Moving to the Memphis Area

A large share of my clients are moving here from somewhere else — for FedEx, for St. Jude and the hospital systems, or for a lower cost of living and a slower pace. I have the same conversation most weeks, so here is the honest version of it, including the parts a relocation brochure leaves out.

Twelve things to know before you move to Memphis

1. There is no state income tax

Tennessee does not tax wages, and the old Hall tax on investment income was fully phased out in 2021. Depending on where you are coming from, this is effectively a raise that shows up in every paycheck for as long as you live here. It is the single most underrated financial reason people move to Tennessee.

2. Your school district depends entirely on which municipality you land in

This is the thing that catches relocating buyers hardest. The eastern suburbs run their own municipal school districts — Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, and Arlington each have one — and they are a major reason those suburbs cost what they cost.

The trap: the three schools actually named Germantown (Elementary, Middle, and High) are operated by Memphis-Shelby County Schools, not by the Germantown Municipal School District. Buyers see the name on a listing, assume it means the municipal district, and find out after closing. There is no fixing that afterward. The districts explained →

3. Confirm school zoning by address, never by city name

Following from the above: zoning is assigned by street address. Not by ZIP code, not by subdivision, not by what the listing says. I verify it on every home my clients tour. It takes ten minutes and it is the highest-value ten minutes in a relocation purchase.

4. City-wide statistics tell you very little about a specific neighborhood

Relocating buyers ask me about safety more than any other single topic, and they usually ask it having read a city-level statistic. Those figures aggregate areas with very little in common — which is true of most large metros and particularly true here, where the municipal suburbs are separate cities with their own police departments.

I am not going to tell you it is all fine, and I am not going to trade in the opposite caricature either. What I will do is talk through specific neighborhoods, point you to local data, and strongly encourage you to visit in person. Anyone who answers this question with a single sentence in either direction is selling you something.

5. Property taxes depend on your jurisdiction, not just your county

If you buy inside an incorporated city you generally pay both a city and a county rate. In unincorporated Shelby County — much of Eads, for instance — there is no city layer, which can mean meaningfully lower taxes and fewer municipal services. Two homes a few minutes apart can carry noticeably different annual bills. Get the actual figure for the specific address before you budget.

6. Pick your suburb around your actual job site

"Twenty minutes from Memphis" is not useful information. The FedEx World Hub sits near the airport on the south side. The medical district is in Midtown. Downtown is downtown. Those are three different commutes and they favor different suburbs.

Whatever you do, drive your real route at your real rush hour before you commit. Arlington runs 30 to 45 minutes to downtown; Bartlett is noticeably shorter. Some clients find that fine and some change suburbs over it.

7. Summers are hot and humid, and it is not a dry heat

June through September is genuinely warm with high humidity. People adapt, but if you are coming from a mild or dry climate, plan for it — and pay attention to the age and condition of the HVAC on any home you buy, because it will work hard here.

8. The pollen is real

Memphis consistently ranks among the tougher US cities for seasonal allergies. If anyone in your household is sensitive, this is a genuine quality-of-life factor worth knowing about in advance rather than discovering in April.

9. Spring brings severe weather

This region gets real thunderstorms and is within the broader area that sees tornado activity, particularly in spring. It is a normal part of living here and people manage it, but it is worth understanding your home's safe space and checking what your insurance covers for wind and hail. Ask about the roof's age on every home you consider.

10. This is a car metro

Public transit exists but is not a realistic primary commute for most relocating households. Plan on driving. The upside is that traffic is genuinely mild compared with most cities people move here from — a twenty-five-minute commute here is a twenty-five-minute commute, not a coin flip.

11. Decide whether you are moving to Memphis or to the suburbs

They are quite different experiences and people conflate them. Downtown and Midtown offer genuine urban character, walkable pockets, and the music and food the city is known for. The eastern suburbs offer space, municipal school districts, and a quieter pace. Both are legitimate. Knowing which one you actually want will save you months.

12. Your money goes a long way, and that part is not hype

Combined with no state income tax, housing costs here mean a relocating household frequently steps up in house, lot, and school district all at once. It is the single most common reaction I get from clients touring for the first time. The full cost-of-living breakdown →

Should you move to Memphis? The honest case both ways

Strong fit if you want: a low cost of living, no state income tax, short commutes, real space for the money, municipal school districts, and a metro where a normal salary buys a comfortable life.

Poor fit if you want: walkable car-free urban living, mild summers, robust public transit, or a mountain or coastal setting. Those are real trade-offs and no amount of enthusiasm from me changes them.

I would rather you know that before you sign a contract than after you have moved a family across the country.

Which suburb fits you

• Germantown — the prestige pick: top-rated GMSD schools, established estates, strongest resale.
• Collierville — highly rated schools and a genuinely charming historic Town Square.
• Bartlett — established, family-oriented, its own school district, and the best value of the close-in suburbs.
• Arlington — fast-growing, newest construction, longer commute.
• Eads — acreage and custom homes for buyers who want land and privacy.
• Memphis — Downtown lofts, Midtown character, East Memphis family streets, and strong rental returns.

School-zone guides: Germantown · Collierville · Bartlett · Arlington

How I run a relocation, start to finish

1. A real conversation about your must-haves, budget, job site, and timeline.
2. Neighborhood video tours so you can picture daily life, not just floor plans.
3. Lender pre-approval lined up so you can move when the right house appears.
4. A focused tour weekend where we see the right homes rather than everything.
5. Offer and close, with me handling the local details in person on your behalf.

Plenty of my relocation clients buy after touring in person exactly once. That only works if the person on the ground is telling you the truth about the difference between two streets that look identical online.

School district information is general guidance only, is subject to change, and must be verified per address with the district. Tax and insurance details vary by property — confirm specifics for any home you are considering. This page is not legal, tax, or lending advice.

Questions, answered

What should I know before moving to Memphis?

The short version: Tennessee has no state income tax, which is a real raise. Your school district depends on which municipality you land in, and the naming is genuinely confusing. Summers are hot and humid and the pollen season is rough. It is a car metro. Severe spring storms are normal. And city-wide statistics about Memphis tell you very little about any specific neighborhood, which is the main reason to have someone local.

Should I move to Memphis, TN?

It is a strong fit if you want a low cost of living, no state income tax, a short commute by big-metro standards, and real space for your money. It is a poor fit if you want walkable urban living without a car, mild summers, or public transit. I would rather you know that before you sign than after.

Is Memphis a safe place to live?

This is the question relocating buyers ask me most, and the honest answer is that city-wide crime statistics aggregate areas that have very little in common with each other — which is true of most large metros and especially true here. The suburbs where most of my relocation clients land are quite different from the city-level numbers. Rather than generalize, I will talk you through specific neighborhoods and encourage you to look at local data and visit in person.

Does Tennessee have a state income tax?

No. Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, and the old Hall tax on investment income was fully phased out in 2021. For a relocating household this is an ongoing, meaningful boost to take-home pay and one of the quieter reasons people move here.

How long are commutes in the Memphis area?

Short, by the standards of most metros people relocate from. Most core suburbs sit roughly 20 to 30 minutes from downtown and the medical district. But the right suburb depends on your specific job site: the FedEx World Hub is near the airport on the south side, the medical district is in Midtown, and Arlington to downtown runs 30 to 45 minutes. Tell me where you will actually be driving.

Can you help me house hunt before I move to Memphis?

Most of my relocation clients start entirely remote. I do neighborhood video tours, send curated listings, coordinate a lender pre-approval, and plan a focused tour weekend so you see the right homes rather than everything. Many buy after a single in-person trip.

Which Memphis suburb is best for families?

It depends on budget and priorities. Germantown and Collierville lead on schools and resale; Bartlett is the best value of the close-in suburbs; Arlington is where the new construction is; Eads is for acreage. I will match you on schools, commute, and budget — and confirm the exact school zone for any home, because that is where relocating buyers get burned.