Name: Memphis, TN
Rating: 0.0

( 62 Ratings )

Living in Memphis, TN

Ranks better than 70% of areas Follow

Population

650,910

Median Age

34.2 Years

Memphis Area Facts

Memphis has a Livability Score of 70_/100, which is considered good
Memphis crime rates are 228% higher than the Tennessee average
Cost of living in Memphis is 4% lower than the Tennessee average

What do the locals think about Memphis?

40%

Family friendly

33%

Public transit is accessible

38%

Walkable to grocery stores

24%

Yards are well-kept

52%

Lots of parks

38%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

24%

A quiet area

43%

Sense of community

Based on 42 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

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Memphis Reviews

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A very dangerous place to live 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 19, 2021) Memphis is plagued with an assortment of issues. The crime is the city is ridiculously high. Anyone can easily become a victim of crime here. It seems like every other year Memphis is breaking its own record of homicides committed. The public school system is terrible. As a forme ...Read More r student of Memphis City School, I sat back and watched individuals who could barely read for their grade level continued to be promoted to the next grade. The residents try to get along with one another, but it doesn’t seem authentic. It’s a subtle racial undertone to the city between African Americans, Caucasians, and Mexican residents. If a few minorities move into a mostly white neighborhood, for sale signs begin to pop up and they will move further east away from Memphis. There’s a ton of dilapidated homes and large empty buildings in the area. The jobs in the city are terrible. It’s mostly manufacturing, so you will most likely need a college degree in order to get a decent paying job. Unless, you’re lucky enough to land a job like working at the post office. The poverty is extremely high here as well. As a result, parts of the city is considered a food desert. A food desert is a place where low income residents do not have access to grocery stores in their area. The wealthier the neighborhood, the more grocery store options they will have in that area. The food is fantastic and the cost of living is very low, but it’s way too dangerous here. Memphis was once the largest city in the state of Tennessee, and now Nashville is the largest city in the state. Individuals are flooding out of the city and the population is slowly starting to decline. My advice for visitors, stay downtown if you are visiting and do not go out at night. Visitors have been robbed a gun point walking along the Riverfront at night. Read Less

Low cost and beautiful, but not very safe 3 rating By Anonymous ( Jan 20, 2021) I've been living in Memphis for five years. By living in Memphis you can really save a lot of money. The city is beautiful especially during spring and summer. It's hot and humid in summer, but it really depends on your temper to enjoy/suffer from it. There are really bad neighbo ...Read More rhoods around the downtown area, but you can find safe and nice neighborhoods around, as well. The dining is really good and diverse. There is no nightlife in Memphis, though. I believe it's not a bad place for living, but, personally, I would like to move out to a bigger and nicer city. Nashville, for example, is a place I would recommend if you have the option and want to be around. Read Less

Second Follow Up: DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS IS NOT SAFE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT 1 rating By FrasierID ( Jan 08, 2020) I attended an event at the Orpheum Theatre downtown and was cursed, threatened and spit upon twice by an aggressive thug and panhandler in the adjacent parking lot. No security and no police in sight in the heart of the downtown entertainment district at Main and Beale Street at ...Read More 5 pm. I called the police and have no idea if they did anything. Read Less

Follow Up to Last Review 2 rating By FrasierID ( Sep 27, 2019) I failed to mention one key descriptive about Memphis. Though geographically and legally Memphis is in Tennessee, Memphis is culturally and essentially a part of the North Mississippi Delta. If you like that fact, and I do not, then have at it, but the rest of Tennessee is an ent ...Read More irely different culture than Memphis. Read Less

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Second Follow Up: DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS IS NOT SAFE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT 1 rating By FrasierID ( Jan 08, 2020) I attended an event at the Orpheum Theatre downtown and was cursed, threatened and spit upon twice by an aggressive thug and panhandler in the adjacent parking lot. No security and no police in sight in the heart of the downtown entertainment district at Main and Beale Street at ...Read More 5 pm. I called the police and have no idea if they did anything. Read Less

Follow Up to Last Review 2 rating By FrasierID ( Sep 27, 2019) I failed to mention one key descriptive about Memphis. Though geographically and legally Memphis is in Tennessee, Memphis is culturally and essentially a part of the North Mississippi Delta. If you like that fact, and I do not, then have at it, but the rest of Tennessee is an ent ...Read More irely different culture than Memphis. Read Less

An Attempt at a Balanced Review 2 rating By FrasierID ( Mar 20, 2019) I'm a native and grew up in Memphis in the 1960's - 1990's. The history of Memphis is key to understanding it. MLK was assassinated here in 1968, and the city burned. To some level it still burns, and certainly bleeds. It is exceedingly dangerous in most areas of town. For a city ...Read More that covers a fairly large land area, there are far too many no-go areas. Memphis is actually a fairly small town and acts that way for those in more stable and more expensive areas of town: High Point, East Memphis, etc. Memphis was overall a nice, clean city in which to live, at least in the areas I knew. It is a mess now in many areas, and I would not recommend Memphis as a place to live. Having said that, Memphis is a bit slower paced and slower to change (can be a good thing) versus the fast-changing, exciting and yet ever phonier and flashy Nashville. If you move to the Memphis area and you have or want a family, go to well-run suburbs like Germantown or Collierville. Memphis public schools are unusable. Private schools are good but expensive. Drivers are selfish, entitled and reckless. Auto insurance is high. City government is race-obsessed and seemingly corrupt. The main utility, MLGW, is normally good but is having trouble with power outages on clear days for seemingly no reason. Memphis is majority-minority, yet in my experience, at least face to face, interracial experiences are fairly good where most people try to get along. There are glaring opposite examples, though, and you have to realize race permeates EVERYTHING here, to the city's detriment. One point of change is that there seems to be quite a few young people moving here to try to make the city better: good. One last point: the CEO of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce was murdered in a random robbery attempt, downtown, at 7:30 pm in September 2018, in a nice, reclaimed part of downtown. That tells you all you need to know. Very sad. I will move from this area when I retire. Read Less

#2 DEADLIEST CITY IN AMERICA! 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Feb 17, 2019) memphis and shelby co. is deadly, you can become a victim or end up dead anywhere, anytime, 24/7! here are some examples of of what its like living in baghdad... i mean memphis.
8 shootings on the interstate in less than 5 months, 3 on the same day. can't recall how many were k ...Read More illed.
back in 2018 in 1 weekend 12 shootings. 12 people shot, 6 killed.
prominent businessman robbed and shot dead jogging down the street in daytime.
carjackings happen anytime during the day, so many you lose count! people that ressit end up shot!
robbing senior citizen, beating or shooting them for what little they have.
gangs! 14-18 year olds using AK47's in drivebys, police sometimes count as many as 50 - 60 rounds fired! A LOT of children and innocent people end up shot or dead. families sleep on the floors to protect themselves from stray bullets.
rape, robberies, carjacking, scams, racism, killing, death, etc. no amount of money can bring you back from death. do not move or take a job in shelby co, germantown and collierville are deadly too. even the wealthy pay for 24/7 security in their neighborhoods with police surveillance... they still become victims! you have been warned! 2019 has stared off deadly... this might be the year memphis makes the "#1 DEADLIEST CITY IN AMERICA." Read Less

Nasty nasty nasty 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Sep 22, 2018) I went to Graceland i was so excited waited years to go. when i arrived at memphis i could not beleave elvis lived there it was so nasty not his home but the city .i will never return ever . I was a fraid to go to my car the streets smelled of urine and trash every where .if u wa ...Read More nt to see elvis presley's home watch a documentary dont waste your time. stay safe his home was great but i liked watching his home movies they sometimes show on tv its a shame to see such a great looking home in such a trashy nasty place Read Less

Ready to Leave 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jul 31, 2018) I've lived in Memphis my whole life, the past 24 years, and it only gets worse. We have great concerts and great food (especially the BBQ, of course) and that's really about it. There is no way in hell I would ever raise my children here. Our crime rate is ridiculous. Our public ...Read More schools are not good. Everything on the news has to do with shootings, drugs, murders, etc. No one cares about your life here. People are getting killed over money, drugs, jealousy, or even just for innocently walking down the street. There are shootouts on innocent peoples' houses all the time. Shootings during daylight on the interstate. Homeless people everywhere. There is really no escaping it, unless you are rich enough to move out to Collierville or Germantown. This city is in a terrible cycle that will probably never end. Even a lot of our tourists fall victim to the violence here. I certainly would not recommend it. Read Less

FILTHY, CRUMBLING, DECREPIT SHELL OF WHAT USED TO BE! 0.5 rating By BethLid ( May 13, 2018) WHAT IS GOING ON with this city???? As a tourist, I have honestly never arrived in a place that screamed, "Going to hell in a hand basket" louder than this place does! Dozens of old hotels that are now dated, dilapidated, poorly maintained skeletons of days gone by, trash and lit ...Read More ter all over the place, crumbling parking lots, vacant businesses, and tall grass/weeds grown up along the roads. Nobody even seems to care and it's just ho-hum, business as usual. The basic standards of cleanliness are appalling even in public restrooms, and trying to find even a decent quick mart that isn't filthy and rundown is nearly impossible. I honestly felt like I was in Harlem or something, and reading these other reviews it is obvious I'm not the only one seeing these things. What a sad day that this once vibrant, bustling city has become such a filthy, rundown place where people don't even feel safe visiting! The leadership of this city needs a serious wakeup call before their town is known as a place NO ONE wants to visit. Elvis would roll in his grave! I will never return to this godforsaken place. Read Less

Welcome to a city that doesn't care about the police or your safety! 0.5 rating By Artbound7 ( Dec 29, 2017) Let's be honest Memphis could be a great city IF CITY GOVERNMENT worry more about the safety of the citizens rather then backdoor dealings. First off it's not safe, the city refuses to give police and fire proper benefits and pay for an extremely violent city.Go to the link below ...Read More and see what they did to the cities police officers and firemen. ( https://m.memphisflyer.com/NewsBlog/archives/2014/06/18/memphis-city-council-cuts-employee-benefits-in-budget-vote)Since 2014 they let the city PD run with 1000 Officers short. They will tell you it's not that many but it is. Our officers work really hard to control the crime by working 12 hour+ shifts some only take 1 off day a week with ZERO support from city leaders. The city leaders crime plan was to mail letters to fellons ASKING them not to commit anymore crimes. That alone should tell people alot about visiting Memphis. If they treat the police like that do you really think they're concerned about your safety when you visit? No, but they do care about your money getting spent here so they push the narrative that Memphis is some kind of utopian society but really it's a dystopia.When you sell a park to private group that just happens to be a county commissioner for $1000 (estimated value over $2 Million) and then proceedes to start taking down statues at night and all the money used to buy the park and pay for the removal of the statues was donate anonymously, looks suspicious. Then you find out the ppl contracted to do the removal are related to city leaders, looks suspicious. I would recommend not visiting Memphis until we have city leaders that care more about your safety rather than just your money. -Your welcome Read Less

Third world garbage dump 0.5 rating By Randy Davis ( Dec 28, 2017) I visited Memphis last week to check out Beale street. I found the city dirty, and fet unsafe wherever I went. Homeless people were on many corners begging and standing in front of cars so they could not proceed. The police were no where to be found. I took a short cut because ...Read More the freeways were jammed and found abandon cars littered the neighborhood that I drove through. People were rude, food was OK, music good in some bars. I do not recommend visiting Memphis. Read Less

Scary place to live 0.5 rating By billyho ( Dec 27, 2017) One of the highest crimes rates in the country. One of the worst school systems in the country.Some of the worst streets you'll ever drive on. Horrible environment to raise children. High poverty rate. Every decision is based on how it will effect a certain sector of the communit ...Read More y rather than on what's good for the overall population. The Mayor allowed the thugs who shut the bridge down,with no consequence, to pick the police director. That tells who actually runs the city.The Mayor and city council make shady backroom deals with special interest groups. The Mayor is a coward. Read Less

Was not impressed 1 rating By Cynthia Fishburn ( Dec 27, 2017) Seemed a very frightening place to be, I do not understand why the city is so against its own heritage. Wiping away the history of our southern states is so very sad. ...Read More Read Less

DON'T VISIT THIS CITY! 0.5 rating By Artbound7 ( Feb 14, 2017) The city of Memphis is UNSAFE! The city council and mayor care more about falsifying crime stats., stealing health insurance from retires, and being on tv. PLEASE BOYCOTT this city till they restore public SAFETY! It will never happen if they don't restore the benefits they have ...Read More stolen from police. Right now they are 550 police officers short. Don't bring your family here! 1 police officer for 347 citizens. Read Less

Unsave 3 rating By patricia webster ( May 24, 2016) I have lived in Memphis for 10 years. What I like about Memphis is the musical history and musical soul. The airport, which welcomes tourists has a musical theme, since Memphis is the home of Elvis and the blues. Memphis has a lot to offer as far as the musical history and attrac ...Read More tions. Memphis also has history on Civil Rights , which attracts most tourist. Memphis has the Grizzly's NBA team and also the Redbirds Baseball team and stadium, which is absolutely beautiful in the heart of down town. I recommend visiting Memphis, but not living in Memphis. Like I wrote earlier, Memphis has a lot if great attractions to offer to tourists. Unfortunately Memphis has left a bad taste in many tourists mouth. Some examples are the high crimes without any regard for human life, the run down, dirty areas at Memphis entry points . There are way to many poor people with unlivable conditions. The school system is not that good. They are on the news daily planning for the budget, cutting back on supplies and teaching staff. The classe grow bigger and bigger. Counselors and other student benefits are removed. Certified teachers are placed in better schools. Not so good schools get bad books, handed down books that good schools stopped using. Tablets etc are only in better schools. Caucasian populated schools have better equipment and better teachers. The crime is way out of hand. If you become missing, don't expect anybody to be looking for you. Your name be entered into the data base, if they so happen to come across you, they help you then, unless you are a part of the government or police force, then they make a real effort to find you. The police itself I think are doing their jobs well and theynare certainly appreciated. Memphis has a high rate if burglaries and murders partly due to lack of punishment of the criminals. Memphis is not a place to raise a family due to high crime rate, which seems to grow. Read Less

MCHS at CBU 0 rating By rhayman ( Apr 01, 2016) An excellent program, with incompetent administrators. In our case, our son was punished for something he did not do, and the school administrators refused to consider evidence that could have demonstrated his innocence. If we refuse to hear exculpatory evidence, then everyone is ...Read More guilty, of everything. I am a Level 5 school teacher (Tennessee's highest effectiveness rating) and a lay pastor, just so you know that I'm not just shooting off at the mouth. What kind of monster punishes innocent children, just in order to "save face" and not have to admit making a mistake? Are our children safe with such monsters? The irresponsible, unfair, arbitrary, capricious, hateful, incompetent behavior of these administrators, along with the SCS central office administrators who supported it, is unconscionable. A model honor student has been unfairly punished. Way too many hours of SCS personnel time have been spent dealing with a matter that should have not happened. Our son was not even in the building when the incident took place, and the administrators know it. And now, the coming specter of a long list of administrators, from the school all the way to the superintendent, along with the SCS district, all to be named in a drawn out court action. Completely needless. An abrogation of the trust we put in our school administrators. Pathetic. Horrendous. A nightmare. And, indicative of the faux value of "doing what's best for children" that is so often espoused in this district. Sadly, it is this kind of incompetent leadership that has our school system in the position it is. Read Less

Recently Relocated To Memphis, TN 4 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 17, 2014) One of the reasons that I decided to relocate to Memphis five years ago was because of college. When I saw the beauty of the buildings and the music that Memphis offers, I knew I had to stay. There are some areas of the city with buildings that are run down and people who might s ...Read More eem a little less than friendly, but I have found that if you leave them alone, then they will leave you alone.

While I've lived in Memphis, I have toured the home of Elvis. Graceland is a beautiful area, and the rooms that are shown on the tour are designed so that you feel like you are a part of his home. Some of the walking tours I have been on in the city really aren't that great, but there are bus tours that go right by the homes of famous musicians. It's best to arrive early for the tour so that you can get a good seat and so that you can see all of the stops on the tour.

I am a person who loves to eat. There aren't that many restaurants in Memphis, but one thing that I do enjoy is the BBQ. It has a smoky flavor that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. The Hard Rock Café in the middle of town is one of my favorite places to eat. It serves large hamburgers, and the fries are cut by hand. Memphis is a place where you can see all four seasons in the year, and you know that you can always have something to do, especially if you like to walk through town. Read Less

My Time In Midtown, Memphis... 4 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 05, 2014) I have lived in the Midtown neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee for about five years. When I first moved here, I noticed that there were several music events. This is because the area is known for the diverse cultures of the people who live there and the musical talents of the res ...Read More idents. My small home was on the outskirts of the neighborhood, and I was only 10 minutes from downtown Memphis. Many of the businesses are locally owned, and I enjoyed this fact because I feel that support should be given to those in the area instead of to larger companies. There is also a wide variety of homes in the neighborhood from older two-story houses with brick to modern apartment buildings with all of the latest amenities that are offered to those who don't want to live in the traditional home.

The street that I live on is very quiet. I can sit on my porch and watch children riding their bicycles or families walking along the sidewalk. Although I like the quiet area, this can also be nerve wracking as it's almost too quiet at night. When I need to get out of the house in the evening, I can count on there being musicians at one of the local nightclubs such as HiTone or Murphy's. The local bands are amazing, but I have heard quite a few national groups as well.

I try to stay as active as possible, so I try to take advantage of the trails in the area. Overton Park is my favorite place to visit as I can ride my bike or job along the trails, and then I can sit on one of the benches to relax the rest of the day. The Memphis Zoo is also an attraction that must be seen at least once. While there are many restaurants to choose from, I don't like that there aren't as many shopping centers. The centers that are available offer somewhat older items such as vintage clothing and even records. Sometimes I think there are more schools than places to shop in the area. However, the attractions such as Carrier Hall and Tobey Park make up for the lack of shopping. Read Less

Not a SAFE place to be anymore 1 rating By gledav ( Aug 16, 2013) I grew up in Memphis and really loved it until the 1980's. Things started to change for the worse. Violent crimes have gone up every year and the City has been ruined by people that have no business running a city. People here are rude and just don't care about anything but them ...Read More selves. People here will throw the race card up so fast it'll make your head spin! Memphis used to be a great city but, that's all in the past. If you don't mind looking over your shoulder everywhere you go in this town, come see the city. Just beware of the robberies and break-ins. Read Less

Memphis, TN - Right At Home 4 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 24, 2011) After I've traveled the world and seen the culture that the world has to offer, the city of Memphis, TN really made me feel the most at home. Their population of more than 670,000 definitely gives you the big city feel when you walk around the streets and talk to the people. Alth ...Read More ough, some may see this as a disadvantage to Memphis, however I found that I really enjoyed it. I was always given something to do to keep myself from being bored and the skyline was something to admire at night time.

The first thing I noticed when I visited Memphis was the large amount of FedEx trucks and planes that I saw around the city. I soon was told that Memphis is the FedEx capital of the world and the main headquarters are based in Memphis. This really says alot to me and everyone that visits about the local areas work ethic and strive for excellence.

One of the downfalls to this big city is the amount of crime that clutters the area. This is really one of the biggest negatives that any city can have and Memphis seems to lead the way on this statistic. Memphis was ranked 4th on the list of most dangerous cities in America. This really leaves a bad taste in the cities mouth. Not all of the members of this city are criminals but one should be aware that these people are out there and they are extremely dangerous.

All in all I love this city and the culture that comes along with it. The hard work ethic and big city feel added to my enjoyment of this city. Although, one must be aware that before entering Memphis that this city is very high on crime so one must always stay safe all times. Read Less

Feel The Excitement Of Memphis, TN 4.5 rating By Anonymous ( Apr 29, 2010) For two years I called Memphis home, and I loved my time there. As a fan of music, the jazz and country artists that regularly play venues there offer hours of cheap entertainment. And the cost of living in Memphis is relatively low when compared to other cities of similar size a ...Read More cross the United States. The lively bar scene and southern charm make for a wonderful nightlife, which means Memphis is very popular with the younger crowd. There are also many fantastic restaurants in Memphis serving some of the best BBQ I've ever had!

The only drawback to living in Memphis is the widespread crime. Memphis is continually ranked toward the top of lists detailing crime rates in major U.S. cities. However, there is a certain risk that comes with living in any big city, and Memphis is no exception.

Overall, Memphis is a beautiful city with a lot to offer its residents. The warm summers and somewhat mild winters make for beautiful seasonal scenery, and the rich history of Memphis keeps it interesting. So take a walk down Beale Street, get lost in the halls of Graceland, and experience the joy of Memphis. Read Less

Compare Memphis, TN Livability

Memphis, TN

Memphis is a city in Tennessee that features urban living and friendly residents. The city is also known for country music as there are several musicians who live in the area. It's common to walk down the sidewalks and hear people singing or playing instruments. Historic districts make up a large percentage of Memphis along with memorials and attractions for the family.

The Mississippi River can be viewed from several areas on the western side of Memphis. This is also where more businesses and urban communities are located. Even though Memphis is known for urban areas, there are rural communities where you can find large homes with beautiful architecture and unique styles. The historic districts in Memphis feature attractions that include the Elvis Presley memorial as well as a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Even though there are urban areas in Memphis, the city still offers a sense of community. Picnics are held in parks, festivals are held on the streets so that people can enjoy time together. While walking down sidewalks, it's common to see people sitting on their porches or working in their yards. Non-profit agencies and churches work together to take care of families in the city and to ensure that they have the basic necessities that they need if they find themselves on hard times.

Many people who want to start a career in music venture to Memphis as the city offers a lot of support from residents and opportunities to speak with promoters. Even though Memphis is one of the largest cities in the state, it offers a low cost of living whether it's in the center of town or in a rural setting. The price of purchasing or renting a home is lower than what is seen in the rest of the country. It's also common to see lower for and entertainment prices in Memphis than in other cities in Tennessee and neighboring states.

Aside from a few winter storms that bring snow to the area, the winter season is usually mild. The spring and summer months usually bring more days filled with sunshine instead of clouds and rain, making it an area of the state where residents can enjoy time outdoors instead of staying inside all the time. Storm systems that do cover the area can produce severe weather including tornadoes in the spring and summer and significant snowfall in the winter if the ingredients come together just right. Magnolia trees and forsythia plants are commonly seen in Memphis, especially along sidewalks in urban areas.

There is a public bus system for those who don't have personal transportation or for those who don't want to drive in the city. Taxi services are also available, but they tend to provide rides for those who live in the city instead of those who are in rural areas. The 240 beltway is the main thoroughfare in the city and offers several exits for reaching almost any point in Memphis. From a tight community to historic attractions, Memphis is a charming city for both older and younger residents to enjoy.