Memphis, TN

The affordability dashboard for Memphis, TN aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 27 ZIP codes covering 697,385 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C- (51/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $55,555, median home value of $177,635, median rent of $1,221 per month, and 26.2% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $1,274 per month (studio $1,060, 1BR $1,154, 3BR $1,683, 4BR $1,959). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $11,007 per year, consuming 20% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Pressure points are childcare. Unemployment currently reads 9.1% and poverty 22.9% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.