The Best Neighborhoods in Memphis

Moving to Memphis is an exciting new adventure, and the first step in planning your move is likely picking a new place to live. Not sure about neighborhoods in Memphis and where you fit in? Browse through our easy guide spotlighting our favorite parts of Memphis. You pick the one that speaks to you the most!

Midtown: centrally location to the east of downtown, Midtown Memphis is the most walkable part of town. There are many amenities within walking distance, such as grocery stores, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and schools. It’s also home to Overton Park where some of the city’s top tourist attractions are located including Memphis Zoo, and Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. The local crime index for this neighborhood is 8 percent lower than the Memphis average and it is considered safer than about half of the city.

Downtown: located near midtown, downtown Memphis is brimming with places to eat and bars to drink at. There are many retail locations, though not as much in terms of groceries and everyday items. There are 34 public schools in this large neighborhood of around 55,000 people, but success in education isn’t so great, falling below the Memphis and state averages when it comes to completing high school. Crime is also higher here, as downtown is about 29 percent higher than the Memphis average crime rate. Attractions like the South Main Arts District and Beale Street keep a heavy flow of visitors to the area.

East Memphis: the neighborhood known as East Memphis-Colonial-Yorkshire is east of downtown and is home to over 100,000 locals. It’s a nice place to live, with many public parks, 26 public and 23 private schools and a good high school graduation rate at 80.5 percent. Like the rest of Memphis crime rates are high here compared to the Tennessee average though the East Memphis crime index is 39 percent lower than the city average, making this safer than 61.5 percent of the neighborhoods.

Berclair-Highland Heights: not many amenities are in walking distance for this north east neighborhood, but there are 11 public, and 6 private schools in Berclair-Highland Heights, and high school graduation rates are about on par with the Tennessee average. Like many parts of Memphis, the crime rate isn’t very desirable, as the crime index is 21 percent higher than the Memphis average—meaning you have 1 in 11 chance of being a victim.

Hickory Ridge-South Riverdale: many people in this neighborhood choose to live here because the crime rate is slightly lower than other parts of town, and it is extremely livable despite the fact that there isn’t much in walking distance. Hickory Ridge Mall is a big feature of the community, and the neighborhood has one of the best high school graduation rates in Memphis.

We hope these options can help you narrow down where to live in Memphis!