Memphis, TN

Census place 4748000 · pop 618,980

F33/ 100
💀 Bad
F
in TN
📍 Tennessee ranks #32 of 50 states →
🏆 Rent$1,281/mo · top 17%
🚽 Inequality0.52 · bottom 6%
💡 Did you know?

The birthplace of Sun Records rock 'n' roll and home of Elvis Presley's Graceland.

Source ↗
Taxes
1.09% property · US 0.99%9.61% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.526

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.52 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult smoking19.9%6

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

19.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poor mental health20.7%6

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

20.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Population growth (5yr)-5.1%8

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-5.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Homeownership44.9%9

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

44.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Air quality (AQI)County-level55 AQI9

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

55 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity42.1%10

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

42.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Poverty rate23.1%11

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

23.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level99/10011

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Median household income$51,73615

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$51,736 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Uninsured adults14.9%18

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

14.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Physical inactivity31.1%21

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

31.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Broadband access87.5%23

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

87.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level9 days25

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

9 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.2%30

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden1.09%44

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.09% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher28.0%45

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

28.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Commute time21 min68

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$169,00080

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$169,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,281/mo83

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,281/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Not measured for Memphis: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Memphis, TN a good place to live?
By the numbers, Memphis scores 33/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is income inequality. Tennessee overall ranks #32 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Memphis, TN expensive to live in?
Memphis has a median home value of $169,000 and typical rent around $1,281/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Memphis, TN?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.52) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Memphis, TN best at?
Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,281/mo) — 83/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The birthplace of Sun Records rock 'n' roll and home of Elvis Presley's Graceland.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.