Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Memphis, TN

    Is Memphis a good place to live?

    Watch Memphis

    Memphis ranks #26 of 28 Tennessee cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (28/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $157,100
    +12.5% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,123
    per month
    Household income
    $51,211
    median
    Unemployment
    8.3%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Memphis

    The median home value in Memphis is $157,100 and median rent is $1,123 a month, against a median household income of $51,211. Homes cost about 3.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Memphis crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Tennessee the 2025 rate was 499 violent and 1,661 property crimes per 100,000 people — #14 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Memphis, TN

    Memphis has about 629,063 residents, 8.3% unemployment and 17% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Memphis with

    Memphis vs NashvilleMemphis vs KnoxvilleMemphis vs ChattanoogaMemphis vs ClarksvilleMemphis vs MurfreesboroMemphis vs FranklinMemphis vs Johnson CityMemphis vs Jackson

    More: Where to move in Tennessee · Best counties in Tennessee

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report