City comparison
Memphis, TN versus Pittsburgh, PA 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 $1,299 in Pittsburgh, and median household income lands at $48,090 versus $60,187. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Memphis takes affordability, while Pittsburgh takes job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Pittsburgh leads by 51% — 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 Pittsburgh do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Pittsburgh reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Memphis, TN
Pittsburgh, PA
Rent
2% cheaper
Memphis rent is 2% cheaper than Pittsburgh
Memphis
Winner$1,274/mo
Pittsburgh
$1,299/mo
Typical rent runs $1,274 a month in Memphis versus $1,299 in Pittsburgh, so Memphis is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $25, or $300 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
25% higher
Pittsburgh's median income is 25% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$48,090
Pittsburgh
Winner$60,187
Median household income is $60,187 in Pittsburgh versus $48,090 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 25% higher in Pittsburgh — about $12,097 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, Pittsburgh 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
46% lower crime
Pittsburgh's crime index is 46% lower than Memphis
Memphis
140 (100 = avg)
Pittsburgh
Winner75 (100 = avg)
Pittsburgh's crime index is 75 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 46% lower in Pittsburgh. 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, Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh are about even on school scores.
Memphis
A- · 84/100
Pittsburgh
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Memphis, A- in Pittsburgh). 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
51% more comfortable
Pittsburgh weather is 51% more comfortable than Memphis
Memphis
84°F typical
Pittsburgh
Winner69°F typical
Pittsburgh scores 51% 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 69°F in Pittsburgh. Memphis reads as hot, long summers; Pittsburgh 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. Pittsburgh 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 2% 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 25% higher ($60,187), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 69°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Pittsburgh is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 46% lower than Memphis (75 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 weather is your priority, Pittsburgh is the clear choice.
If cost of living matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Pittsburgh offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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