Bartlett Area (Memphis, Jackson, Brownsville: for sale, apartment complexes, rental)

[DubbleT]

Memphis Crime Tracker - crime.commercialappeal.com
Link to interactive map shown above, you probably need to play with the time line a bit.
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Memphis Daily News - Crime Report Map - A map of reported crimes for Memphis and Shelby County - Updated Daily

Detailed crime report map, just plug in an address

[Ginsaw]

I entered an area including 1 sq mile centered in Berclair to see what I'd find. 101 crimes within the last one month period. The majority were at businesses along Summer Ave. and some on other nearby commercial streets. The vast majority were not crimes of violence. Of course, you have to figure a factor of some sort for similar crimes not reported. It has to be three or four times that many, and maybe even more.

It's not good, and far from what I recall it was like in past decades of living in this area. But, it could certainly be worse.

Using a 1 mile radius from S. Orleans in the heart of South Memphis showed in the last month 260 reported crimes with a whole lot more of them being drugs, assaults and vandalism cases. Including unreported cases, it must be at least 1,000 crimes in one month and those are mostly at what look to be residential addresses.

Using a representative Stage Rd. address in Bartlett, for a 1 sq mile area, the last month netted 72 crimes, mostly theft, shoplifting and vandalism.

Using a representative U of M area street, Deloach, for a 1 sq mile area, the last month netted 103 reported crimes. The types were spread around pretty evenly, with assaults, thefts (especially from vehicles), shoplifting, drugs, burglaries, vandalism, forgery, ID theft, etc. That's probably several hundred total including the non-reported.

I guess the statistics speak for themselves. Bartlett's the safer of the four areas. South Memphis the least safe, and Berclair and U of M about the same.

From studying the map, I reluctantly conclude that what might give you the best shot at avoiding being a crime victim in Memphis is to live in a houseboat on the Mississippi River.

Btw, even totally disabled nursing home residents are not immune from crime in Memphis, including violent crime. You would think they would be, but that's not the case.

[tmford87]

Thanks for all of the info. As for the crime issue, we're currently in New Orleans, so we're very familiar with living in a high crime area. While living closer to campus would be more convenient we'd probably opt for living in the suburbs to lower the chance of any theft etc. Even a 30-45 min drive to school would be no problem - we're both used to a 1-1.5 hour drive with the traffic here. Here's some of the houses that we're looking at. I'm a bit wary because here you can barely get into a 2 br apartment for 1k monthly. The next step will be to take a trip up there to drive around and get a feel for the different areas.

6488 Wimble Rd Memphis TN - Home for Rent - MLS #3223298 - Realtor.com®
7336 Keely Dr Unincorporated TN - Home for Rent - MLS #3223788 - Realtor.com®
7270 Calebs Ln Unincorporated TN - Home for Rent - MLS #3210997 - Realtor.com®

[DubbleT]

I have family in the little subdivision just east of that first one on Wimble Rd. The area is ok, some unkempt yards, maybe a few clunker cars sitting here and there, stolen bikes and lawn mowers, that kind of thing. The biggest thing I would look at for that address would be flooding, as it is something my relative has had happen on his street after particularly heavy rains.

[JoeCartpath]

Check out the Hillshire subdivision - just north of I-40 between Whitten Road and Appling. Home rentals should be in your price range, and it's a very convenient location. The homes are a little older (built in the mid-late 70s) and some aren't that well kept, but it's probably typical of any area where you'll find rent prices in your range...

I built a home there back when the subdivision was new and lived there for 13 years. One of my sons lives there now, in a 2BR patio home (aka duplex). He's had no issues at all with crime, etc. In fact, if any of those patio homes near the Whitten entrance are for rent, they'd be well within your price range....all are 2 BR, 1 ba, with small yards. The streets for those are Tobin, Belin, Hillindale and Hometown. The houses in the larger part of the subdivision mostly range from 1200-1600 sq ft, usually 3BR, 2BA, some with carports or garages - some not. Lots around 1/4 acre are typical.

[UofMGrad92]

The Keely Dr. location would be my first choice, but I echo JoeCartpath about Hillshire. I'd check out there or the Kate Bond area. Both are close to to Bartlett (but in Memphis), but border on nicer areas of Cordova and on Bartlett. Close to shopping at the Wolfchase Mall and good access to I-40.

[JoeCartpath]

There's also the subdivision just north of Hillshire....off Reese Road between Appling and Whitten....but I can't remember it's name (maybe Countryside?). It's built around a couple of small lakes, and the homes are comparable to the ones in Hillshire.

[Ginsaw]

Appling and Whitten are starting to get on out pretty far from the U of M area. You've also got that rush hour ride in on I-40, which trust me you don't want to fool with, past experience in NOLA or not. It can be bumper to bumper stop and go at 5 mph in those westbound lanes (it's not as bad eastbound). There are much more round-about rush hour routes too, but I personally wouldn't recommend them.

However, those unincorporated addresses might offer one good advantage. No city taxes built into your lease.

Now, another idea that just occurs has to do with the Berclair area I mentioned. I've lived there since the '80s and it has pretty low crime. I think once you adjust the crime figures for the majority of it being at Summer Ave commercial addressses, you wind up with a number that's probably as low as if not lower than Bartett.

It has other big advantages too. You are no more than 10 minutes from the U of M. You are a couple minutes from Sam Cooper and have almost immediate access to I-40, I-240 South and I-240 North to go anywhere including possible Fed Ex employment. You are no more than 15 minutes from possible employment in the auto industry on Covington Pike. You're 20-30 minutes to the airport and 30 minutes to Downtown.

You are 5 minutes from Lowes, Krogers, Walgreens and countless other places to eat and shop.

There will be plenty of rental homes and many will be larger with bigger lots than what can be found in the U of M area. And, the rents just might be more competitive, given the fact that rentals near the U of M are sought out by so many teachers and students who've not given other areas much of a look.

It's something to think about, even if not what most would think of first...

[KoskelaofFinland]

I was also recently accepted to grad school at U of M. My wife and I have taken a couple trips up to Memphis and found a duplex that we are now happily renting (I guess it's East Buntyn area?).

The area right around campus is super nice and we were pleasantly pleased to be so close. With Central Ave, Southern, and Poplar nearby I don't think you would have problems getting to work if you could find a place near campus (albeit, I've not had to deal with rush hour in these places). From the little bit of driving around that we did, I feel like I can confirm what PearlBob (I apologize if I am miscrediting this) has said on some other threads "Everything in Memphis is about 15 minutes or less from everything else" in a good way.

As far as crime, the rule that has worked for me living in Montgomery, AL is that you can tell the places that you have no business being in and you stay away from them.

[JoeCartpath]

I'll second Ginsaw's comments about Berclair. I think it's always been an underrated area, even as far back at the 60s and 70s when I lived there. As long as you don't venture too close to Nutbush, it may the the best value in Memphis for the money...