Is Seattle cheaper than Memphis?

No. Memphis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,181 a month versus $2,030 in Seattle — 42% lower. Median household income is $123,860 in Seattle compared with $51,736 in Memphis, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Seattle or Memphis?

Seattle is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 140 in Memphis — 17% 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, Seattle or Memphis?

Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Memphis — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

New search

City comparison

Seattle, WA vs Memphis, TN

Seattle, WA versus Memphis, 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 $2,030 a month in Seattle and $1,181 in Memphis, and median household income lands at $123,860 versus $51,736. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Seattle takes job market, safety, schools, and weather, while Memphis takes affordability. The widest gap is median income, where Seattle leads by 139% — 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 Seattle can feel further apart than Seattle and Memphis do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Seattle and Memphis reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Seattle report Full Memphis report

Seattle, WA

Rent: $2,030/mo
Median income: $123,860
Crime index: 116
Schools: A
Weather: 66°F

Memphis, TN

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

Rent

42% cheaper

Memphis rent is 42% cheaper than Seattle

Seattle

$2,030/mo

Memphis

Winner

$1,181/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,181 a month in Memphis versus $2,030 in Seattle, so Memphis is 42% cheaper. That's roughly $849/month back in your pocket — $10,188/year. Over five years that's $50,940 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 Seattle, 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

139% higher

Seattle's median income is 139% higher than Memphis

Seattle

Winner

$123,860

Memphis

$51,736

What this means for your life

Median household income is $123,860 in Seattle versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 139% higher in Seattle — about $72,124 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, Seattle 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

17% lower crime

Seattle's crime index is 17% lower than Memphis

Seattle

Winner

116 (100 = avg)

Memphis

140 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Seattle's crime index is 116 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 17% lower in Seattle. 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, Seattle 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

5% higher scores

Seattle's school scores are 5% higher than Memphis

Seattle

Winner

A · 88/100

Memphis

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

Seattle grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Memphis — school scores run 5% higher in Seattle. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Memphis is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

20% more comfortable

Seattle weather is 20% more comfortable than Memphis

Seattle

Winner

66°F typical

Memphis

80°F typical

What this means for your life

Seattle scores 20% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 66°F in Seattle and 80°F in Memphis. Seattle reads as mild, livable temperatures; Memphis 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. Seattle 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 Seattle

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 139% higher ($123,860), 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.

Seattle is the stronger everyday city for households that care about calm streets and usable public schools. Safety and school scores both land here. You will still pick a neighborhood with care, but the citywide baseline is less of a gamble than in Memphis.

Open the Seattle report →

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 42% 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 →

Bottom line

Seattle vs Memphis, called

If the job market is your priority, Seattle is the clear choice.

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

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

Common questions

Seattle vs Memphis FAQ

Is Seattle cheaper than Memphis?: No. Memphis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,181 a month versus $2,030 in Seattle — 42% lower. Median household income is $123,860 in Seattle compared with $51,736 in Memphis, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Seattle or Memphis?: Seattle is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 140 in Memphis — 17% 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, Seattle or Memphis?: Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Memphis — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

Ready to move to Seattle?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps