City comparison
Memphis, TN versus Albuquerque, NM 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 $1,181 a month in Memphis and $1,145 in Albuquerque, and median household income lands at $51,736 versus $68,317. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Memphis takes safety and weather, while Albuquerque takes affordability and job market. The widest gap is median income, where Albuquerque leads by 32% — 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 Memphis can feel further apart than Memphis and Albuquerque do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Albuquerque reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Memphis, TN
Albuquerque, NM
Rent
3% cheaper
Albuquerque rent is 3% cheaper than Memphis
Memphis
$1,181/mo
Albuquerque
Winner$1,145/mo
Typical rent runs $1,145 a month in Albuquerque versus $1,181 in Memphis, so Albuquerque is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $36, or $432 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
32% higher
Albuquerque's median income is 32% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$51,736
Albuquerque
Winner$68,317
Median household income is $68,317 in Albuquerque versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 32% higher in Albuquerque — about $16,581 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, Albuquerque 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
Memphis's crime index is 22% lower than Albuquerque
Memphis
Winner140 (100 = avg)
Albuquerque
179 (100 = avg)
Memphis's crime index is 140 versus 179 in Albuquerque (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 22% lower in Memphis. 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, Memphis is the easier city. Albuquerque can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Memphis and Albuquerque are about even on school scores.
Memphis
A- · 84/100
Albuquerque
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Memphis, A- in Albuquerque). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
15% more comfortable
Memphis weather is 15% more comfortable than Albuquerque
Memphis
Winner80°F typical
Albuquerque
84°F typical
Memphis scores 15% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 80°F in Memphis and 84°F in Albuquerque. Memphis reads as warm weather most of the year; Albuquerque reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Albuquerque's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Memphis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (80°F) beat Albuquerque on this page's weather index by 15%. Albuquerque may pay more or cost less, but Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Memphis is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 22% lower than Albuquerque (140 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Albuquerque is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% cheaper here at about $1,145 a month. Choose Albuquerque if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Albuquerque is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 32% higher here ($68,317). Start with Albuquerque if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Albuquerque is the clear choice.
If safety matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Albuquerque offers the better overall package.
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