Jackson vs Memphis
Jackson, Tennessee versus Memphis, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Jackson and Memphis score about the same overall (42 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jackson | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $48k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $49k |
| Home Value | $169k | $140k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.78% | 1.29% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.90% | 6.88% |
| Unemployment | 9.0% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 39°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.9 in | 54.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7 in | 2.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 255 days | 201 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 90.1 | 65.8 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 30.6 | 51.5 |
| Violent Crime | 3503/100k | 5824/100k |
| Property Crime | 3088/100k | 7195/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 67,993 | 630,027 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+13 | D+31 |
| White (%) | 45.8% | 24.1% |
| Black (%) | 45.4% | 64.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.4% | 8.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.4% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 2.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 13.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.8% | 80.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 14.12 | 3.78 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Jackson or Memphis more affordable?
- Jackson has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Jackson's $45k and Memphis's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Jackson versus $1k in Memphis.
- Is Jackson or Memphis safer?
- Jackson has the lower violent crime rate. Jackson reports 3503/100k and Memphis reports 5824/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jackson or Memphis?
- The median home value is $169k in Jackson and $140k in Memphis, so homes are more affordable in Memphis.