Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Memphis

You consider moving to Memphis but want to get additional information about the city and overall quality of life before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Memphis in the following chapters.

Living in Memphis – Overview

Advantages of Living in Memphis

1. Property prices in Memphis are still pretty low
2. You can make a real bargain in the Memphis real estate market
3. Rents in Memphis are low as well
4. Competition in the housing market is rather low
5. Housing shortage is not a big problem in Memphis yet
6. Average person can still afford to buy or rent a home in Memphis
7. You don’t have to spend lots of your disposable income on housing
8. You don’t have to worry about getting evicted that much
9. Memphis can be a great place for real estate investors
10. People in Memphis are friendly
11. People in Memphis are open and tolerant
12. You will find many people helping you out
13. People are welcome from all over the world
14. You can experience many different cultures in Memphis
15. You can meet many interesting people
16. You can enjoy many delicious meals in Memphis
17. You learn to adapt to new situations
18. Memphis is not the most crowded city yet
19. Traffic is not a big problem in Memphis
20. You will find more than enough parking lots
21. Memphis is a relatively bike-friendly city
22. You may not need a car to get around close to the city center
23. Easy to get from one end of Memphis to the other
24. Memphis is a great city for artists
25. Memphis has decent museums
26. You can enjoy the comfort of living in a big city
27. You will find most things for daily life within walking distance
28. You can watch many sports events in Memphis
29. You can spend lots of time in nature
30. Many leisure activities to choose from in Memphis
31. Chances are that you never get bored in Memphis
32. Decent doctors and hospitals in Memphis
33. People in Memphis don’t have to deal with high financial pressure
34. People in Memphis are more relaxed than in other busier cities
35. People in Memphis are more real than in many other regions
36. You can make really good friends in Memphis
37. Good jobs for highly-qualified people in Memphis
38. Memphis is an important economic region
39. Memphis has the potential to become more popular
40. Interesting nightlife in Memphis
41. Real seasons make living in Memphis interesting
42. You can go skiing or do other winter sports
43. Decent education in Memphis
44. Good tap water quality in Memphis
45. Living costs in Memphis are rather low
46. Memphis has an international airport

Property prices in Memphis are still pretty low

One advantage of moving to Memphis is that property prices are much lower compared to other major cities and this means that you don’t have to spend as much money on housing as people living in San José or other more expensive cities and also don’t have to pay back huge sums on your mortgage each month.

You can make a real bargain in the Memphis real estate market

Since demand for housing in Memphis is relatively low, you may also be able to make a real bargain in the Memphis real estate market since you will not have as many bidders as in other regions and may therefore be able to buy your dream property under market value.

Rents in Memphis are low as well

Even in case you don’t want to buy a home, Memphis can also be an interesting place to live in since rents are pretty low as well and you will therefore not have to spend that much money on housing and can rather save and invest enough money for retirement so that you don’t suffer from old-age poverty once you get older.

Competition in the housing market is rather low

In general, competition in the housing market in Memphis is really low and this means that you don’t have to search for long until you find a nice place to stay while people moving to NYC or other places where the housing market is hot right now will often have to search for many weeks or even months to find a decent place to live.

Housing shortage is not a big problem in Memphis yet

Another upside to moving to Memphis is that housing shortage is not a big problem in this region yet and people from many different social classes find a decent place to stay even if their background or their financial standing might not be optimal.

Average person can still afford to buy or rent a home in Memphis

Since the Memphis housing market is rather relaxed and property prices and rents are much lower compared to other major cities, the average person in Memphis can still afford to buy or rent a decent home in Memphis and can really live the American dream while people in many other regions really struggle in this regard.

You don’t have to spend lots of your disposable income on housing

Since property prices in Memphis are rather low, you also don’t have to spend lots of your disposable income on housing and will have more money left to spend on other nice things.

You don’t have to worry about getting evicted that much

Since competition in the housing market is pretty low, you also don’t have to worry about getting evicted in case you don’t pay rent on time that much since landlords will often be willing to compromise with you in this regard due to a lack of better alternatives.

Memphis can be a great place for real estate investors

Since property prices in Memphis are extremely low and rental yields are decent, moving to Memphis can also make sense for real estate investors who want to buy many rental properties in a profitable manner within a rather short period of time since there are more than enough opportunities in this regard right now.

People in Memphis are friendly

Another reason to move to Memphis is that people are pretty friendly and will often take time to listen to your stories and you will therefore have an easy time socializing in this region.

People in Memphis are open and tolerant

Not only are people in Memphis are friendly, but they are also pretty tolerant compared to other smaller cities in Tennessee and this can be great for you since you will find many new social contacts pretty soon and will also feel like a valued member of society pretty quickly.

You will find many people helping you out

Memphis can also be a great place to live since people are also pretty helpful in this region and in case you get lost and need advice on how to get back on track, there will be more than enough people giving you instructions regarding how to get back home and this is also true on many other occasions when you might need help.

People are welcome from all over the world

Since people in Memphis are friendly and tolerant, you will be welcome no matter where you come from as long as you are friendly, open and tolerant yourself and also willing to adapt to local customs at least a little bit.

You can experience many different cultures in Memphis

Another benefit of moving to Memphis is that you can experience many different cultures.

In fact, Memphis is a multicultural city where you can meet people from all over the world and this can be great since you can really learn a lot about foreign countries and traditions and can also really grow in character in the long run.

You can meet many interesting people

In general, you can also meet many interesting people in Memphis and by listening to their stories, you will soon realize that there are many different ways of life and that your own one is just one of many valid ways to live.

In turn, you will likely become much more tolerant in the long run and listening to those stories also has a certain entertainment factor.

You can enjoy many delicious meals in Memphis

Since Memphis is a multicultural city, you will find many different restaurants where you can try dishes from all over the world.

Not only will those dishes often taste extremely delicious, but you will also get lots of inspiration for your own cuisine and can cook many of those dishes at home so that you learn quite a lot in this regard in the long run.

You learn to adapt to new situations

Since you will meet people from many different cultures and will also be able to listen to many interesting stories, you always learn to adapt to new situations and this can be great for you to really grow in character in the long run since flexibility and other soft skills are essential to succeed in our rapidly changing world.

Memphis is not the most crowded city yet

Another advantage of living in Memphis is that it is not the most crowded city compared to Los Angeles or other major metropolitan areas and you will therefore have more than enough space in public for yourself and also don’t run into people that frequently so that you will have enough opportunities to be on your own in case you have to think about important problems that need to be solved and you don’t want to get distracted by others.

Traffic is not a big problem in Memphis

You should also know that traffic is not as of a big deal in Memphis as it is in many other major cities and this makes it relatively easy for you to get around by car since you will not get stuck in traffic jams that often and will be able to get from A to B in a pretty efficient manner most of the time.

You will find more than enough parking lots

Since traffic is not a big problem in Memphis yet, you will also find more than enough opportunities when it comes to parking and you will not have to spend lots of time and money in this regard, at least if you don’t live in the Memphis city center where finding a parking lot can still be a challenge.

Memphis is a relatively bike-friendly city

While Memphis has not been bike-friendly just one decade ago, times have changed quite a lot and Memphis can now be considered bike-friendly and you can therefore drive short distances by bike and may be as fast or even faster compared to going the same distance by car, especially at rush hour when getting around by car may be quite annoying and biking may be a solid alternative.

You may not need a car to get around close to the city center

Since distances in the center of Memphis are rather short, you may also not need a car to get around if you live close enough to the city center and can rather rely on your bike or other means of transport to get from A to B which can save you lots of money and is also better for our environment in the long run.

Easy to get from one end of Memphis to the other

Since distances in Memphis are pretty short and traffic is not a big problem in Memphis yet, it is also relatively easy to get from one end of the city to the other within a rather short period of time and this can be great in case you want to visit your friends in other parts of the city without having to spend lots of time commuting in this regard.

Memphis is a great city for artists

Memphis is also well-known for its great art scene and you will therefore be able to meet many like-minded people from all over the world whom you can spend time with and really grow as an artist and also as a character in the long run.

Memphis has decent museums

Not only does Memphis have a great art scene, but you will also find many interesting museums and exhibitions where you can spend lots of time and enjoy yourself in this regard.

You can enjoy the comfort of living in a big city

Another upside to living in Memphis is that you can also really enjoy the comfort that comes along with living in a big city.

Not only will you have lots of entertainment, but you will also find everything you need without having to drive to other cities as would often be the case if you lived in smaller cities where the supply of goods is often pretty limited.

You will find most things for daily life within walking distance

Since distances within the Memphis city center are often pretty short, you can also find most things for daily life at almost every corner and don’t have to waste lots of time and this regard which gives you the opportunity to live your life in a pretty efficient manner.

You can watch many sports events in Memphis

Moving to Memphis can also make sense in case you are a sports fan since you can watch games of the Memphis Grizzlies or other popular sports teams and will find lots of entertainment in this regard.

You can spend lots of time in nature

Since Memphis is surrounded by forests, rivers and lakes, you can also go fishing, hiking, hunting, swimming and do many other things in nature which can be great to unplug from your stressful life since you can reload your batteries for the demanding things yet to come.

Many leisure activities to choose from in Memphis

Memphis can also be a great place to spend lots of time in nature since you can choose out of many different options in this regard you may also be used to from other big cities.

For instance, you can go to the movies, watch sports events, hang out in the book store or do many other things you might like even more.

Chances are that you never get bored in Memphis

Since there are so many things to do in Memphis, chances are that you will also never get bored in this regard and that you will find more than enough entertainment and things to do in your leisure.

Decent doctors and hospitals in Memphis

Another benefit of living in Memphis is that the city offers decent medical infrastructure and you can therefore choose among many good doctors and hospitals and in case you get sick, you can be sure to get decent medical treatment so that you can recover from your issues as soon as possible.

People in Memphis don’t have to deal with high financial pressure

Since property prices and rents are pretty low, you also don’t have to deal with the same financial pressure as people living in Oakland or other states where people have to spend much more money on housing and will have to make much more money to make a living.

People in Memphis are more relaxed than in other busier cities

Since Memphis is not that crowded and people also don’t have to make as much money to make a living as in other more expensive regions, people in Memphis are often pretty relaxed and willing to have a chat with you while people living in other major cities often just care about their careers and don’t care about you as a person that much.

People in Memphis are more real than in many other regions

In general, people in Memphis are often more real compared to other major cities in the US and this gives you the opportunity to really get to know the people you hang out with so that you have a better idea regarding whether you still want to do so in the future or rather want to look for more like-minded people instead.

You can make really good friends in Memphis

Since people in Memphis are real, you can also make really good friends in this region soon and can also really count on your loved ones compared to other regions where friendships are often more shallow and not as meaningful.

Good jobs for highly-qualified people in Memphis

You can also make decent money in Memphis, at least if you are highly-qualified and also provide lots of value to the corporate world. In such a case, you can get many decent jobs and can climb the corporate ladder rather quickly.

Memphis is an important economic region

You should also know that Memphis is an important economic region and the second-largest city in Tennessee.

Consequently, it is an important city for the state and the state may invest lots of money in infrastructure which may make Memphis an even more attractive place to live in the future.

Memphis has the potential to become more popular

While Memphis is not the most popular city right now, it may become more popular in the future since many people still underestimate this region and Memphis may also attract many people from all over the US since it has much cheaper property prices and people may therefore be able to spend lots of money in the long run.

Interesting nightlife in Memphis

Memphis also has pretty interesting nightlife and many decent bars and clubs to hang out after work or even to party until the early morning.

Consequently, you will have more than enough opportunities in this regard and can really enjoy your time in those locations with your favorite people.

Real seasons make living in Memphis interesting

Since Memphis has warm summers and relatively cold winters, you can also enjoy real seasons in this region and this may make your life just much more interesting compared to people living in Dallas or other regions where it is just hot almost all year long.

You can go skiing or do other winter sports

Another benefit of living in Memphis is that thanks to cool winters, you can also go skiing or do many other winter sports and if you are the kind of guy who wants to do those kinds of things, you will be far better off compared to just moving to warmer regions where you would not be able to enjoy the snow at all.

Decent education in Memphis

While it is hard to find really good education in Memphis, you will still have many solid options in this regard and can make sure that your kids grow up with decent schooling so that they can get a good start for their future lives.

Good tap water quality in Memphis

You should also know that Memphis has pretty good tap water and this allows you to just drink tap water and you therefore don’t have to rely on bottled water from the store which can not only save you lots of money but is also good for our environment at the same time.

Living costs in Memphis are rather low

Compared to other major cities like L.A., living costs in Memphis are also relatively low and this gives you the opportunity to enjoy more luxury for the same amount of money.

Memphis has an international airport

Since Memphis has an international airport, it is also a great place to live in case you are a globetrotter and want to travel the world on a regular basis since you can reach many destinations all over the world without having to deal with layovers.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Memphis.

However, it is still not all upside and we also have to talk about all the drawbacks that come along with moving to Memphis in the following chapters.

Disadvantages of Living in Memphis

1. Memphis has high crime rates
2. Many people don’t feel safe in Memphis anymore
3. Many families consider leaving the Memphis region
4. Population has been decreasing over the past decade
5. Homelessness is a big problem in Memphis
6. Many people live below the poverty line
7. Increasing level of inequality in Memphis
8. Social tensions are about to increase
9. You have to deal with strong winters in Memphis
10. You may not spend that much time outdoors
11. Air quality in Memphis is rather poor
12. Memphis is not the most glamorous city
13. Limited number of shopping opportunities
14. Nightlife is not as great as in other cities
15. You will not find world-class education in Memphis
16. Questionable future outlook for Memphis
17. You will not meet many famous people in Memphis
18. Hard to build a strong business network in Memphis
19. Income level in Memphis is rather low
20. Many people have to work under pretty poor conditions
21. Memphis doesn’t have great public infrastructure
22. You may have to rely on your car in the suburbs
23. Many dodgy neighborhoods in Memphis
24. You don’t have access to the beach
25. People from other states may not visit you that often
26. You may have to justify moving to Memphis
27. You may miss recreational spaces within the city of Memphis

Memphis has high crime rates

One problem with moving to Memphis is that the city has pretty high crime rates and this may just give you a pretty bad feeling since you may often have to worry about your kids and about your own safety and may therefore really stress your nerves in the long run.

Many people don’t feel safe in Memphis anymore

Due to high crime rates in Memphis, many people also just don’t feel safe anymore and just want to move to other safer regions instead where they don’t have to worry in this regard all the time and can therefore enjoy a higher overall quality of life.

Many families consider leaving the Memphis region

Due to many structural problems and high crime rates, many families also consider leaving the Memphis region and moving to Austin or other safer regions.

Population has been decreasing over the past decade

Another downside to moving to Memphis is that population has been decreasing over the past decade and this is a really bad sign since it indicates that Memphis has lost part of its popularity compared to other regions and if this trend continues, many people may leave the Memphis region and the city may lose its importance in the near future.

Homelessness is a big problem in Memphis

You should also be aware of the fact that homelessness is a big problem in Memphis and that many people really suffer in this regard, which makes the city pretty unsafe and is also just not a pretty picture.

Many people live below the poverty line

Since many people don’t make good money, many people also live below the poverty line in the Memphis region and since people become increasingly desperate, this may further increase all sorts of social problems in the long run.

Increasing level of inequality in Memphis

Another disadvantage of moving to Memphis is that the gap between the rich and the poor has widened over the past decade and if this trend continues even further, people may just no longer be friendly and helpful but rather selfish and people from different social classes may also no longer hang out with each other.

Social tensions are about to increase

Since poverty is a serious problem in Memphis, also social tensions are about to increase in this region and this may further increase crime rates, social inequality and may adversely affect overall quality of life in the long run.

You have to deal with strong winters in Memphis

While some people like the cold, others rather want to live in a warm climatic zone and if you belong to the second group of people, you should not move to Memphis but rather move to Houston or other warmer regions instead.

You may not spend that much time outdoors

Another downside to living in Memphis is that due to cold winters, you may also not spend as much time outdoors as other people in warmer regions often do and this may hurt your overall quality of life and may also adversely affect your mood in the long run.

Air quality in Memphis is rather poor

You should also be aware of the fact that air quality in Memphis is rather poor and compared to regions with better air quality, you will also be at higher risk of suffering from serious health issues due to particle pollution or ozone in the long run.

Memphis is not the most glamorous city

Another disadvantage of living in Memphis is that it is not the most glamorous city and if you want to be at the center of the universe and want to have action 24/7, you should rather move to more exciting cities like NYC instead.

Limited number of shopping opportunities

While you will find everything you need to live a comfortable life in Memphis, you will still not find that many fancy boutiques compared to other big cities and if you are a fashion victim, you may just get disappointed and bored in this regard in the long run.

Nightlife is not as great as in other cities

While there are some good bars, you will still not have the same great nightlife as in NYC or L.A. and if you are a party person, you may be better off moving to one of those bigger cities instead.

You will not find world-class education in Memphis

You should also know that you will not find the same world-class education as people living in Boston or other cities with excellent education and while your kids may get solid education, you can just not provide the best education possible to them in Memphis.

Questionable future outlook for Memphis

Since population in Memphis has decreased over the past decade and crime rates are pretty high, Memphis also has a rather questionable future outlook and you may therefore have to move again pretty soon in case living conditions in Memphis become even worse and the city becomes less attractive.

You will not meet many famous people in Memphis

Since Memphis is not the most glamorous city and also doesn’t provide the same great quality of life as many other major cities, you will also not meet that many celebrities and if you want to meet your idols, you should rather move to L.A. or other major cities instead of moving to Memphis.

Hard to build a strong business network in Memphis

Since the job market in Memphis is not that great, it is also hard to build a strong business network in this region and this may slow down your career progress quite a lot since the stronger your network, the easier it will be to climb the corporate ladder rather quickly.

Income level in Memphis is rather low

You should also know that income levels in Memphis are rather low and that most people don’t make really good money from what they are doing and if your goal is to get rich as quickly as possible, chances are that moving to Memphis will not be a good decision in this regard.

Many people have to work under pretty poor conditions

Many people in Memphis also have to work under pretty poor conditions and since many of them only receive minimum wage, many people also have to work a second job to make a living in Memphis.

Memphis doesn’t have great public infrastructure

Another problem with moving to Memphis is that the city also has pretty poor public infrastructure and if you don’t live close to the city center, you may not be able to rely on public transport since you will often be late for important meetings.

You may have to rely on your car in the suburbs

Since public transport in Memphis is not great outside of the city center, you may also need a car to get around in case you live in the suburbs and this will cost you lots of money and will also be rather bad for our environment in the long run.

Many dodgy neighborhoods in Memphis

You should also know that Memphis also has many poor and dodgy neighborhoods and in case you make the wrong decision in this regard, you may get into serious trouble with your neighbors and may have to worry quite a lot in this regard.

You don’t have access to the beach

Memphis is also not located at the coast and while many other people living directly at the beach can go surfing on a daily basis, you will not have this luxury in Memphis and may get really annoyed in this regard in the long run.

People from other states may not visit you that often

Since Memphis is not the most popular city, your friends from other states may not visit you as often as they might do if you lived in more popular regions instead and you may therefore really feel lonely in this regard in the long run.

You may have to justify moving to Memphis

Since Memphis is not among the most popular cities in the US and also has a rather poor reputation, your friends may also not understand your decision of moving to Memphis and you may therefore have to justify quite a lot in this regard.

You may miss recreational spaces within the city of Memphis

While you can do many nature activities around Memphis, you may not find that many recreational spaces within city borders and this may make it relatively hard for you to relax after work or during lunch break.

Top 10 Moving To Memphis Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Memphis A Good Place To Live?

While it can make sense to move to Memphis since property prices and living costs are pretty low and overall financial pressure is not as big as in more expensive regions, you should also know that Memphis has pretty high crime rates and it also doesn’t provide the same high quality of life as many other major cities.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Memphis anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Detroit

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Las Vegas

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Portland

Sources

https://www.memphistn.gov/

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/memphiscitytennessee

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.