I was mugged my first night in Memphis. - 9/6/2021

I was mugged my very first night in Memphis. They tried to take my iPhone. I was walking only a block from my house in a "safe" area, too. Yuck.

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Beautiful City but crime and poor infrastructure - 5/24/2021

Memphis is a city with a history of civil rights, slavery , blues and rockn'roll music. It's a great place for a weekend getaway. This city has lots of great things to offer. Whether you enjoy walking downtown, ride scooters, visit one of the greatest zoos in the US, get some education of civil rights, or even visit Elvis's home; Memphis has something to offer for everyone. While many people enjoy the entertainment and scenery of Memphis, people need to be aware of a few things prior to coming to Memphis, in order to make this visit a better experience. I love the musical background that Memphis provides. I visited Beal Street and Sun Studio which I really enjoyed. Beal Street was busy, but we had fun. The sun Studio was very educational. After that we went to the Rock and Soul Museum, which is located in the "Hood" of Memphis. You better bring a bullet proof vest, since the crime rate is sky rocketing and Memphians carry gun on a regular. Downtown was nice and clean, but some side streets were very nasty. We drove around into the suburbs in Memphis and noticed that there was lots of trash in certain areas. I don't understand why certain areas are not being cleaned. The streets are all damaged. Make sure you have good tires prior to riding on Memphis Streets. Bus transportation is not good at all. Maybe downtown, but its not like you can take the bus to work. Well, all I can say is to keep your car doors , house doors etc. locked, since MPD does not investigate any robberies, burglaries or things of that nature. All they do is file the report. Make sure nobody comes up missing, as they to just put that in the system. Well, hopefully they run into the missing person, but they don't literally try to find anyone. They will let you know that they are overwhelmed and overworked, making you feel like nothing will be done about it. Yes, they are not good with investigating crimes. A report revealed that a large amount of rape cases stayed uninvestigated due to unopened rape kits. As far as activities for the youth in the summer goes, Memphis need to do better. Other than Community Center Camp, with very limited space and a waiting list, there is absolutely nothing. Everything else is extremely costly. Memphis is a place with musical history and heritage, but unfortunately the high crime and poor infrastructure have taken over this once beautiful city.

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A mess - 12/18/2020

Do you like being panhandled every 30 seconds? Love that cool ambiance of gangs? Are drugs your thing? Then you will love Memphis. Had good times here in the 90’s, the downhill slide continues. God bless this mess.

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It’s Memphis - 12/22/2019

I’ve lived in and also around the city of Memphis Tennessee since 94’ and it really has not changed one bit. The ignorance in this city is rampant and racism is alive doesn’t matter who you are you can feel the vibes blacks hating whites and vice versa. I’m biracial and experienced it from both races. Now not everyone is bad I’ve met some good people but it seems there are more bad than good here. Ranked 3rd in nation for violence for a reason it’s not safe especially at night. The roads are horrendous pot holes bumpy uneven roads are rarely fixed in this city. Corruption is not uncommon. There are some good things about this city The food especially the bbq is delicious! The cost of living is good compared to other major cities. I enjoy the climate here the hot summers along with the mild winters doesn’t bother me. I really enjoy the zoo and parks. Overall it’s not that bad But bad enough that I wouldn’t recommend living here. God bless.

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Lack of Culture and Diversity - 11/17/2019

I lived here for two years for work. I’m from the North, and I was looking forward to milder winters. Well, that is all Memphis had to offer me. Generational, systemic poverty and its ramifications are real to everyone except the ones who are enmeshed in it. The lack of cultural diversity and activity were overwhelming. The number of locally educated adults who cannot write a coherent, grammatically-correct sentence was mind blowing. This includes teachers which explains the low-performing students. The Shelby County School District is made up mostly of teachers who were educated in the district or neighboring poor-performing school districts in Mississippi or Arkansas. How many times did I receive correspondence from a Principal which contained incoherent jibberish? However, her written communication did match her oral communication. My children also told me stories about children fighting in class. No wonder the surrounding jurisdictions created their own high-performing school districts, e.g., Collierville. It was not a matter of racism as much as it was the importance of providing their children with a quality, college-preparatory education in a safe setting. There was an overall mistrust of “outsiders.” Therefore, Southern hospitality is relegated to literature. Their indirect mode of communication which included snide remarks was blatantly rude and recognizably so to everyone but themselves. If cultural diversity, quality museums, theatre, shopping, and restaurants are important to you, as well as others who share your passion, Memphis is not the city for you. If quality elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate education are important to you, Memphis is not the place for you. Crime is rampant in Memphis and spills over to surrounding areas. Even Kroger grocery stores in Cordova had customers who were robbed during the day. The local malls have also had multiple shooting incidents. The lack of overall diversity in every area was stifling, and we are so glad to have moved back North where we will never take these civilities for granted again.

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Not for me - 10/27/2019

Didn't like it. People are not very friendly, which is surprising, since it's a Southern city. Sorta. There were signs everywhere that said "Be Nice, Or Leave". Great idea, but apparently most people never read them. LOTS of crime. Wow. Beale St's not so much. Very small. You can always go to some hotel and watch a bunch of ducks walk on a red carpet if that's your idea of entertainment. The river is right downtown, which is cool. Good music scene. Not like New Orleans, but there's live music to be heard. After you leave downtown, it's either the hood or the 'burbs. If you like BBQ, you'll like the food. Grits!

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Not Home - 5/24/2019

I was brought here by a wife who left me. I stay here because of my kids. There are also many good people I have met here, but on the whole I’d rather be back in my own home state: Washington.

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Total Pit! - 10/8/2018

I have lived here for 2.5 gruelingly long years. It is difficult to say just how bad the city and the entire metro area is. The city is known for its crime and the recognition is well deserved. The people here lack civility. Trash is everywhere. The streets and other infrastructure are in terrible disrepair. Potholes abound and are never fixed. Our car insurance went up 300% when we moved here from a much larger urban area on the East Coast. This was due to the uninsured drivers and the amazing amount of accidents. People drive poorly here - they tailgate and speed like no other place I've lived and I have lived in big cities and small towns around the world. A member of the chamber of commerce was murdered in his car in downtown the other day. That should tell you something. I suppose St. Louis and Detroit are worse, but its kind of hard to imagine it.

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A place to call home - 10/11/2017

Greetings, I find Memphis to be one of my top pics for a place to retire. I love the price of the homes in the area. One would not have to settle for less in this great city. The weather is good and the cost of meals, entertainment, dinning all fits in my budget. Looking over the employment salary rates are fairly reasonable and some career jobs are even higher than those of some on the east coast. I like what I see thus far but I do recommend you visit the area first before making your final decision. Sincerely,

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death ! - 7/27/2017

land of entitlement . no place is safe in shelby county (even the suburbs are deadly) rape, robbery, carjackings, gangs and murder have made memphis one of the top deadliest cities (per capita) in the US . this is a place where 90yr old senior citizens get beat down or sprayed with mace and robbed, yeah it's HELL ! if for some strange reason you move here, get a gun permit, its the wild west . you can become a victim or die in a NY second . Iraq is safer than memphis !

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Memphis: A City of Hidden Gems - 8/30/2016

I have lived many places, from out West to the Deep South to the Northeast. I am writing from the perspective of a middle-aged white male with a family. I have now lived in East Memphis for about 5 years. Crime: Memphis has a very bad rep because of the crime rate. When I first moved here, I was paranoid as a result. Since moving here, I have never been the victim of a crime, property or otherwise. As many others have said before me, crime tends to be localized to some rough neighborhoods, as is the case with any city. Exercise and Outdoors For people who are active, we have several of award-winning trails and parks, including the Shelby Farms Greenline. There is a very active runner's community and a number of local triathlon clubs. Races and events are plentiful here. Restaurants The local food scene here is outstanding. We have a great many hot-shot chefs that prepare interesting cuisine from a variety of culinary perspectives. Entertainment Beale Street, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Redbirds, plus an active arts community, the Orpheum and Playhouse on the Square provide a rich assortment of entertainment options City Schools are a mixed bag. Many of the schools within the city are struggling. The school district does offer a program called "optional," which allows students to transfer to other schools within the district. Probably the best schools in the city are in the White Station Area, although some of the charter schools are really good as well. Cost of Living and Quality of Housing Stock. Cost of living is low- about 20-25% less than the national average. Housing is also less expensive. The Hidden Gems Memphis is a City of hidden gems and layers. It took me almost two years the really appreciate the variety and depth of the city. Discovering places like Elwood's shack, or the Old Growth Forest at Overton Park keeps me intrigued. The more I get to know Memphis, the more I like it. If you appreciate urban living in a place that is on the upswing, you should consider Memphis for your short list.

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Not as bad as it sounds - 7/9/2016

I can understand the criticism, but honestly, I love Memphis. It is a city with personality, the place itself and the people. Crime is worse in many other cities than it is in Memphis. Many parts of it appear old and there are buildings downtown which look run down and abandoned, so combined with the crime (which takes place mostly in poor areas, you will know which ones to avoid by the sight of them), Memphis can give a poor impression to the uninitiated. One reason to like Memphis is that shopping and other amenities of a large city are here, but the traffic is easy, depending on the construction taking place. Getting around never feels like a chore. The crime reputation gives the impression that all people are bad, but I have found a lot of genuine, sociable people in Memphis. They are aware of the shortcomings of the city, and as so are generally not pretentious and they are self-aware, and more down to earth than most cities. I have two siblings who are very liberal, one at the U of M, and they both love the city. So I don't think it is fair to claim that only backwards, racist people belong here. People don't really put on a false front, so if you see the good in people, you shouldn't have any problem with them. I currently live in Nashville, and I really miss the laid-back, sociable nature of the people in the Memphis area as opposed to the cold, pretentious, uninterested personalities of most people here. And the lighter traffic and cheaper cost of living.

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Home - 1/9/2015

Where I live is a family community with park pool and walking ways.

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crime - 12/30/2014

Crime and racism is awful here. I have lived here more than 40 years and still looking forward to re-locating when I can!

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In one place too Long... - 12/30/2014

I'm going to keep this short and simple when you get the opportunity to move somewhere with much better opportunities do it you only live...Once!!

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Better than you may expect - 11/14/2014

Memphis has a unique musical history, with Elvis, Sun Studios and Beale Street. It is a good sports town with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, the MLB AAA affiliate Memphis Redbirds, and the college support for the University of Memphis Tigers. We have the largest nature park inside a city's limits, with Shelby Farms which hosts a lot of outdoor festivities. Yes, Memphis has its bad neighborhoods...but what city doesnt? Stay away from the subdivisions known as "Frayser" in North Memphis and "Orange Mound" in South Memphis. But the rest of the city should be explored. We have Midtown which is our "arts district". We have suburbs like Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville and Germantown which each offer uniqueness to the city. And you are just a few minutes from Mississippi and Arkansas.

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Do not Move to Memphis, TN - 11/17/2013

Don't come to Memphis you will regret the day you ever thought about coming I do.

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Memphis is HORRIBLY behind other cities - 7/20/2013

I recently accepted a post in the medical research field , moved my family, bought a house in Germantown. I earn a high income relatively speaking. After 9 months of so, I can tell you I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE (not the job, the environment). My headhunter is arranging an interview with another hospital group in Florida. If things go well, I'm out of here as fast as the Movers can load up. This City is backward to say the minimum, and they actually like being backward. It's also like living in a time warp and living in Mississippi. Just don't do it

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my hometown - 6/9/2013

I've live in Memphis my whole life and can't wait to be able to leave to help make sure I don't have to constantly keep my doors locked. There's parts of town that I won't drive through without my doors locked even in broad daylight. Also, the school systems are horrible and getting worse; someone of average - slightly above average IQ could sleep through standard high school classes and still graduate towards the top of their class. If you're thinking about moving there, look at living in the suburbs and the surrounding cities (esp. out in the country). The few good parts are that people really band together after a tragedy (like the officer who was shot) and of course St. Jude Hospital and the Med has saved several first-responders. Try to stay a few miles outside the city limits if at all possible.

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Affordable but - 5/14/2013

The cost of living in memphis, tn is a lot less than other cities such as Miami, Atlanta, Etc but there isn't much to do here for younger people. All the family fun that was once here when I was growing up has moved making family fun something you pack up and go elsewhere to do. I've never had a problem with the crime here but TV (first 48) puts memphis on the map as "bad." Just as any place....there are good areas and bad areas but crime can happen anywhere all you need for that is an idiot who wants to stir up trouble.

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