Memphis draws people for Elvis, Sun Studio and Stax, where American music history was made, and you can walk into all of it. Graceland is the obvious stop, but the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel is the one that stays with people. Beale Street is loud and fun, the Peabody ducks are a silly tradition worth seeing, and the barbecue is a reason to visit on its own. May brings a month of festivals along the river.
About 610,000 people live in the city, and it is one of the cheapest big cities in the country for both housing and everyday costs. That affordability comes with a serious tradeoff: Memphis has one of the highest violent crime rates among large US cities. Most visitors stick to Beale Street, Midtown, Cooper-Young and East Memphis, and use rideshare at night. Summers are hot and humid, and spring can bring tornadoes.
Cities with a similar character, anywhere on the site.
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
- Known as
- Bluff City; Home of the Blues; Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll; Grind City; The 901; River City
- Founded
- 1819 settled; 1826 incorporated (rechartered 1893)
- Airports
- Memphis International (MEM), about 10 miles south of downtown and a major FedEx hub; nearest alternatives are Nashville (BNA) about 210 miles east and Little Rock (LIT) about 135 miles west
- Tipping
- Restaurants and barbecue sit-down 18-20%; counter service optional or $1-2; bars $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; valet $2-5; musicians on Beale Street tip jars $1-5
