City comparison
Memphis, TN versus Greensboro, NC 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 $1,274 a month in Memphis and $1,330 in Greensboro, and median household income lands at $48,090 versus $55,051. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Memphis takes affordability, while Greensboro takes job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Greensboro leads by 31% — 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 Greensboro do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Greensboro reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Memphis, TN
Greensboro, NC
Rent
4% cheaper
Memphis rent is 4% cheaper than Greensboro
Memphis
Winner$1,274/mo
Greensboro
$1,330/mo
Typical rent runs $1,274 a month in Memphis versus $1,330 in Greensboro, so Memphis is 4% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $56, or $672 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
14% higher
Greensboro's median income is 14% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$48,090
Greensboro
Winner$55,051
Median household income is $55,051 in Greensboro versus $48,090 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 14% higher in Greensboro — about $6,961 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, Greensboro 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
31% lower crime
Greensboro's crime index is 31% lower than Memphis
Memphis
140 (100 = avg)
Greensboro
Winner97 (100 = avg)
Greensboro's crime index is 97 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 31% lower in Greensboro. 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, Greensboro 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
Neck and neck
Memphis and Greensboro are about even on school scores.
Memphis
A- · 84/100
Greensboro
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Memphis, A- in Greensboro). 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
31% more comfortable
Greensboro weather is 31% more comfortable than Memphis
Memphis
84°F typical
Greensboro
Winner76°F typical
Greensboro scores 31% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 84°F in Memphis and 76°F in Greensboro. Memphis reads as hot, long summers; Greensboro 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. Greensboro is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Memphis 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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Memphis
Memphis is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 4% cheaper here at about $1,274 a month. Choose Memphis if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 14% higher ($55,051), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 76°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Greensboro is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 31% lower than Memphis (97 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.
Bottom line
If safety is your priority, Greensboro is the clear choice.
If cost of living matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Greensboro offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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