Is Memphis cheaper than Kansas Town?

No. Kansas Town is cheaper: typical rent is $920 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis — 22% lower. Median household income is $51,736 in Memphis compared with $33,438 in Kansas Town, so Memphis has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Memphis or Kansas Town?

Kansas Town is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 140 in Memphis — 77% 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, Memphis or Kansas Town?

School composites are close: A- in Memphis and A- in Kansas Town. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

New search

City comparison

Memphis, TN vs Kansas Town, OK

Memphis, TN versus Kansas Town, OK 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 $920 in Kansas Town, and median household income lands at $51,736 versus $33,438. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Memphis takes job market and weather, while Kansas Town takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Kansas Town leads by 77% — 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 Kansas Town do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Kansas Town reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Memphis report Full Kansas Town report

Memphis, TN

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

Kansas Town, OK

Rent: $920/mo
Median income: $33,438
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 81°F

Rent

22% cheaper

Kansas Town rent is 22% cheaper than Memphis

Memphis

$1,181/mo

Kansas Town

Winner

$920/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $920 a month in Kansas Town versus $1,181 in Memphis, so Kansas Town is 22% cheaper. That's roughly $261/month back in your pocket — $3,132/year. Over five years that's $15,660 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 Memphis, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Kansas Town is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

55% higher

Memphis's median income is 55% higher than Kansas Town

Memphis

Winner

$51,736

Kansas Town

$33,438

What this means for your life

Median household income is $51,736 in Memphis versus $33,438 in Kansas Town, so typical pay runs 55% higher in Memphis — about $18,298 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, Memphis is the stronger labor market on paper. Kansas Town can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

77% lower crime

Kansas Town's crime index is 77% lower than Memphis

Memphis

140 (100 = avg)

Kansas Town

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Kansas Town's crime index is 32 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 77% lower in Kansas Town. 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, Kansas Town 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 Kansas Town are about even on school scores.

Memphis

A- · 84/100

Kansas Town

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Memphis, A- in Kansas Town). 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

3% more comfortable

Memphis weather is 3% more comfortable than Kansas Town

Memphis

Winner

80°F typical

Kansas Town

81°F typical

What this means for your life

Memphis scores 3% 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 81°F in Kansas Town. Memphis reads as warm weather most of the year; Kansas Town reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Kansas Town'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

Who should choose Memphis

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 55% higher ($51,736), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 80°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Memphis report →

Fit check

Who should choose Kansas Town

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Kansas Town is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 22% cheaper here at about $920 a month. Choose Kansas Town if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Kansas Town is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 77% lower than Memphis (32 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.

Open the Kansas Town report →

Bottom line

Memphis vs Kansas Town, called

If safety is your priority, Kansas Town is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

Memphis vs Kansas Town FAQ

Is Memphis cheaper than Kansas Town?: No. Kansas Town is cheaper: typical rent is $920 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis — 22% lower. Median household income is $51,736 in Memphis compared with $33,438 in Kansas Town, so Memphis has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Memphis or Kansas Town?: Kansas Town is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 140 in Memphis — 77% 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, Memphis or Kansas Town?: School composites are close: A- in Memphis and A- in Kansas Town. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Kansas Town?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps