Which city is safer, Memphis or Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 140 in Memphis and 140 in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Memphis or Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)?

School composites are close: A- in Memphis and A- in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance). Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Memphis, TN vs Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), TN

Memphis, TN versus Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), 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 $1,181 a month in Memphis and $1,586 in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), and median household income lands at $51,736 versus $77,371. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Memphis takes affordability, while Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) takes job market and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) leads by 50% — 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 Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Memphis report Full Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) report

Memphis, TN

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

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), TN

Rent: $1,586/mo
Median income: $77,371
Crime index: 140
Schools: A-
Weather: 70°F

Rent

26% cheaper

Memphis rent is 26% cheaper than Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)

Memphis

Winner

$1,181/mo

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)

$1,586/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,181 a month in Memphis versus $1,586 in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), so Memphis is 26% cheaper. That's roughly $405/month back in your pocket — $4,860/year. Over five years that's $24,300 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 Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), 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

50% higher

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)'s median income is 50% higher than Memphis

Memphis

$51,736

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)

Winner

$77,371

What this means for your life

Median household income is $77,371 in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 50% higher in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) — about $25,635 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, Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) 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

Neck and neck

Memphis and Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) are about even on crime index.

Memphis

140 (100 = avg)

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)

140 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Memphis and Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) post similar crime indexes (140 vs 140, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

Memphis and Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) are about even on school scores.

Memphis

A- · 84/100

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Memphis, A- in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)). 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

33% more comfortable

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) weather is 33% more comfortable than Memphis

Memphis

80°F typical

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)

Winner

70°F typical

What this means for your life

Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) scores 33% 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 70°F in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance). Memphis reads as warm weather most of the year; Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) 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. Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) 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

Memphis is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 26% 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.

Open the Memphis report →

Fit check

Who should choose Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)

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 50% higher ($77,371), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 70°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) report →

Bottom line

Memphis vs Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), called

If the job market is your priority, Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Memphis vs Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) FAQ

Is Memphis cheaper than Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)?: Yes. Typical rent in Memphis is $1,181 a month versus $1,586 in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) — 26% cheaper. Median household income is $51,736 in Memphis compared with $77,371 in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance), so Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Memphis or Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 140 in Memphis and 140 in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance) (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Memphis or Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance)?: School composites are close: A- in Memphis and A- in Nashville-davidson Metropolitan Government (balance). Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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