city is from water and you can cruise through the Mississippi River on a boat for about 90 minutes. You will get great views and will learn the city's history while having snacks or a mug of beer.
The best place to explore authentic Memphis cuisine is Central BBQ. The menu is filled with mouthwatering delicacies, each affordably priced. Central BBQ has outlets in various parts of Memphis.
Graceland, the mansion on a 13.8-acre estate was the home of Elvis Presley and now a museum dedicated to him. Graceland has been a National Historic Landmark since 2006 and about 1 million people visit here annually, taking it to the list of the most visited houses in the country after Biltmore Estate, Hearst Castle, and the White House.
The 20,000-seat arena at Memphis on the banks of the Mississippi River looks like an Egyptian pyramid and usually hosts sports events, concerts, and performances. The 321-feet Memphis Pyramid is one of the most visited places in Memphis.
Spread over 76 acres, Memphis Zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species. The zoo is divided into three zones that showcase a total of 19 different exhibits.
In Memphis, a self-guided 3-hour journey high up among the treetops is the best way to pump your adrenaline. From the top, you will get amazing views of nature below. The trip is specially catered for adventure lovers in Shelby Farms Park, Memphis.
Tip: Often, you feel like calculating the moving cost before you connect with a moving company. To help you, we've got a free moving cost calculator.
Before making up your mind about moving to Memphis, TN, you should be aware about the city's crime rates to decide if it's the right place for you or not. So, we've curated key metrics about crime rates in Memphis, using data from NeighborhoodScout to help you get started.
If you have school-age kids and considering moving to Memphis, TN, we've curated a list of the top-rated schools in the state. Here they are:
SRichland Elementary School
5440 Rich Road, Memphis, TN, 38120,Public district, PK-5|806 students, Rating: 9/10
Rivercrest Elementary School
4825 Rivercrest Lane, Memphis, TN, 38135, Public district, PK-5|522 students, Rating: 8/10
Bon Lin Middle School
3862 North Germantown Road, Memphis, TN, 38133, Public district, 6-8|749 students, Rating: 8/10
Campus School
535 Zach H Curlin Street, Memphis, TN, 38111,Public district, 1-6|324 students, Rating: 8/10
White Station Elementary School
4840 Chickasaw Road, Memphis, TN, 38117,Public district, PK-5|657 students, Rating: 8/10
White Station High School
514 South Perkins Road, Memphis, TN, 38117, Public district, 9-12|2,205 students, Rating: 7/10
Middle College High School
750 East Parkway South, Memphis, TN, 38104, Public district, 9-12|280 students, Rating: 7/10
Hollis F. Price Middle College High School
807 Walker Avenue, Memphis, TN, 38126, Public district, 9-12|119 students, Rating: 7/10
Memphis Rise Academy
1230 Covington Pike, Memphis, TN, 38122, Public charter, 6-12|438 students, Rating: 5/10
Central High School
306 South Bellevue, Memphis, TN, 38104, Public district, 9-12|1,530 students, Rating: 5/10
White Station High School
514 South Perkins Road, Memphis, TN, 38117, Public district, 9-12|2,205 students, Rating: 7/10
Middle College High School
750 East Parkway South, Memphis, TN, 38104, Public district, 9-12|280 students, Rating: 7/10
Hollis F. Price Middle College High School
807 Walker Avenue, Memphis, TN, 38126, Public district, 9-12|119 students, Rating: 7/10
Memphis Rise Academy
1230 Covington Pike, Memphis, TN, 38122, Public charter, 6-12|438 students, Rating: 5/10
Central High School
306 South Bellevue, Memphis, TN, 38104, Public district, 9-12|1,530 students, Rating: 5/10
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