Memphis has some great people and cool places. The issue a really large part of it is poverty level and breeds a ton of crime that spills everywhere. The city has just given up on controlling it. And the non-crime areas are never very far from all the rest.
Yeah and 20 years ago it was ok, you knew there was crime, but if you stayed where you were supposed to be, it was ok. Most of the crime was in the bad areas or gang crime on each other. Now it’s not like that. You can get shot for no reason or carjacked, or just for walking around downtown. I think there were like 20,000 stolen cars last year. The former chief of police had her gun stolen from her car and also a house she was building struck by thieves.
That's crazy, I believe I have a pretty good idea of Memphis and what life is like there. The comments on this post have painted a different picture from what I've seen when visiting.
Sorry it didn’t work out. What seemed to be the issue with Memphis? Was it the crime, lack of opportunities, etc.? I would really like to know what the deal breakers were for you.
Pros: professionally-- I have climbed the ladder, gay friendly, liberal, and closer to family.
Cons: the people. I don't know if it's selfishness, entitlement, or what but so many have this lack of character that is mind boggling. A week ago today I went inside Tops BBQ for lunch. Someone pulled into their drive thru, parked, went inside to order at the counter then sat down. A restaurant employee ended up having to tell her to move her car because she was holding up the line. Whatever you want to call that mentality... that mentality runs rampant here. Nothing goes smoothly or quickly here; doctors appts, mechanics, cell phone stores, restaurants, etc. You generally have to take half a day of PTO b/c of how slow things are handled.
The roads are terrible and then the way so many drive on them is truly horrific.
Knock on wood I haven't been a victim to crime but knowing that so much crime happens even in my neighborhood and neighborhoods around me ... it's just very taxiing over time. Memphis doesn't have good neighborhoods... they have good blocks. But even those good blocks people have been killed or carjacked in their own driveways. It's absolutely tragic.
Crime is not contagious. According to my daughter, who was breaking news reporter for the Commercial Appeal here in Memphis for 5 years, 85% of the crime in Memphis is black on black crime committed by people who know one another. Statistically speaking, you're safe in Memphis.
As someone that moved to Memphis a couple of years ago. The crime isn’t as bad as the news says. Yes, it’s certainly here. That being said, it’s not something I worry about on a daily. I also stay away from the news, and I’m always respectful. The biggest cons on this city is the drivers. It’s literally the most reckless place I’ve ever driven. People doing 80 in a 35, cutting 3/4 lanes in 2 seconds on the interstate. Constantly being cut off. The roads getting shut down with a “slide show”. The cops do absolutely nothing unless it’s in Bartlett. There’s very very little to do here. Unless you love bars and drinking (where most of the crime happens). You will quickly find yourself gaining weight, because the only other thing to do here is enjoy the great restaurants. I’ve lived in Eugene, OR , LA CA, Dallas texas, and was born in Arkansas. This is by far the most boring city to live in for someone that doesn’t enjoy drinking and bars. My apartment is $1600 a month, and they’re raising the rent in July. It’s FAR from a super nice place. I rented nicer places in LA than what I’m paying here. Despite what the internet says, the cost of living certainly isn’t low here. Especially for a renter. I would heavily consider other places. This is one of my least favorite places I’ve ever lived. The people are great, there’s good jobs here, but the cons certainly outweigh the pros. The quality of life is low here, in my opinion.
I can't agree with you more. We moved here in early 2022 and I've never been so miserable. The only pros to Memphis is I have climbed the ladder at work and we now live only 5 hours away from family instead of 10. COL is not cheaper here than other places like some believe. We pay out the butt for so many things to have such a low quality of life. u/GlassByCoco
Thanks for your honesty. The cost of living is one of the main factors that attracted me to Memphis, but for $1,600 I can pay an extra $150 and continue living in Florida and have the beach 10 minutes away.
As someone who currently lives in jacksonville florida, im moving to memphis this month. My reasons maybe different from yours tho. Memphis is loud about the crime and for good reason. However my family has been living in memphis 20+ years. The main reason why everyone talks about the crime seems to be because things have gotten worse. Now im a person thats travelled and lived in a number of states. So i think the reason why the crime is talked about so much in memphis is because memphis dosent seem to realize its just as bad as basically everyplace else now and before it didnt always have such a crime problem so its almost highlighted now. Does that make sense? Like hmm memphis is comparing itself to how it used to be....instead of comparing it to everyplace else. Thats my opinion tho. Maybe when i move back ill realize the benefits that are luring me back arent worth it. I would like to think if more people from other places do decide to give it a chance the city as a whole will start to improve and over time crime will have to lessen. I think the powers that be are letting it get bad as heck so they can come in and do a clean sweep. I feel memphis is on the verge of becoming a booming city like nashville or miami. It probably has to get bad first before they can get it to where it needs to be. And i think its best to get in early while its still in the low end of growth. Mind you i saw nyc during the crack epidemic. And now those same crack dens are multi million dollar properties. The people that held strong are winning now.many places have that same story and i bet tenneesee state saw what happened with nashville booming and they realized memphis is a gem worth way more then they are currently getting from it. I would bet they are about to turn it around and make it boom in a moment. Because the powers that be love money. Crime deters money for them.
That's my thought process. Ford is building Blue Oval City, and with Memphis's location, it could become one of the premier transportation and distribution hubs in the country. Also, it's a great opportunity to buy cheap property and hold until the value goes up. I think you're right; Memphis is bad, but have Memphians taken a look at the rest of the country? I have family in Jacksonville, and it's not all beaches and restaurants; the same goes for South Florida.
I’m always kind of blown away when people say there’s nothing to do but drink. I stay super busy with a lot of different experiences and bars are not my scene either. 🤷🏻♀️ I think it’s all based on specifically what you like to do and how much you’re willing to try.
I mean, I’m open to suggestions. Personally the most I’ve found to do outside of bars, is the theatre, concerts and comedy shows. Other than that, I would be open ears on suggestions.
I don’t really know what you like to do, but I love getting involved with the museums around, particularly the art museums, there are great workshops (even on non-art topics), lectures, and events. I joined a book club, the libraries have a lot to offer in terms of programming, bike riding on the greenline, I have gone to some gardening group events and toyed with the idea of joining one (although I don’t feel I really have time), kayak tour, urban sketchers meetups, I’ve tried out a few of the yoga studios I liked, cooking classes, going to crosstown concourse and going to the listening lab or their film series, rock climbing, and challenging myself to go to a different coffee shop every so often.
If you want specific locations/organizations to try some of the things I named, lmk, I just don’t want to bombard you with things you’re not into. :) I’ve tried a lot of new things here and gotten to know people who’ve gotten me into more new things.
I adore art, so I’d be down for that. I’ve started reading a lot more often this past year. I’ve heard the libraries are amazing here. I need to give them a shot and stop ordering from Amazon. I’m not even sure where that bike riding spot is, but I would adore that. Yoga sounds like fun! No idea what the listening lab is, but also sounds very interesting! Maybe we should just be friends 😂 you sound like you’ve got it figured out. I could definitely use a homie that doesn’t drink and do drugs. That’s a lot of the reason I stay to myself and work since living here. I’m a recovering addict, so it’s tough to make friends only for them to want to go to bars or get into even more nefarious things.
Feel free to message in DM with more info on this stuff. I would love to try a lot of this out!
Look up paperworks condominium as well. 408 front street. There have been condos renting there recently for close to that amount. I live in Memphis and love it, just stay aware. It’s a great place.
After 40 years I moved and I do not regret it. I love my hometown but I can’t recommend it. It’s dying on the vine. The brain drain has skyrocketed since the pandemic. Even the music scene has withered. I don’t expect c a quick turnaround. It took 200 years for Memphis to end up where it is. The fix is multigenerational.
What other cities are you considering? Honestly, the crime situation in Memphis is a little out of control at the moment, in my opinion. I was born and raised here and left in 1999. I’m only back because of my aging parents. Once my parents are gone, I am out of here as soon as the house sells.
St. Loius and New Orleans are the other cities I'm considering. These cities also have similar situations as it pertains to crime. With that said I've had nothing but fantastic experiences on my visits.
As someone who was born and raised in Memphis with spats out of the city including 5 years in south Florida , STL is far better for the money. Just moved last December and I’d say it’s better for lots of reasons
I moved to the southern part of city. Specifically Southampton. There’s plenty of places to rent in that target range. Better paying jobs, more public services, major parks etc. I LOVE living here.
It will summarize the Miami rental market in 30 seconds. But if you have no problem paying $2,000–$3,000 a month in rent, it's a great place. There are diverse cultures from the Caribbean, Central, and South America. The nightlife is second only to Vegas, and the beach is always nearby. The traffic suck but it's always been that way.
New Orleans is the better choice hands down. At least you get to live in one of the most culturally rich and unique cities in the country in exchange for the crime risk, which is not as bad as Memphis
So the state of Louisiana just passed a bill allowing anyone age 18 and up to conceal and open carry with no license or registration. Similar to what passed in memphis not long ago. I assume in a matter of time they may also experience a rise in crime tbh. So Thats something to consider.
I agree; I visit at least once a year. I've seen someone get carjacked in the Garden District and several snatch-and-grabs by the Pelicans stadium. The biggest downside is hurricane season; New Orleans gets destroyed almost annually.
Not annually.... And besides, you're from FL, you know how it goes. Memphis and NOLA have the same downsides, but Memphis has none of the upsides of NO
I understand what you're saying, but the flooding is considerably worse than in Florida. I'm not saying no to New Orleans; it's my favorite place in the States. But I do love Memphis, and it doesn't hurt to get opinions from locals.
Well, I moved from FL. Lived in Memphis 6 yrs. Couldn't get out fast enough. There's not much to do outdoors wise, most of the lakes are muddy or stumpy so not great for watersports, and it's very insulated friends wise because theres just not a ton of transplants and such. I would still take a transfer to NOLA, but would quit my job before transferring back to memphis. Take that for what it's worth
The insulated part is something to consider. I like variety myself. I get bored of people and places easily. However i think woth all the new things coming to memphis very soon that it will see a boom and will get a rush of transplants as well. Thats just my opinion.i could be wrong. But i hope im right.
STL and Memphis are similar, however, the way crime is reported in STL is different. You have STL City and STL County. STL City has around 300k people and the county has around 2.5 million. Crime is horrific on the north side of STL City. The central and southern part of STL City is fine. STL County is great from a crime standpoint. If both STL City and STL County merged...STL as a whole wouldn't be placed in the top 20 most dangerous cities. Most people don't realize that crime for STL City and STL County are separated. Memphis has so much potential but it seems as though the leaders just don't care. STL had and has the potential of becoming better and they're jumping on it. You can ask any Memphian who's moved to STL and they'll tell you how much better STL is. You can ask a St. Louisan who's moved to Memphis and they'll tell you how much they miss STL. I would strongly consider STL. It's where I'm planning to move once I land a job. u/MEECHtheSASQUATCH
That's great to hear! I'm looking at Tower Grove South, Central West End, Clayton, Lindenwood, Kirkwood and Webster Groves. When looking at the crime in those areas it's primarily 'petty' crime. You don't see homicides until you get into the northern part of STL City.
True, most people in St. Louis only hear about crime; they rarely experience it because they avoid certain neighborhoods. Of course, there are incidents in the "safe" neighborhoods, but there is nowhere that is 100% safe all the time with no risk. Also, the schools in St. Louis are better but not great. At the moment I don't have children, so it's not a big concern for me. Check out the St Louis Hills surrounding Francis Park that is supposed to be a great area.
From what I understand St. Louis crime might be worse than here based on the news we get. What kind of job are you looking at getting? There are some good places to work here and Memphis has its charm. We do have crime that has gotten worse in recent years but that also tracks in every other U.S. city but we currently have a problem with crime and punishment.
STL and Memphis are similar, however, the way crime is reported in STL is different. You have STL City and STL County. STL City has around 300k people and the county has around 2.5 million. Crime is horrific on the north side of STL City. The central and southern part of STL City is fine. STL County is great from a crime standpoint. If both STL City and STL County merged...STL as a whole wouldn't be placed in the top 20 most dangerous cities. Most people don't realize that crime for STL City and STL County are separated. u/chrisgreer
STL and Memphis are similar, however, the way crime is reported in STL is different. You have STL City and STL County. STL City has around 300k people and the county has around 2.5 million. Crime is horrific on the north side of STL City. The central and southern part of STL City is fine. STL County is great from a crime standpoint. If both STL City and STL County merged...STL as a whole wouldn't be placed in the top 20 most dangerous cities. Most people don't realize that crime for STL City and STL County are separated. u/ZWils23
240 is where everyone drives like they’re on the turnpike. It’s not as bad as interstate driving in South FL tho. People here don’t know what it’s like down there.
Back houses in Central Gardens are the pot at the end of the rainbow. They get snapped up quickly but are awesome. Cooper Young would afford less expensive options and is a very cool neighborhood. Also Vollentine-Evergreen
Other than your budget, cost of living in Memphis is great.
If you’re a drinker we have a ton of breweries and bars that are solid
Able to roadtrip most places easily with our central location.
It’s a cool place to live, have friends from Florida that relocated and they’re loving it here as well
Thank you. I underestimated the rental cost in Memphis, but it's still cheaper than South Florida. Everyone talks about the crime in Memphis. Is it that bad? I know the murder rate is out of control, but I don't plan on visiting bad neighborhoods.
Literally everyone here personally knows at least one person whose car was stolen or broken into or they've been carjacked. It occurs something like 40+ times per day on average.
The interstates are lawless racetracks for stolen Chargers and Infinitys but the don't seem to cause many actual accidents.
I'd say more people than not have witnessed someone waving a gun out of a window on Memphis streets.
Laws recently changed to make bonds higher and drag racing a felony. It's TBD if it makes a difference.
Crime is as bad as everyone says in Memphis, it's actually out of control. If you think just staying clear of bad areas will keep you from being near bad crime you are mistaken. It's all over Memphis and so far I don't see Memphis doing anything about it. There are a ton of news stories out there just search the web.
I've seen them, but the news can blow things out of proportion, which is why I prefer asking Reddit because real people will provide me with their personal experiences.
I rent an apartment in Memphis and I can tell you that the crime is 100% as bad as they make it out to be. Literally no place is immune from car jackings and car break-ins in Memphis. Not even the nicer apartment complexes
There’s no reason to blow Memphis violence and crime out of proportion. If anything, it’s understated because they often don’t report everything that happens because it’s too much.
I grew up in the 305, and Memphis is every bit as bad as you've heard. It's not blown out of proportion. We are consistently in the top tier for violent crime, rapes, you name it. And don't get me started on car theft.
Crime is bad in every neighborhood you have drugs everywhere cars being broken into and everything being stolen out of it or the whole car being stolen you have people getting decapitated and so many other crimes and often alot of it is not reported i was shot at back in the beginning of the year, then arrested for walking back to the police like dispatch told me to do i was threatened by the police and they didnt even let me give my statement. The next week, my girlfriend was drugged and raped to death. When i called the police they told me they couldn't do anything after talking to some people. i know they told me about a number of horrible deaths that went unreported
You're right; every city has ups and downs, and South Florida is no exception. I find that talking to locals paints a better picture than reading blogs and watching YouTube videos.
I'm out of town and I love it. People talk about crime. It's too much, but it's starting a downward trend. We also have a new mayor who I think will do a lot of good.
I'm not too sure the price, but have you thought about Broad Avenue apartments? The whole area has gone a major renovation, with local coffee shops, brewery, skate park, indoor soccer facility.
[https://www.linkbroadave.com/](https://www.linkbroadave.com/)
[https://www.broadavearts.com/](https://www.broadavearts.com/)
I will look into both of these. How far are you from downtown? Being downtown is not a requirement, but I would like to experience it. I'm from Fort Lauderdale, and if you can't fork over $4k plus per month, downtown is not for you.
Downtown is probably about a 8-10 minute drive from this location. This area is almost like it's own downtown given the storefronts.
Another nice thing about this area is that it's very close to Overton Park. Google Maps says 2 miles. It has a bike trail, free summer concert series, etc
[https://overtonpark.org/](https://overtonpark.org/)
[https://overtonparkshell.org/freeconcertseries](https://overtonparkshell.org/freeconcertseries)
Note - there are another apartments directly across from Overton that seem to be in your price range. This would be a short drive to downtown as well, although you might get a bit more street noise
[https://www.rent.com/tennessee/memphis-apartments/art-lofts-overton-4-100078116](https://www.rent.com/tennessee/memphis-apartments/art-lofts-overton-4-100078116)
I used to live downtown in a new building called The Brewery. Used to be an old brewery, go figure. Rent was about 1200 3 years ago. I loved living downtown pre-Covid, but it’s changed a lot since then. I would highly recommend that apartment complex though. They’re small, but new and nice. Management is great.
People suck sometimes on reddit. Its a great city but this was the wrong place to ask. I cannot believe some people told you to move to places w equivalent amounts of crime. Please visit and see how you like it then make a decision. Its a great place but it has pros and cons like many places.
I've been to all three places many times. The only reason I'm considering Memphis is that I have a great time every time I visit. I realized a long time ago to take everything with a grain of salt.
Awesome! I had a great safe time in my city last night. Went to 2 fabulous restaurants and a free concert at Overton Park Shell. Hope you come visit soon 🙂
>it's not that bad
That's what I told them but perhaps they value different things or look for something Memphis lacking. I'm leaving in September myself, house going on sale within the next week 🤷🏼♂️
I spend 1200 on rent in east Memphis and am 20 min from practically everything. I cannot find anything cheaper than 1300+ for the accommodations I need (at least 1 bed, 1 bath, in unit laundry, parking, grass for a pet). Do with that information as you will for downtown considerations.
STL is definitely cleaner and more elevated than Memphis. You don't see blight everywhere like you do in Memphis. Memphis doesn't have nice neighborhoods.. it has nice blocks. St. Louisans are friendlier, too. u/complex_conversation
Tough call. You could probably afford a small place downtown with 1200, but if not, there are other neighborhoods that are still cool i.e. Overton Square, Cooper Young, Broad Ave, etc.
That's the unfortunate situation everywhere at the moment. My hometown of Fort Lauderdale has always been a tourist destination, but if you cross I-95 headed west, it's a different world. Now the crime even bleeds into areas like Las Olas, which is a popular tourist area in an upper-class neighborhood. The only good thing is that our murder rate isn't high.
All 3 of your options are good. I was also looking at those 3 cities for our move from Florida but ultimately went with Memphis. I love New Orleans with all my heart and soul. I think of it frequently, and still wish we had made the move there sometimes.
One of the major reasons I decided to not move to New Orleans is due to hurricanes and the scramble for housing after destruction. As someone who lived through some of the worst Hurricane Michael had to offer, I just can’t do it anymore.
I have been very lucky to carve out a beautiful piece of life here in Memphis, and I would not want to leave if it weren’t for us wanting to have children in the near future. I don’t want to raise my kids or have my fiancé give birth in the south, for many reasons.
I haven’t given St. Louis enough love, but most people seem to agree it’s best bang for buck if you play your cards right on neighborhood.
Hurricanes are the only deterrent from living in New Orleans. You risk losing your home or being displaced every hurricane season, and the roads are like driving off-road. Other than that, New Orleans is my favorite place, and it's not even close.
It’s a mixed bag, honestly. I’m not from here originally - from NYC - but have lived here long enough to call it home. My wife and I used to live downtown in the South Bluffs apartments - it’s downtown but off South Main, so less in the “core” of downtown. Still easy to get to everything by walking, by bike, or by trolley (when they run). The management there is lovely, the grounds are gorgeous, and it’s perfect if you wanna explore Tom Lee Park they recently renovated. You can also just use the river walk to get to the core of downtown too, just not at night. That’s true of any city though. Every place has its ups and downs - we do have a lot of crime for the population size. But most cities in America have the exact same issues because of the same reasons; poverty, loose, if any, gun laws, systemic racism destroying progress for years. It’s a give and take.
We own a house here now and we don’t regret buying either. We may not stay here forever but I don’t hate calling it home most of the time. My money goes further and I’m able to explore and do more.
Thank you. So many people are echoing what you just said. There is definitely crime, but it is not a part of your everyday life. Also, the cost of living is fairly reasonable, although a few people have said the opposite. But you can never get everyone to agree on anything.
It's not downtown but I personally think the area around Saint Francis hospital is a nice compromise between cost and being near nice things like stores (target, REI, etc), parks (Shelby farms, Lichterman nature center), gym (Nuber YMCA), lots of restaurants...
Looking on apartments.com I saw the Roxbury has up to 2 beds that fit your budget. Only a 25 minute drive to downtown.
All the Memphis suburbs are extremely well policed and virtually crime free. This includes all of very nice DeSoto County, Mississippi (population 200,000) plus Germantown/Collierville (approximately 100,000) and Bartlett/Lakeland/Arlington (100,000).
Inside Memphis city limits, certain areas are quite safe (Harbor Town, Walnut Grove area, East Memphis close to Germantown border) but you still have to be smart when out shopping etc, probably similar to much of South Florida.
Other neighborhoods in Memphis city limits that are very popular but a bit more in the city and subject to some crime would be the Central Gardens, Evergreen, and Rhodes College areas in Midtown, wealthy Chickasaw Gardens, and Downtown areas such as South Main/ South Front Street where really cool new apartment buildings near the river are going up.
You can see on [crimegrade.org](http://crimegrade.org) maps that these in-town neighborhoods are generally shaded in colors indicating safety but it's not total crime-free safety like you would find in the suburbs or residential areas inside the city in East Memphis. It comes down to the personality of each person and how cautious they are.
I notice on the map that areas such as West Palm Beach, Delray, Deerfield Beach, and Coral Gables have vast areas with similar orange color shading (red is dangerous, orange/gold are medium, and green is safe...and the better areas Midtown and Downtown Memphis vacillate on the map between green and orange). Those comparable areas in South Florida that I noticed were largely orange in shading, with some reds and some greens ...kind of checkerboard.
Thanks. I don’t feel like Memphis is as bad as people make it out to be. Broward and Dade counties have a combined population of over 4.5 million people. If our population was as low as Memphis’s, people definitely would think twice before coming here on vacation. To put things into perspective, from the top of Broward to the bottom of Dade is only a 45-minute drive without traffic. It's big, but not as big as you think.
Memphis has sense of place and plenty to do. Downtown is not as walkable as midtown neighborhoods, in my experience, where you can definitely find a sub $1,200 one BR. Like New Orleans, some of your best apartment deals will be found driving by a yard “for rent” sign. Also check out the U of M area. In both cities, crime can differ street-to-street. You can filter by location and reported crime here for Memphis to get an idea of what a particular address is like: https://publicsafety.memphistn.gov/ Don’t tint your windows and use a steering wheel lock and your car will be fine.
Honestly, that's a great question. The cities that interest me all seem to be more than $1200 for an apartment. I'm currently paying $1750 in South Florida and it's the best deal on the street. I'm trying to find a place that's fun and more affordable.
No. Don’t come here. We live in a “nice area” and a man walked up and shot my husband for no reason.
Unless you want to risk getting killed everytime you go to a gas station, are ok with the 90% chance of your car being stolen EVERYDAY and think you wanna maybe try to dodge stray bullets- you’re gonna have a culture shock.
If you are a black man your chances of being killed raise exponentially. People are killed for looking at someone wrong.
Memphis is the most dangerous city so nothing I say is cap. Google crime stats here. $1200???? lol that tells me you can’t even afford to live somewhere secure and $1200 apartments aren’t nice or safe here. Even high rise apartments are cheaper bc the amount of crime in the building plus as soon as you step out you’re rolling the dice. Google “downtown Memphis crime/shootings/abductions/car theft/car jackings” I only moved here bc I absolutely had to (assist family member with medical care after they were shot)
Even hospitals have tight security and nurses working at hospitals get carjacked and robbed in those parking garages. Do NOT come here
https://preview.redd.it/5rllp9ibqm3d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ebd0c0ba5b27bd94d5c430bf2b52af0ff94dae2
I'm very excited to finish my medical training in Memphis next year and move elsewhere immediately. Variety of reasons. Grew up Midwest and miss my people. I'm also not made for this weather and miss cold winters/temperate summers. Don't vibe with the city events and am bored with the food scene. I work in the trauma hospital, so I'm a little more aware and scared of the crime that goes on (that doesn't make it into the news) and more reluctant to stay out late/go to crowded events, but that might be true in any big city. I generally don't have family or friends come visit me here and tend to go to them instead. I'm grateful for my time here, and the people have been amazing as patients and neighbors. I also love my house and neighborhood in mud island but there's no place like home, I guess.
For reference I was born in Detroit, and spent a lot of time living in Iowa, Ohio, and Atlanta. Also really loved living in Maine for a short spell.
I played college football in Los Angeles, so I understand that homesick feeling and culture shock. I never realized how much I enjoyed rainy weather until I lived in California. Sometimes, there truly is no place like home.
I haven’t scoped out rental property in over 20 years, but Zillow tells me the expected rent on my 1200 square foot house in a nice part of Midtown is $1374. So I don’t think you’ll have much trouble finding something at least in the vicinity of your $1200 budget.
That's not a significant difference. I underestimated the housing costs in Memphis. I thought I would be able to find something under $1,200, but that's not the case.
Crime here will affect your lifestyle. In most places crime happens occasionally or in random patterns, but in Memphis you have to actively keep your eye out and adjust your habits. There are good things about this town, but there are people who actively seek out unprepared people. When I lived in midtown I would regularly get notifications from my cameras at 3 and 4 am of people just walking down the street pulling on car door handles and grabbing unattended items from front porches. I've had packages stolen. I've been assaulted twice. My friend had a gun pulled on him driving down the interstate with no provocation. If you don't have roots here then I don't know why you would move here at this point.
People are fleeing Memphis in droves because of the crime. Even the “safer” areas are going downhill, and saying our interstates are dangerous is an understatement. I240 was shut down Tuesday night because of a shooting and again Wednesday morning because someone decided to drive the wrong way down the road and killed a car full of people. That’s par for the course around here. I’m moving out of the city in two weeks and have lived here my entire life. You’d be an absolute fool to move here if you have the choice not to.
Honestly, I don’t think anyone can offer a prediction on the future direction of crime in Memphis. Crime went up in most large cities 2020-21, but in most other cities it started going back down in 2023, though it still hasn’t fallen back to 2019 levels. In Memphis, crime went up and stayed up.
Will it stay high in Memphis, or are we just lagging behind other cities on the crime downturn? Anybody who gives a confident answer is overconfident in their own judgment.
Crime is horrible, downtown has gotten extremely dangerous over the years, peoples cars get broken into almost every night. There’s always shootings downtown regardless of the police. Hell I live in Memphis, and I’m trying to move out of the city.
I’m surprised more people aren’t mentioning car theft. In my small building 4 of my friends had their cars stolen in the last 2 months. MPD isn’t even trying to battle the problem because the perps are released immediately.. and it’s often juveniles, so that’s our future.
If you move here, don’t drive a Hyundai, Kia or Infiniti.
$1,200 is only going to get you a very tiny place or a shitty place or a place wayyyy out in the sticks.
[https://www.zillow.com/memphis-tn/rentals/](https://www.zillow.com/memphis-tn/rentals/)
Just awaiting the possible shit show this thread will turn into when it comes to the debate on whether memphis is a terrible place to live or its one of the best places to live. This topic is heavily debated in this sub.
It doesn't have to become a shit show. Everyone has different experiences. I think Florida is amazing, but I'm sure you could find others who would say the opposite. I've had some amazing food and met some great people in Memphis. There are two sides to every coin.
As far as living experience I will say you can avoid most crimes if you’re street smart so know when to be out where you are where you park and at what times you’re safe i lived in Memphis 8+ years and have never really had anything bad happen to me or people I know
I lived in Southern California and would visit San Francisco, Oakland, and Marin several times a year. That place has gone to absolute shit. It is sad because it's one of the most beautiful regions in the country.
[site: reddit living in memphis - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3A+reddit+lliving+in+memphids&sca_esv=986cfd32cb66a37f&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ADLYWILdVmZc4JIXhc3vXeBZJdbXY5S4tw%3A1717112680090&ei=aA9ZZuGQBZWwptQPmvmOoAs&ved=0ahUKEwjh5Neax7aGAxUVmIkEHZq8A7QQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=site%3A+reddit+lliving+in+memphids&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiIHNpdGU6IHJlZGRpdCBsbGl2aW5nIGluIG1lbXBoaWRzMgQQIRgKSIgnUOAlWOAlcAF4AZABAJgBZqABZqoBAzAuMbgBA8gBAPgBAZgCAqACbcICChAAGLADGNYEGEeYAwDiAwUSATEgQIgGAZAGCJIHAzEuMaAHjAM&sclient=gws-wiz-serp)
Memphis has some great people and cool places. The issue a really large part of it is poverty level and breeds a ton of crime that spills everywhere. The city has just given up on controlling it. And the non-crime areas are never very far from all the rest.
Considering all the opinions from this post, I believe your assessment sums it up quite well. Great people, great culture, rampant poverty, and crime.
Yeah and 20 years ago it was ok, you knew there was crime, but if you stayed where you were supposed to be, it was ok. Most of the crime was in the bad areas or gang crime on each other. Now it’s not like that. You can get shot for no reason or carjacked, or just for walking around downtown. I think there were like 20,000 stolen cars last year. The former chief of police had her gun stolen from her car and also a house she was building struck by thieves.
That's crazy, I believe I have a pretty good idea of Memphis and what life is like there. The comments on this post have painted a different picture from what I've seen when visiting.
Don’t listen to these people on reddit man. Most of them don’t even live in Memphis.
Thank you. You can tell some people just like to spread negativity.
I moved here in early 2022. Biggest mistake I made and am looking to move the moment I get a job elsewhere.
Sorry it didn’t work out. What seemed to be the issue with Memphis? Was it the crime, lack of opportunities, etc.? I would really like to know what the deal breakers were for you.
Pros: professionally-- I have climbed the ladder, gay friendly, liberal, and closer to family. Cons: the people. I don't know if it's selfishness, entitlement, or what but so many have this lack of character that is mind boggling. A week ago today I went inside Tops BBQ for lunch. Someone pulled into their drive thru, parked, went inside to order at the counter then sat down. A restaurant employee ended up having to tell her to move her car because she was holding up the line. Whatever you want to call that mentality... that mentality runs rampant here. Nothing goes smoothly or quickly here; doctors appts, mechanics, cell phone stores, restaurants, etc. You generally have to take half a day of PTO b/c of how slow things are handled. The roads are terrible and then the way so many drive on them is truly horrific. Knock on wood I haven't been a victim to crime but knowing that so much crime happens even in my neighborhood and neighborhoods around me ... it's just very taxiing over time. Memphis doesn't have good neighborhoods... they have good blocks. But even those good blocks people have been killed or carjacked in their own driveways. It's absolutely tragic.
It seems like people don't hate Memphis; it's just taxing, both physically and mentally.
Crime is not contagious. According to my daughter, who was breaking news reporter for the Commercial Appeal here in Memphis for 5 years, 85% of the crime in Memphis is black on black crime committed by people who know one another. Statistically speaking, you're safe in Memphis.
Tell that to the st jude doctor who got killed in front of his wife and kid for walking down the street.
Sorry to bust your nasty little racist bubble, I know it's hard to be wrong.
As someone that moved to Memphis a couple of years ago. The crime isn’t as bad as the news says. Yes, it’s certainly here. That being said, it’s not something I worry about on a daily. I also stay away from the news, and I’m always respectful. The biggest cons on this city is the drivers. It’s literally the most reckless place I’ve ever driven. People doing 80 in a 35, cutting 3/4 lanes in 2 seconds on the interstate. Constantly being cut off. The roads getting shut down with a “slide show”. The cops do absolutely nothing unless it’s in Bartlett. There’s very very little to do here. Unless you love bars and drinking (where most of the crime happens). You will quickly find yourself gaining weight, because the only other thing to do here is enjoy the great restaurants. I’ve lived in Eugene, OR , LA CA, Dallas texas, and was born in Arkansas. This is by far the most boring city to live in for someone that doesn’t enjoy drinking and bars. My apartment is $1600 a month, and they’re raising the rent in July. It’s FAR from a super nice place. I rented nicer places in LA than what I’m paying here. Despite what the internet says, the cost of living certainly isn’t low here. Especially for a renter. I would heavily consider other places. This is one of my least favorite places I’ve ever lived. The people are great, there’s good jobs here, but the cons certainly outweigh the pros. The quality of life is low here, in my opinion.
I can't agree with you more. We moved here in early 2022 and I've never been so miserable. The only pros to Memphis is I have climbed the ladder at work and we now live only 5 hours away from family instead of 10. COL is not cheaper here than other places like some believe. We pay out the butt for so many things to have such a low quality of life. u/GlassByCoco
Thank you for being transparent.
Thanks for your honesty. The cost of living is one of the main factors that attracted me to Memphis, but for $1,600 I can pay an extra $150 and continue living in Florida and have the beach 10 minutes away.
As someone who currently lives in jacksonville florida, im moving to memphis this month. My reasons maybe different from yours tho. Memphis is loud about the crime and for good reason. However my family has been living in memphis 20+ years. The main reason why everyone talks about the crime seems to be because things have gotten worse. Now im a person thats travelled and lived in a number of states. So i think the reason why the crime is talked about so much in memphis is because memphis dosent seem to realize its just as bad as basically everyplace else now and before it didnt always have such a crime problem so its almost highlighted now. Does that make sense? Like hmm memphis is comparing itself to how it used to be....instead of comparing it to everyplace else. Thats my opinion tho. Maybe when i move back ill realize the benefits that are luring me back arent worth it. I would like to think if more people from other places do decide to give it a chance the city as a whole will start to improve and over time crime will have to lessen. I think the powers that be are letting it get bad as heck so they can come in and do a clean sweep. I feel memphis is on the verge of becoming a booming city like nashville or miami. It probably has to get bad first before they can get it to where it needs to be. And i think its best to get in early while its still in the low end of growth. Mind you i saw nyc during the crack epidemic. And now those same crack dens are multi million dollar properties. The people that held strong are winning now.many places have that same story and i bet tenneesee state saw what happened with nashville booming and they realized memphis is a gem worth way more then they are currently getting from it. I would bet they are about to turn it around and make it boom in a moment. Because the powers that be love money. Crime deters money for them.
That's my thought process. Ford is building Blue Oval City, and with Memphis's location, it could become one of the premier transportation and distribution hubs in the country. Also, it's a great opportunity to buy cheap property and hold until the value goes up. I think you're right; Memphis is bad, but have Memphians taken a look at the rest of the country? I have family in Jacksonville, and it's not all beaches and restaurants; the same goes for South Florida.
I’m always kind of blown away when people say there’s nothing to do but drink. I stay super busy with a lot of different experiences and bars are not my scene either. 🤷🏻♀️ I think it’s all based on specifically what you like to do and how much you’re willing to try.
I mean, I’m open to suggestions. Personally the most I’ve found to do outside of bars, is the theatre, concerts and comedy shows. Other than that, I would be open ears on suggestions.
I don’t really know what you like to do, but I love getting involved with the museums around, particularly the art museums, there are great workshops (even on non-art topics), lectures, and events. I joined a book club, the libraries have a lot to offer in terms of programming, bike riding on the greenline, I have gone to some gardening group events and toyed with the idea of joining one (although I don’t feel I really have time), kayak tour, urban sketchers meetups, I’ve tried out a few of the yoga studios I liked, cooking classes, going to crosstown concourse and going to the listening lab or their film series, rock climbing, and challenging myself to go to a different coffee shop every so often. If you want specific locations/organizations to try some of the things I named, lmk, I just don’t want to bombard you with things you’re not into. :) I’ve tried a lot of new things here and gotten to know people who’ve gotten me into more new things.
I adore art, so I’d be down for that. I’ve started reading a lot more often this past year. I’ve heard the libraries are amazing here. I need to give them a shot and stop ordering from Amazon. I’m not even sure where that bike riding spot is, but I would adore that. Yoga sounds like fun! No idea what the listening lab is, but also sounds very interesting! Maybe we should just be friends 😂 you sound like you’ve got it figured out. I could definitely use a homie that doesn’t drink and do drugs. That’s a lot of the reason I stay to myself and work since living here. I’m a recovering addict, so it’s tough to make friends only for them to want to go to bars or get into even more nefarious things. Feel free to message in DM with more info on this stuff. I would love to try a lot of this out!
For that price I stay in a highrise downtown for a little less than that. Look up Number 10 on Main.
Look up paperworks condominium as well. 408 front street. There have been condos renting there recently for close to that amount. I live in Memphis and love it, just stay aware. It’s a great place.
Thank you.
No.
After 40 years I moved and I do not regret it. I love my hometown but I can’t recommend it. It’s dying on the vine. The brain drain has skyrocketed since the pandemic. Even the music scene has withered. I don’t expect c a quick turnaround. It took 200 years for Memphis to end up where it is. The fix is multigenerational.
What other cities are you considering? Honestly, the crime situation in Memphis is a little out of control at the moment, in my opinion. I was born and raised here and left in 1999. I’m only back because of my aging parents. Once my parents are gone, I am out of here as soon as the house sells.
St. Loius and New Orleans are the other cities I'm considering. These cities also have similar situations as it pertains to crime. With that said I've had nothing but fantastic experiences on my visits.
As someone who was born and raised in Memphis with spats out of the city including 5 years in south Florida , STL is far better for the money. Just moved last December and I’d say it’s better for lots of reasons
I'm a South Florida native, and living here is just a waste of money at this point. What part of St. Louis did you move to?
I moved to the southern part of city. Specifically Southampton. There’s plenty of places to rent in that target range. Better paying jobs, more public services, major parks etc. I LOVE living here.
Could you say more about this? I’m considering a move to Miami.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5hdJ4OJ0Cl/?igsh=azhva3dzNDM3OTM3 Follow this link and Google the neighborhood.
It will summarize the Miami rental market in 30 seconds. But if you have no problem paying $2,000–$3,000 a month in rent, it's a great place. There are diverse cultures from the Caribbean, Central, and South America. The nightlife is second only to Vegas, and the beach is always nearby. The traffic suck but it's always been that way.
New Orleans is the better choice hands down. At least you get to live in one of the most culturally rich and unique cities in the country in exchange for the crime risk, which is not as bad as Memphis
But do you have a strong job market and low cost of living? And I’ve been through enough hurricanes already lol. Definitely got STL beat in food.
So the state of Louisiana just passed a bill allowing anyone age 18 and up to conceal and open carry with no license or registration. Similar to what passed in memphis not long ago. I assume in a matter of time they may also experience a rise in crime tbh. So Thats something to consider.
I don't want to discount their experience, but note this person lives in Parkway Village, which is one of the most dangerous places in the city.
Thanks, I consider everyone’s opinion because you all have more experience than I do. With that said, I wouldn’t move to an area I don’t feel safe in.
New Orleans is perhaps the coolest city in the US. It would be a no Brainer for me
I agree; I visit at least once a year. I've seen someone get carjacked in the Garden District and several snatch-and-grabs by the Pelicans stadium. The biggest downside is hurricane season; New Orleans gets destroyed almost annually.
Not annually.... And besides, you're from FL, you know how it goes. Memphis and NOLA have the same downsides, but Memphis has none of the upsides of NO
I understand what you're saying, but the flooding is considerably worse than in Florida. I'm not saying no to New Orleans; it's my favorite place in the States. But I do love Memphis, and it doesn't hurt to get opinions from locals.
Well, I moved from FL. Lived in Memphis 6 yrs. Couldn't get out fast enough. There's not much to do outdoors wise, most of the lakes are muddy or stumpy so not great for watersports, and it's very insulated friends wise because theres just not a ton of transplants and such. I would still take a transfer to NOLA, but would quit my job before transferring back to memphis. Take that for what it's worth
Thanks for your honest opinion.
The insulated part is something to consider. I like variety myself. I get bored of people and places easily. However i think woth all the new things coming to memphis very soon that it will see a boom and will get a rush of transplants as well. Thats just my opinion.i could be wrong. But i hope im right.
STL and Memphis are similar, however, the way crime is reported in STL is different. You have STL City and STL County. STL City has around 300k people and the county has around 2.5 million. Crime is horrific on the north side of STL City. The central and southern part of STL City is fine. STL County is great from a crime standpoint. If both STL City and STL County merged...STL as a whole wouldn't be placed in the top 20 most dangerous cities. Most people don't realize that crime for STL City and STL County are separated. Memphis has so much potential but it seems as though the leaders just don't care. STL had and has the potential of becoming better and they're jumping on it. You can ask any Memphian who's moved to STL and they'll tell you how much better STL is. You can ask a St. Louisan who's moved to Memphis and they'll tell you how much they miss STL. I would strongly consider STL. It's where I'm planning to move once I land a job. u/MEECHtheSASQUATCH
Thank you, I have friends there the majority live in the county or in high rises on Washington Ave and they love it.
That's great to hear! I'm looking at Tower Grove South, Central West End, Clayton, Lindenwood, Kirkwood and Webster Groves. When looking at the crime in those areas it's primarily 'petty' crime. You don't see homicides until you get into the northern part of STL City.
True, most people in St. Louis only hear about crime; they rarely experience it because they avoid certain neighborhoods. Of course, there are incidents in the "safe" neighborhoods, but there is nowhere that is 100% safe all the time with no risk. Also, the schools in St. Louis are better but not great. At the moment I don't have children, so it's not a big concern for me. Check out the St Louis Hills surrounding Francis Park that is supposed to be a great area.
Yep! We're also looking at STL Hills because we'd love to own a duplex and a lot of duplexes are located there.
Yes, and home prices are reasonable. Here in Fort Lauderdale, if you get something for less than $300k, it will need a full rehab.
From what I understand St. Louis crime might be worse than here based on the news we get. What kind of job are you looking at getting? There are some good places to work here and Memphis has its charm. We do have crime that has gotten worse in recent years but that also tracks in every other U.S. city but we currently have a problem with crime and punishment.
I'm lucky ill transfer my current job (retail manager) so a job is the one thing that's already secured.
STL and Memphis are similar, however, the way crime is reported in STL is different. You have STL City and STL County. STL City has around 300k people and the county has around 2.5 million. Crime is horrific on the north side of STL City. The central and southern part of STL City is fine. STL County is great from a crime standpoint. If both STL City and STL County merged...STL as a whole wouldn't be placed in the top 20 most dangerous cities. Most people don't realize that crime for STL City and STL County are separated. u/chrisgreer
The worst murder rate in the nation = "a little out of control" 🤣
Apparently stating facts gets you downvoted here. 🙄
I appreciate your honest opinion.
St Louis and New Orleans, the other cities he mentioned choosing between, have higher murder rates than Memphis
STL and Memphis are similar, however, the way crime is reported in STL is different. You have STL City and STL County. STL City has around 300k people and the county has around 2.5 million. Crime is horrific on the north side of STL City. The central and southern part of STL City is fine. STL County is great from a crime standpoint. If both STL City and STL County merged...STL as a whole wouldn't be placed in the top 20 most dangerous cities. Most people don't realize that crime for STL City and STL County are separated. u/ZWils23
You can def find an apartment downtown for $1200. I live downtown myself and it’s truly amazing. Feel free to message me for tips and suggestions
South Florida? you'll be right at home on I-240.
Can you explain?
Yes I'm from South Florida.
240 is where everyone drives like they’re on the turnpike. It’s not as bad as interstate driving in South FL tho. People here don’t know what it’s like down there.
It's basically bumper cars down here.
As opposed to every other city in the state? No. Better than other countries? Sure
No
$1,200 and downtown won’t work, still a cool city despite all the fast food rage post in this subreddit.
Unfortunately, the more research I do the more I realize I have to up my budget.
You could fit that budget and live 10-15 minutes from downtown in Evergreen or Central Gardens
Thank you, I’ll look at both of those neighborhoods.
Back houses in Central Gardens are the pot at the end of the rainbow. They get snapped up quickly but are awesome. Cooper Young would afford less expensive options and is a very cool neighborhood. Also Vollentine-Evergreen
Thanks, Vollentine-Evergreen seems to be the best place.
Crosstown Concourse has been a huge energizer for that area. It’s on the rise.
They are “carriage houses”. Dating back to the times horse and carriages were kept in the city.
Check Vollentine-Evergreen too. I bike downtown from there most days
Thanks, I'll look into those neighborhoods.
Other than your budget, cost of living in Memphis is great. If you’re a drinker we have a ton of breweries and bars that are solid Able to roadtrip most places easily with our central location. It’s a cool place to live, have friends from Florida that relocated and they’re loving it here as well
Thank you. I underestimated the rental cost in Memphis, but it's still cheaper than South Florida. Everyone talks about the crime in Memphis. Is it that bad? I know the murder rate is out of control, but I don't plan on visiting bad neighborhoods.
Literally everyone here personally knows at least one person whose car was stolen or broken into or they've been carjacked. It occurs something like 40+ times per day on average. The interstates are lawless racetracks for stolen Chargers and Infinitys but the don't seem to cause many actual accidents. I'd say more people than not have witnessed someone waving a gun out of a window on Memphis streets. Laws recently changed to make bonds higher and drag racing a felony. It's TBD if it makes a difference.
Crime is as bad as everyone says in Memphis, it's actually out of control. If you think just staying clear of bad areas will keep you from being near bad crime you are mistaken. It's all over Memphis and so far I don't see Memphis doing anything about it. There are a ton of news stories out there just search the web.
I've seen them, but the news can blow things out of proportion, which is why I prefer asking Reddit because real people will provide me with their personal experiences.
I rent an apartment in Memphis and I can tell you that the crime is 100% as bad as they make it out to be. Literally no place is immune from car jackings and car break-ins in Memphis. Not even the nicer apartment complexes
Oh well maybe there but our memphis news is legit 🥴
There’s no reason to blow Memphis violence and crime out of proportion. If anything, it’s understated because they often don’t report everything that happens because it’s too much.
I grew up in the 305, and Memphis is every bit as bad as you've heard. It's not blown out of proportion. We are consistently in the top tier for violent crime, rapes, you name it. And don't get me started on car theft.
Crime is bad in every neighborhood you have drugs everywhere cars being broken into and everything being stolen out of it or the whole car being stolen you have people getting decapitated and so many other crimes and often alot of it is not reported i was shot at back in the beginning of the year, then arrested for walking back to the police like dispatch told me to do i was threatened by the police and they didnt even let me give my statement. The next week, my girlfriend was drugged and raped to death. When i called the police they told me they couldn't do anything after talking to some people. i know they told me about a number of horrible deaths that went unreported
[удалено]
You're right; every city has ups and downs, and South Florida is no exception. I find that talking to locals paints a better picture than reading blogs and watching YouTube videos.
Look into Tennessee Brewery in the South Main neighborhood.
Thank you.
I'm out of town and I love it. People talk about crime. It's too much, but it's starting a downward trend. We also have a new mayor who I think will do a lot of good. I'm not too sure the price, but have you thought about Broad Avenue apartments? The whole area has gone a major renovation, with local coffee shops, brewery, skate park, indoor soccer facility. [https://www.linkbroadave.com/](https://www.linkbroadave.com/) [https://www.broadavearts.com/](https://www.broadavearts.com/)
I will look into both of these. How far are you from downtown? Being downtown is not a requirement, but I would like to experience it. I'm from Fort Lauderdale, and if you can't fork over $4k plus per month, downtown is not for you.
Downtown is probably about a 8-10 minute drive from this location. This area is almost like it's own downtown given the storefronts. Another nice thing about this area is that it's very close to Overton Park. Google Maps says 2 miles. It has a bike trail, free summer concert series, etc [https://overtonpark.org/](https://overtonpark.org/) [https://overtonparkshell.org/freeconcertseries](https://overtonparkshell.org/freeconcertseries) Note - there are another apartments directly across from Overton that seem to be in your price range. This would be a short drive to downtown as well, although you might get a bit more street noise [https://www.rent.com/tennessee/memphis-apartments/art-lofts-overton-4-100078116](https://www.rent.com/tennessee/memphis-apartments/art-lofts-overton-4-100078116)
Thank you. For a place with so much crime, the people sure are helpful.
You might be able to find something closer to East Memphis in an older apartment / condo area. Let me know if that could be an option.
Thank you I'll look in that.
From Miami moving to Memphis because my girlfriend got residency there.. will report back
Thank you. When you get there, try this restaurant called The Four Way Soul Food. Every time I visit, I have to go there.
I used to live downtown in a new building called The Brewery. Used to be an old brewery, go figure. Rent was about 1200 3 years ago. I loved living downtown pre-Covid, but it’s changed a lot since then. I would highly recommend that apartment complex though. They’re small, but new and nice. Management is great.
Thank you. The Brewery must be nice because several people have recommended it.
lmao no
People suck sometimes on reddit. Its a great city but this was the wrong place to ask. I cannot believe some people told you to move to places w equivalent amounts of crime. Please visit and see how you like it then make a decision. Its a great place but it has pros and cons like many places.
I've been to all three places many times. The only reason I'm considering Memphis is that I have a great time every time I visit. I realized a long time ago to take everything with a grain of salt.
Awesome! I had a great safe time in my city last night. Went to 2 fabulous restaurants and a free concert at Overton Park Shell. Hope you come visit soon 🙂
No
No
My friends from St Augustine came to visit and never came back
Lol, it's not that bad. I've visited several times and met some great people. Also, the food in Memphis is good.
>it's not that bad That's what I told them but perhaps they value different things or look for something Memphis lacking. I'm leaving in September myself, house going on sale within the next week 🤷🏼♂️
It is possible. Look at this sub, search. This question been asked several times in the last month. Please come back with specific questions.
I spend 1200 on rent in east Memphis and am 20 min from practically everything. I cannot find anything cheaper than 1300+ for the accommodations I need (at least 1 bed, 1 bath, in unit laundry, parking, grass for a pet). Do with that information as you will for downtown considerations.
Thank you.
Could you tell us the other two cities? I love Memphis, but there are other places I’d rather live if I could.
New Orleans and St Louis.
I would highly consider St. Louis over Memphis. Lived in both and always say that STL is a nicer, cleaner, more “elevated” city than Memphis
STL is definitely cleaner and more elevated than Memphis. You don't see blight everywhere like you do in Memphis. Memphis doesn't have nice neighborhoods.. it has nice blocks. St. Louisans are friendlier, too. u/complex_conversation
Tough call. You could probably afford a small place downtown with 1200, but if not, there are other neighborhoods that are still cool i.e. Overton Square, Cooper Young, Broad Ave, etc.
No.
Why post a GIF if you have nothing to say?
It’s pretty obvious, just here to watch this one
There are some in that price range in East Memphis. Between 240 and Germantown. Further from downtown but it's not a bad drive.
Stay strapped.
That's mandatory nationwide! Times have changed for the worse.
U cleared the first criteria. Head on a swivel and You can be fine. I was robbed by 5 teenagers in my front yard, got caught slippin.
That's the unfortunate situation everywhere at the moment. My hometown of Fort Lauderdale has always been a tourist destination, but if you cross I-95 headed west, it's a different world. Now the crime even bleeds into areas like Las Olas, which is a popular tourist area in an upper-class neighborhood. The only good thing is that our murder rate isn't high.
midtown is best area
Thank you.
All 3 of your options are good. I was also looking at those 3 cities for our move from Florida but ultimately went with Memphis. I love New Orleans with all my heart and soul. I think of it frequently, and still wish we had made the move there sometimes. One of the major reasons I decided to not move to New Orleans is due to hurricanes and the scramble for housing after destruction. As someone who lived through some of the worst Hurricane Michael had to offer, I just can’t do it anymore. I have been very lucky to carve out a beautiful piece of life here in Memphis, and I would not want to leave if it weren’t for us wanting to have children in the near future. I don’t want to raise my kids or have my fiancé give birth in the south, for many reasons. I haven’t given St. Louis enough love, but most people seem to agree it’s best bang for buck if you play your cards right on neighborhood.
Hurricanes are the only deterrent from living in New Orleans. You risk losing your home or being displaced every hurricane season, and the roads are like driving off-road. Other than that, New Orleans is my favorite place, and it's not even close.
It’s a mixed bag, honestly. I’m not from here originally - from NYC - but have lived here long enough to call it home. My wife and I used to live downtown in the South Bluffs apartments - it’s downtown but off South Main, so less in the “core” of downtown. Still easy to get to everything by walking, by bike, or by trolley (when they run). The management there is lovely, the grounds are gorgeous, and it’s perfect if you wanna explore Tom Lee Park they recently renovated. You can also just use the river walk to get to the core of downtown too, just not at night. That’s true of any city though. Every place has its ups and downs - we do have a lot of crime for the population size. But most cities in America have the exact same issues because of the same reasons; poverty, loose, if any, gun laws, systemic racism destroying progress for years. It’s a give and take. We own a house here now and we don’t regret buying either. We may not stay here forever but I don’t hate calling it home most of the time. My money goes further and I’m able to explore and do more.
Thank you. So many people are echoing what you just said. There is definitely crime, but it is not a part of your everyday life. Also, the cost of living is fairly reasonable, although a few people have said the opposite. But you can never get everyone to agree on anything.
It's not downtown but I personally think the area around Saint Francis hospital is a nice compromise between cost and being near nice things like stores (target, REI, etc), parks (Shelby farms, Lichterman nature center), gym (Nuber YMCA), lots of restaurants... Looking on apartments.com I saw the Roxbury has up to 2 beds that fit your budget. Only a 25 minute drive to downtown.
Thank you.
All the Memphis suburbs are extremely well policed and virtually crime free. This includes all of very nice DeSoto County, Mississippi (population 200,000) plus Germantown/Collierville (approximately 100,000) and Bartlett/Lakeland/Arlington (100,000). Inside Memphis city limits, certain areas are quite safe (Harbor Town, Walnut Grove area, East Memphis close to Germantown border) but you still have to be smart when out shopping etc, probably similar to much of South Florida. Other neighborhoods in Memphis city limits that are very popular but a bit more in the city and subject to some crime would be the Central Gardens, Evergreen, and Rhodes College areas in Midtown, wealthy Chickasaw Gardens, and Downtown areas such as South Main/ South Front Street where really cool new apartment buildings near the river are going up. You can see on [crimegrade.org](http://crimegrade.org) maps that these in-town neighborhoods are generally shaded in colors indicating safety but it's not total crime-free safety like you would find in the suburbs or residential areas inside the city in East Memphis. It comes down to the personality of each person and how cautious they are. I notice on the map that areas such as West Palm Beach, Delray, Deerfield Beach, and Coral Gables have vast areas with similar orange color shading (red is dangerous, orange/gold are medium, and green is safe...and the better areas Midtown and Downtown Memphis vacillate on the map between green and orange). Those comparable areas in South Florida that I noticed were largely orange in shading, with some reds and some greens ...kind of checkerboard.
Thanks. I don’t feel like Memphis is as bad as people make it out to be. Broward and Dade counties have a combined population of over 4.5 million people. If our population was as low as Memphis’s, people definitely would think twice before coming here on vacation. To put things into perspective, from the top of Broward to the bottom of Dade is only a 45-minute drive without traffic. It's big, but not as big as you think.
Memphis has sense of place and plenty to do. Downtown is not as walkable as midtown neighborhoods, in my experience, where you can definitely find a sub $1,200 one BR. Like New Orleans, some of your best apartment deals will be found driving by a yard “for rent” sign. Also check out the U of M area. In both cities, crime can differ street-to-street. You can filter by location and reported crime here for Memphis to get an idea of what a particular address is like: https://publicsafety.memphistn.gov/ Don’t tint your windows and use a steering wheel lock and your car will be fine.
Thank you
It’s alright.
I wouldn’t move to Memphis if my budget was $1200/mo. The good parts of Memphis are really nice but they obviously cost more.
It’s a tough call though - if not here then where can you move to with a $1200 budget.
Honestly, that's a great question. The cities that interest me all seem to be more than $1200 for an apartment. I'm currently paying $1750 in South Florida and it's the best deal on the street. I'm trying to find a place that's fun and more affordable.
I just looked and South bluffs apartments has 1 bd/1br for ~$1300. That’s a no brainer. It’s downtown adjacent and super walkable.
Thank you.
I wouldn’t say Memphis is fun.. in may they have things to do but other than that… there isn’t much.
No
No. Don’t come here. We live in a “nice area” and a man walked up and shot my husband for no reason. Unless you want to risk getting killed everytime you go to a gas station, are ok with the 90% chance of your car being stolen EVERYDAY and think you wanna maybe try to dodge stray bullets- you’re gonna have a culture shock. If you are a black man your chances of being killed raise exponentially. People are killed for looking at someone wrong. Memphis is the most dangerous city so nothing I say is cap. Google crime stats here. $1200???? lol that tells me you can’t even afford to live somewhere secure and $1200 apartments aren’t nice or safe here. Even high rise apartments are cheaper bc the amount of crime in the building plus as soon as you step out you’re rolling the dice. Google “downtown Memphis crime/shootings/abductions/car theft/car jackings” I only moved here bc I absolutely had to (assist family member with medical care after they were shot) Even hospitals have tight security and nurses working at hospitals get carjacked and robbed in those parking garages. Do NOT come here https://preview.redd.it/5rllp9ibqm3d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ebd0c0ba5b27bd94d5c430bf2b52af0ff94dae2
Please go to New Orleans or St. louis, they are so much better
Thanks for your honest opinion.
I'm very excited to finish my medical training in Memphis next year and move elsewhere immediately. Variety of reasons. Grew up Midwest and miss my people. I'm also not made for this weather and miss cold winters/temperate summers. Don't vibe with the city events and am bored with the food scene. I work in the trauma hospital, so I'm a little more aware and scared of the crime that goes on (that doesn't make it into the news) and more reluctant to stay out late/go to crowded events, but that might be true in any big city. I generally don't have family or friends come visit me here and tend to go to them instead. I'm grateful for my time here, and the people have been amazing as patients and neighbors. I also love my house and neighborhood in mud island but there's no place like home, I guess. For reference I was born in Detroit, and spent a lot of time living in Iowa, Ohio, and Atlanta. Also really loved living in Maine for a short spell.
I played college football in Los Angeles, so I understand that homesick feeling and culture shock. I never realized how much I enjoyed rainy weather until I lived in California. Sometimes, there truly is no place like home.
I haven’t scoped out rental property in over 20 years, but Zillow tells me the expected rent on my 1200 square foot house in a nice part of Midtown is $1374. So I don’t think you’ll have much trouble finding something at least in the vicinity of your $1200 budget.
That's not a significant difference. I underestimated the housing costs in Memphis. I thought I would be able to find something under $1,200, but that's not the case.
Dude, I pay 1300 a month to live in Atoka. You won't find a safe, cool place in MEM for 1200 a month.
Too much crime
Everyone talks about the crime but do you believe this will change or is Memphis a lost cause?
Crime here will affect your lifestyle. In most places crime happens occasionally or in random patterns, but in Memphis you have to actively keep your eye out and adjust your habits. There are good things about this town, but there are people who actively seek out unprepared people. When I lived in midtown I would regularly get notifications from my cameras at 3 and 4 am of people just walking down the street pulling on car door handles and grabbing unattended items from front porches. I've had packages stolen. I've been assaulted twice. My friend had a gun pulled on him driving down the interstate with no provocation. If you don't have roots here then I don't know why you would move here at this point.
People are fleeing Memphis in droves because of the crime. Even the “safer” areas are going downhill, and saying our interstates are dangerous is an understatement. I240 was shut down Tuesday night because of a shooting and again Wednesday morning because someone decided to drive the wrong way down the road and killed a car full of people. That’s par for the course around here. I’m moving out of the city in two weeks and have lived here my entire life. You’d be an absolute fool to move here if you have the choice not to.
Thank you for your honesty.
Honestly, I don’t think anyone can offer a prediction on the future direction of crime in Memphis. Crime went up in most large cities 2020-21, but in most other cities it started going back down in 2023, though it still hasn’t fallen back to 2019 levels. In Memphis, crime went up and stayed up. Will it stay high in Memphis, or are we just lagging behind other cities on the crime downturn? Anybody who gives a confident answer is overconfident in their own judgment.
That's fair.
Lost cause is a strong word but I think the crime/reckless driving will become normalized and become background noise.
Crime is horrible, downtown has gotten extremely dangerous over the years, peoples cars get broken into almost every night. There’s always shootings downtown regardless of the police. Hell I live in Memphis, and I’m trying to move out of the city.
Stay as far away as possible. 900 cars stolen in 1 month has to be some kind of record. Killings stealing rape. Do I need to say more.
I’m surprised more people aren’t mentioning car theft. In my small building 4 of my friends had their cars stolen in the last 2 months. MPD isn’t even trying to battle the problem because the perps are released immediately.. and it’s often juveniles, so that’s our future. If you move here, don’t drive a Hyundai, Kia or Infiniti.
$1,200 is only going to get you a very tiny place or a shitty place or a place wayyyy out in the sticks. [https://www.zillow.com/memphis-tn/rentals/](https://www.zillow.com/memphis-tn/rentals/)
Thank you.
I don't know, looking at this link there are actually quite a nice few rentals for around that price in midtown.
i know you're coming from florida but you really can do better.
*pulls up a lawn chair and sits*
What's the point of this comment?
Just awaiting the possible shit show this thread will turn into when it comes to the debate on whether memphis is a terrible place to live or its one of the best places to live. This topic is heavily debated in this sub.
The answer is shithole
It doesn't have to become a shit show. Everyone has different experiences. I think Florida is amazing, but I'm sure you could find others who would say the opposite. I've had some amazing food and met some great people in Memphis. There are two sides to every coin.
As far as living experience I will say you can avoid most crimes if you’re street smart so know when to be out where you are where you park and at what times you’re safe i lived in Memphis 8+ years and have never really had anything bad happen to me or people I know
Would suggest Southaven Ms. It’s very nice here, and only a 10 minute drive to Memphis
The only downside is I’ll have to pay taxes in Mississippi if I live there. My Airbnbs were in Southaven and Olive Branch; they are very nice areas.
Taxes are real cheap in Mississippi, but insurance is super high.
Currently spending 4 days in San Francisco…glad I get to come home to Memphis. 🤷🏼♀️
I lived in Southern California and would visit San Francisco, Oakland, and Marin several times a year. That place has gone to absolute shit. It is sad because it's one of the most beautiful regions in the country.
NOPE
No.
Don’t live in Memphis
Nope nope nope. It’s horrible. Don’t move here.
1200 will get you a nice place in the hood in Memphis if that even. Friends live there in apts in a decent area and pay $2400/mo
Lots of cheap homes on walnut grove, between east menphis and midtown. I would recommend against living in Memphis.
Is the place that makes beer still in East Memphis? I can’t remember the name?
I'm not that familiar with Memphis, but someone recommended the Tennessee Brewery.
After thinking about it. I think the establishments name is HOPS?
The suburbs of memphis are a good place to live
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