Head to head
Louisville, KY vs Memphis, TN
Louisville is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $53/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $4,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Memphis is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Louisville76 | Memphis53 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,730 | $3,783 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,988 | $8,376 |
| Salary for comfort | $70,000/yr | $65,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,272 | $1,274 |
| Median home value | $221,500 | $157,100 |
| Median household income | $64,731 | $51,211 |
| Unemployment | 3.9% | 5.6% |
| Housing score | 79 | 65 |
| Jobs score | 81 | 14 |
| Safety score | 56 | 4 |
| Climate score | 99 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 43 | 47 |
| Population | 627.2K | 629.1K |
| Summer high / winter low | 89° / 27° | 92° / 33° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Louisville, KY
Memphis, TN