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Tennessee city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Memphis?

What it costs to live in Memphis, and how it compares with other Tennessee cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

46

21st best value in Tennessee

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Tennessee cities.

Overall livability

23

37th overall in Tennessee

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Memphis is home to about 634,139 people. A typical home runs $113,700 and a household earns around $44,000, a price-to-income ratio of 2.6. Among Tennessee's largest cities, it ranks 21st for value and 37th overall.

Memphis at a glance

Median home price

$113,700

2nd in TN of 39

Median rent

$965/mo

Median household income

$44,000

Home price to income

2.6x

Unemployment

9.0%

38th in TN of 39

School rating

2/10

36th in TN of 39

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in TN of 39

Walk score

79/100

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‹ See all top Tennessee cities ranked  ยท  Tennessee state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Tennessee only. Updated 2026.