Is Memphis cheaper than Milwaukee?

No. Milwaukee is cheaper: typical rent is $1,059 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis — 10% lower. Median household income is $51,736 in Memphis compared with $54,234 in Milwaukee, so Milwaukee has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Memphis or Milwaukee?

Milwaukee is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 71 versus 140 in Memphis — 49% 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 Milwaukee?

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

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City comparison

Memphis, TN vs Milwaukee, WI

Memphis, TN versus Milwaukee, WI 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 $1,059 in Milwaukee, and median household income lands at $51,736 versus $54,234. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Milwaukee takes affordability, job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Milwaukee leads by 49% — 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 Milwaukee do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Milwaukee reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Memphis report Full Milwaukee report

Memphis, TN

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

Milwaukee, WI

Rent: $1,059/mo
Median income: $54,234
Crime index: 71
Schools: A-
Weather: 66°F

Rent

10% cheaper

Milwaukee rent is 10% cheaper than Memphis

Memphis

$1,181/mo

Milwaukee

Winner

$1,059/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,059 a month in Milwaukee versus $1,181 in Memphis, so Milwaukee is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,464 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Milwaukee still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Memphis.

Median income

5% higher

Milwaukee's median income is 5% higher than Memphis

Memphis

$51,736

Milwaukee

Winner

$54,234

What this means for your life

Median household income is $54,234 in Milwaukee versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 5% higher in Milwaukee — about $2,498 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

49% lower crime

Milwaukee's crime index is 49% lower than Memphis

Memphis

140 (100 = avg)

Milwaukee

Winner

71 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Milwaukee's crime index is 71 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 49% lower in Milwaukee. 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, Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee are about even on school scores.

Memphis

A- · 84/100

Milwaukee

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

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

20% more comfortable

Milwaukee weather is 20% more comfortable than Memphis

Memphis

80°F typical

Milwaukee

Winner

66°F typical

What this means for your life

Milwaukee scores 20% 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 66°F in Milwaukee. Memphis reads as warm weather most of the year; Milwaukee reads as mild, livable temperatures. 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. Milwaukee 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

Who should choose Memphis

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Memphis

On these five categories Milwaukee takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Memphis because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Memphis only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Memphis report →

Fit check

Who should choose Milwaukee

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

Milwaukee is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,059 a month. Choose Milwaukee if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 5% higher ($54,234), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 66°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Milwaukee is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 49% lower than Memphis (71 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 Milwaukee report →

Bottom line

Memphis vs Milwaukee, called

If safety is your priority, Milwaukee is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Milwaukee pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

Memphis vs Milwaukee FAQ

Is Memphis cheaper than Milwaukee?: No. Milwaukee is cheaper: typical rent is $1,059 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis — 10% lower. Median household income is $51,736 in Memphis compared with $54,234 in Milwaukee, so Milwaukee has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Memphis or Milwaukee?: Milwaukee is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 71 versus 140 in Memphis — 49% 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 Milwaukee?: School composites are close: A- in Memphis and A- in Milwaukee. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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