Is Austin cheaper than Memphis?

No. Memphis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,181 a month versus $1,729 in Austin — 32% lower. Median household income is $93,658 in Austin compared with $51,736 in Memphis, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Austin or Memphis?

Austin is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 109 versus 140 in Memphis — 22% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Austin or Memphis?

Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Memphis — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Austin, TX vs Memphis, TN

Austin, TX versus Memphis, TN is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,729 a month in Austin and $1,181 in Memphis, and median household income lands at $93,658 versus $51,736. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Austin takes job market, safety, and schools, while Memphis takes affordability and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Austin leads by 81% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Austin can feel further apart than Austin and Memphis do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Austin and Memphis reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Austin report Full Memphis report

Austin, TX

Rent: $1,729/mo
Median income: $93,658
Crime index: 109
Schools: A
Weather: 90°F

Memphis, TN

Rent: $1,181/mo
Median income: $51,736
Crime index: 140
Schools: A-
Weather: 80°F

Rent

32% cheaper

Memphis rent is 32% cheaper than Austin

Austin

$1,729/mo

Memphis

Winner

$1,181/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,181 a month in Memphis versus $1,729 in Austin, so Memphis is 32% cheaper. That's roughly $548/month back in your pocket — $6,576/year. Over five years that's $32,880 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Austin, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Memphis is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

81% higher

Austin's median income is 81% higher than Memphis

Austin

Winner

$93,658

Memphis

$51,736

What this means for your life

Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 81% higher in Austin — about $41,922 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Austin is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

22% lower crime

Austin's crime index is 22% lower than Memphis

Austin

Winner

109 (100 = avg)

Memphis

140 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Austin's crime index is 109 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 22% lower in Austin. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Austin is the easier city. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

5% higher scores

Austin's school scores are 5% higher than Memphis

Austin

Winner

A · 88/100

Memphis

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

Austin grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Memphis — school scores run 5% higher in Austin. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Memphis is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

50% more comfortable

Memphis weather is 50% more comfortable than Austin

Austin

90°F typical

Memphis

Winner

80°F typical

What this means for your life

Memphis scores 50% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 90°F in Austin and 80°F in Memphis. Austin reads as hot, long summers; Memphis reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Memphis is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Austin can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Austin

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 81% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Austin is the stronger everyday city for households that care about calm streets and usable public schools. Safety and school scores both land here. You will still pick a neighborhood with care, but the citywide baseline is less of a gamble than in Memphis.

Open the Austin report →

Fit check

Who should choose Memphis

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Memphis is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 32% cheaper here at about $1,181 a month. Choose Memphis if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Pick Memphis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (80°F) beat Austin on this page's weather index by 50%. Austin may pay more or cost less, but Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Open the Memphis report →

Bottom line

Austin vs Memphis, called

If the job market is your priority, Austin is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Austin offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Austin vs Memphis FAQ

Is Austin cheaper than Memphis?: No. Memphis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,181 a month versus $1,729 in Austin — 32% lower. Median household income is $93,658 in Austin compared with $51,736 in Memphis, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Austin or Memphis?: Austin is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 109 versus 140 in Memphis — 22% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Austin or Memphis?: Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Memphis — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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