Memphis, Tennessee and Boston, Massachusetts present two distinctly different American experiences. The former is a southern jewel characterized by colorful culture, slower pace of life, and a lower cost of living. In contrast, Boston offers a bustling city lifestyle, enriched with historical significance, education, and tech industries. From the perspective of relocating or just visiting, this comparison evaluates both locations considering various essential factors.
Distance between
Memphis, TN and
Boston, MA : 1,129.6 miles
Boston's population is larger by 4%. Its population has grown by 65,635 people (11.1%) since 2000. The population of Memphis has decreased by 21,973 people (3.4%) during that time.
Boston’s crime rate is lower than that of Memphis. However, this doesn’t mean safety isn’t attainable in Memphis. The key is choosing the right neighborhood. Perspectives of safety vary significantly based on respective neighborhoods in both cities. For tourists, Boston might seem safer, but with the right information, Memphis can still provide a safe, pleasant visit.
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
Sex Offenders
According to our data, there are 2,628 registered sex offenders living in Memphis and 331 registered sex offenders living in . The ratio of residents to sex offenders in Memphis is 248 to 1; the ratio in Boston is 2,033 to 1. The number of registered sex offenders compared to the number of residents is much larger in Memphis than that in Boston.
Cost of Living
Overall, Memphis has a significantly lower cost of living compared to Boston, making it an attractive relocation option for budget-conscious individuals. This extends to groceries, housing costs, utilities, and transportation.
Income Tax
Massachusetts residents pay a state income tax, while Tennessee residents do not, as the state does not levy an income tax.
Property Tax
Memphis has a higher property tax rate than Boston. However, due to Boston's significantly higher property values, the actual tax liability can potentially be higher in Boston.
Sales Tax
Tennessee's sales tax is notoriously high, particularly compared to Massachusetts. While Boston levies a 6.25% sales tax, Memphis charges a combined 9.75%.
Income
Type
Memphis
Boston
Estimated median household income
$44,317
$79,283
Estimated per capita income
$28,571
$50,337
Cost of living index (U.S. average is 100)
85.5
143.8
If you make $50,000 in Memphis, you will have to make $84,094 in Boston to maintain the same standard of living.
Geographical Conditions
Memphis is located near the Mississippi River and has a relatively flat landscape. Boston is coastal and has a hilly terrain dotted with beautiful parks.
Boston has an edge in terms of education, hosting world-famous universities like Harvard and MIT. Memphis may not have the same reputation, but it does have reputable institutions, such as the University of Memphis and Rhodes College.
Boston boasts a diversified economy with strengths in sectors like education, healthcare, finance, and technology. Memphis, by contrast, is strongly tied to trade, transportation, and utilities, influenced by globally recognized enterprises like FedEx.
Biggest Employers
In Boston, some of the largest employers are Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Boston University. Memphis has FedEx, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and AutoZone as its most prominent employers.
In Memphis (Shelby County), 62.9% voted for Democrats and 36.7% for Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election. In Boston (Suffolk County), 77.4% voted for Democrats and 20.8% for Republicans.
Elections
Type
Democrats
Republicans
Other
Year
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Boston
2020
64.8%
80.6%
34.2%
17.5%
1.1%
1.9%
2016
62.3%
78.5%
34.7%
16.1%
3.1%
5.4%
2012
62.9%
77.4%
36.7%
20.8%
0.4%
1.8%
2008
63.8%
76.9%
36.2%
21.2%
0.0%
1.8%
2004
57.7%
75.9%
42.0%
22.8%
0.3%
1.3%
2000
56.8%
71.5%
42.3%
20.5%
0.9%
8.0%
1996
78.9%
73.0%
19.6%
19.9%
1.5%
7.0%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregation
Type
Adherents
Congregations
Religion
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Boston
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
14.8%
0.6%
15.1%
6.9%
CATHOLIC CHURCH
6.5%
46.1%
2.7%
12.4%
EVANGELICAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1.5%
0.0%
0.7%
0.0%
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
0.8%
1.0%
1.8%
4.7%
MUSLIM ESTIMATE
0.5%
1.1%
0.8%
2.4%
LUTHERAN CHURCH
0.4%
0.1%
1.0%
0.4%
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
0.4%
0.1%
0.6%
0.7%
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
0.4%
0.7%
0.9%
4.0%
AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE USA
0.3%
1.2%
0.6%
8.9%
Weather
Memphis experiences a subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters. On the other hand, New England's Boston experiences cold winters, with abundant snow, and mild, somewhat humid summers. From a tourist's perspective, summer or spring in Boston and fall in Memphis offer the best weather experiences.
Weather and climate
Type
Memphis
Boston
Temperature - Average
61.9°F
50.6°F
Humidity - Average morning or afternoon humidity
74%
69.9%
Humidity - Differences between morning and afternoon humidity
33%
23.1%
Humidity - Maximum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
85%
78%
Humidity - Minimum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
52%
55%
Precipitation - Yearly average
54.3 in
46.3 in
Snowfall - Yearly average
8.6 in
88.3 in
Clouds - Number of days clear of clouds
19.7%
16.4%
Sunshine amount - Average
68.7%
63.7%
Sunshine amount - Differences during a year
24%
20%
Sunshine amount - Maximum monthly
74%
68%
Sunshine amount - Minimum monthly
50%
48%
Wind speed - Average
8.8 mph
12.5 mph
Average climate in Memphis, Tennessee
Average climate in Boston, Massachusetts
Air pollution
Type
AQI
CO
NO2
OZONE
PM10
PM25
SO2
Year
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Memphis
Boston
Memphis
Boston
2018
81
76
0.24
0.24
10.4
12.3
27.1
26.1
19.0
N/A
8.1
9.2
0.4
0.5
2017
74
83
0.24
0.26
10.2
12.5
28.1
26.4
17.5
N/A
7.9
8.9
0.3
0.6
2016
76
75
0.24
0.27
10.2
14.1
28.8
24.4
19.6
N/A
8.5
7.4
0.9
0.5
2015
77
81
0.26
0.30
11.1
15.7
26.9
23.4
N/A
N/A
9.2
8.9
1.0
0.8
2014
75
76
0.27
0.30
10.1
14.0
26.5
24.5
N/A
N/A
9.9
9.3
1.3
1.2
2013
74
86
0.31
0.30
8.3
13.5
26.6
26.2
N/A
N/A
10.2
9.8
1.0
1.3
2012
94
89
0.32
0.29
9.3
11.8
29.7
23.5
N/A
N/A
10.7
9.5
0.6
1.4
2011
93
87
0.34
0.30
10.0
14.8
29.0
24.2
N/A
N/A
11.1
10.5
0.5
1.6
2010
95
92
0.43
0.26
10.3
13.8
27.9
25.0
N/A
N/A
12.9
10.0
N/A
2.3
2009
86
86
0.35
0.32
8.7
15.3
24.9
23.5
N/A
N/A
11.8
9.7
N/A
2.4
2008
94
96
0.36
0.26
10.3
16.6
26.3
22.9
N/A
N/A
13.2
12.4
N/A
3.8
2007
106
124
0.47
0.28
11.2
18.5
26.7
19.9
N/A
N/A
14.8
13.9
5.6
4.0
2006
108
103
0.43
0.38
13.0
15.8
26.8
20.9
N/A
N/A
14.7
12.5
6.3
3.5
2005
110
115
0.46
0.28
10.1
17.0
26.9
22.1
N/A
N/A
17.9
12.7
4.9
4.3
2004
98
104
0.51
0.26
N/A
15.6
24.9
22.5
N/A
N/A
14.5
13.7
5.9
4.6
2003
110
116
0.57
0.55
20.1
20.1
25.3
22.4
N/A
N/A
15.0
14.5
5.8
5.2
2002
110
130
0.58
0.35
20.4
19.8
25.1
21.8
15.6
N/A
N/A
13.5
4.5
5.0
2001
111
112
0.66
0.44
24.7
19.9
26.0
20.7
22.7
N/A
N/A
13.6
6.1
5.9
2000
103
88
0.63
0.57
25.2
18.8
26.2
19.2
24.9
N/A
N/A
10.0
6.4
5.6
Natural disasters
Type
Memphis
Boston
Tornado activity compared to U.S. average
198.6%
55.3%
Earthquake activity compared to U.S. average
474%
26.6%
Natural disasters compared to U.S. average
18%
33%
Transportation
While Boston offers robust public transit options with its subway, buses, and ferries, Memphis is more car-centric. Memphis does offer public buses and trolleys downtown, but its public transit system is not as extensive as Boston's.
Transport
Type
Memphis
Boston
Amtrak stations
1
3
Amtrak stations nearby
1
3
FAA registered aircraft
1
224
FAA registered aircraft manufacturers and dealers
52
4
Means of transportation to work
Type
Memphis
Boston
Bicycle
0%
1.7%
Bus
0.4%
7.1%
Carpooled
7.5%
6.8%
Car alone
88.8%
54.7%
Ferryboat
0%
0.2%
Railroad
0%
0.5%
Streetcar
0%
13.5%
Subway
0%
3.2%
Taxicab
0.1%
0.4%
Walked
1.2%
10%
Average travel time to work
Type
Memphis
Boston
Average
27 min
38.6 min
Other means
22.5 min
26.1 min
Public transportation
43.5 min
38.6 min
Private vehicle occupancy
Type
Memphis
Boston
Average
1.1
1.2
Drove alone
89.9%
87.1%
In 2 person carpool
7.9%
10.1%
In 3 person carpool
1.6%
1.7%
In 4 person carpool
0.4%
0.4%
In 5-6 person carpool
0.2%
0.2%
In 7+ person carpool
0.1%
0.5%
How many people usually rode to work in the car, truck or van.
Real Estate
The real estate market in Memphis is significantly more affordable than in Boston. Boston has a higher median home price due to high demand and limited supply.
Neighborhoods
Boston's historic neighborhoods like Beacon Hill offers a sense of charm, while Memphis is known for neighborhoods like Beale Street, known for its musical culture.
Houses and residents
Type
Memphis
Boston
Houses
288,491
307,025
Average household size (people)
2.5
2.3
Median year apartment built
1972
1957
Length of stay in the house since moving in
16.2 years
14.6 years
Houses occupied
256,968 (89.1%)
271,941 (88.6%)
Houses occupied by owners
119,622 (46.6%)
94,497 (34.7%)
Houses occupied by renters
137,346 (53.4%)
177,444 (65.3%)
Median rent asked for vacant for-rent units
$760.83
$2,632
Median monthly housing costs
$967
$1,883
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos
$201,932
$1,040,328
Estimated median house or condo value
$142,800
$659,700
Median numbers of rooms
5.5
4.3
Median number of rooms in apartments
4.8
3.9
Median number of rooms in houses and condos
6.6
5.4
Median house price - detached houses
$205,904
$683,896
Median house price - in 2-unit structures
Over $1,000,000
$639,493
Median house price - in 3-to-4-unit structures
$145,165
$745,440
Median house price - in 5 or more unit structures
$201,411
$986,433
Median house price - mobile homes
$93,577
$117,668
Median house price - Townhouses or other attached units
$170,154
Over $1,000,000
Median house price - All housing units
$204,886
$793,380
Median house age
52
73
Renting percentage
48.1%
66.1%
Housing density (houses/condos per square mile)
1,032.8
6,340.1
House value disparities
44.1%
23.5%
Household income disparities
48.2%
48.2%
Median household income for houses/condes with a mortgage
$72,611
$138,364
Median household income for apartments without a mortgage
$53,615
$97,179
Housing units without a mortgage
1,461 (2%)
1,250 (1.8%)
Housing units with both a second mortgage and home equity loan
3,970 (5.4%)
7,686 (11.2%)
Housing units with a mortgage
71,386 (98%)
67,144 (98.2%)
Housing units with a home equity loan
322 (0.4%)
218 (0.3%)
Housing units with a second mortgage
5,907 (8.1%)
9,540 (13.9%)
House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago)
16
12
House/condo renter moved in on average (years ago)
1
3
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities
5.7%
1.4%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities
4.6%
0.7%
Housing units in structures
Housing units in structures
Memphis
Boston
One, detached
61.0%
12.0%
One, attached
5.8%
6.4%
Two
2.1%
11.9%
3 or 4
7.4%
24.1%
5 to 9
9.1%
11.2%
10 to 19
5.6%
7.2%
20 to 49
1.8%
8.0%
50 or more
6.2%
19.0%
Mobile homes
0.8%
0.1%
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.
0.1%
0.0%
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
16,111
11,605
State government workers
7,650
12,810
Unpaid family workers
668
303
Industries and Occupations
Boston's primary industries include finance, education, and the technology sector, while Memphis is known for logistics, shipping, manufacturing, and music.
Boston, often considered as the healthcare hub in the U.S, is home to nationally-ranked hospitals. Memphis also hosts key healthcare institutions like St.Jude Children's Research Hospital, but doesn't match Boston's overall healthcare sector reputation.
Health (county statistics)
Type
Memphis
Boston
General health status score of residents in this county from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
Boston, with its older, historical buildings and recent modern developments, presents a blend of old and new in terms of infrastructure. Memphis, however, has a significant focus on reinvestment and revitalization of its downtown section, offering increasing infrastructure improvements.
Infrastructure
Type
Memphis
Boston
Hospitals
35
22
TV stations
14
22
Arenas or stadiums
2
3
Bank branches located here
160
146
Bank institutions located here
33
37
Main business address for public companies
17
60
Drinking water stations with no reported violations in the past
0
2
Drinking water stations with reported violations in the past
HMDA - Conventional home purchase loans - Applications denied
Year
Memphis
Boston
1999
2,195
1,237
2000
2,406
1,140
2001
1,775
947
2002
1,444
975
2003
2,116
1,536
2004
3,266
2,273
2005
4,730
3,225
2006
5,833
3,567
2007
3,559
2,652
2008
1,174
1,372
2009
345
910
Culture and Food
Memphis and Boston both offer unique cultural experiences. Memphis is known for blues and barbecues, while Boston is known for seafood, particularly lobster and clam chowder. Both cities have a rich history and present a raft of cultural activities for residents and tourists alike.
Sports Teams
Boston boasts renowned sports teams like the Red Sox (MLB), Celtics (NBA), and Patriots (NFL). Memphis has a solid representation with the Grizzlies (NBA) and collegiate sports, particularly football and basketball at the University of Memphis.
Memphis, TN
Boston, MA
Memphis, TN and 
Boston, MA : 1,129.6 miles
