Residential comparison · 13 facts
Memphis, TN vs Nashville, TN
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Memphis needs about $94,000 in Nashville to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Nashville, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $76,000 in Memphis.
A few differences
- Nashville is lower on property tax rate (0.6% vs 1.35%).
- Nashville is lower on sales tax (9.25% vs 9.75%).
- Memphis is lower on groceries index (93 vs 100).
Memphis vs Nashville · facet by facet
| Facet | Memphis, TN | Nashville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $190,000 | $450,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,250/mo | $1,850/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.35% | 0.6% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.75% | 9.25% |
| Cost of living index | 86 | 102 |
| Groceries index | 93 | 100 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $160/mo |
| Median household income | $51,000 | $71,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.3% |
| Crime index | 68/100 | 51/100 |
| School rating | 4.5/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 218 days | 208 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Memphis, TN · Nashville, TN
Questions & answers
- Is Memphis cheaper than Nashville?
- Memphis has the lower day-to-day cost index (86 vs 102 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Nashville equals $85,000 in Memphis?
- A household earning $85,000 in Memphis needs about $94,000 in Nashville to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Nashville lifestyle costs about $76,000 in Memphis.