Memphis is a city located on the east bank of the Mississippi River with a population of about 633,000 people, according to the most recent census.
The city was captured by the Union Army after a battle by a flotilla of ironclad gunboats.
It suffered from a yellow fever epidemic in the late 19th century.
Memphis was a center of the struggle for civil rights and where Martin Luther King was assassinated.
The city was also a center for music, being the home of such icons as Elvis Pressley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash.
Memphis is a high crime area, with 25.5 violent crimes per 1,000 people each year and 55.4 property crimes per 1000 people per year.
However, the farther one gets from the river, in the eastern part of the city, the safer it is.
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10 Safest Neighborhoods in Memphis
1. Spring Creek / Crossroads
It is located to the west of Memphis, with Interstate 269 on the eastern boundary of the neighborhood.
The area consists primarily of very large, single-family homes and small apartment buildings.
People who live here tend to be fairly well-off professionals.
Other residents work in manufacturing, sales, and retail.
The vast majority of the people commute to work in private automobiles.
While some burglaries occur, the neighborhood is considered the safest in Memphis and thus, exact statistics are not available.
2. Sanga Point
It is located in the western part of Memphis east of Spring Creek near Wolf River Blvd. to the south and 177 to the west.
The single-family homes and townhomes tend to be large and expensive.
Rent is pretty expensive, as well.
Residents are well-to-do, with many being highly educated, highly compensated executives.
Some residents work in sales and service jobs.
The neighborhood has a zero rate of childhood poverty.
Crime, especially violent crime, is low compared to other areas of the city and thus exact statistics are not available.
3. South Germantown
It is located between Poplar Avenue and 385 in the southeast of Memphis.
The neighborhood is characterized by large single-family homes, apartment complexes, and high-rise apartments.
The area has plenty of green spaces, including hiking and biking trails, and parks, including Bob Lanier Park, where the locals maintain community gardens.
The community stages several festivals and a local community theater that has put on productions for the past 50 years.
The average annual crime rate is 56 violent offenses per 100,000 people and 549 property crimes per 100,000 people.
4. Windyke Area
It is located between Winchester Road and 385.
Residents live in either single-family homes or small-to-medium apartments situated along tree-lined streets.
The Wyndyke Country Club provides a great deal of indoor and outdoor activities amid large green spaces.
The proximity to nearby roads provides easy access to employers and amenities in other parts of the city by private automobiles.
The average annual crime rate is 271 incidents per 100,000 people and 990 property crimes per 100,100 people.
5. Lakes of Forest Hill
It is located south and just north of 385.
The neighborhood consists of single-family homes, apartment complexes, and high-rise apartments primarily built after the year 2000.
Nearby amenities include the Mike Rose Soccer Complex, Shelby Farms Park, the Memphis Botanic Gardens, and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens.
The area has a mix of people employed by manufacturers, laborers, professionals, and executives.
The crime rate in this area is relatively low, so exact statistics are not available.
6. Lenow
It is located between I-40 and I-269 with residences including single-family homes, apartment complexes, and high-rise apartments, many of which were built after the year 2000.
Residents include a mix of upper-middle-to-middle-income individuals and families, some employed in professional and executive jobs, with others in sales, retail, and food service employment.
The neighborhood is a typical American suburb with most people commuting to work, either alone in their private vehicles or by carpooling.
While some crime does exist in this part of Memphis, it is relatively low enough so that exact statistics are not being kept.
7. Ragan Farms
It is situated between State Line Road to the south, and E. Holmes Drive to the north, with Ross Road bisecting the neighborhood from north to south, twenty miles southeast of downtown Memphis.
The neighborhood is located just at the Mississippi border.
The area has a rural ambiance with medium-to-large single-family homes and mobile homes.
A Walmart is a couple of miles to the north with the Winchester Court shopping center and Winchester Farmers’ Market a couple of miles farther than that.
Many residents enjoy the nearby restaurants and blues club, especially B.B. King’s Blues Club.
While some crimes take place, incidents are few and far between enough to not be tabulated as separate statistics.
8. Richwood
It is located close to I-385 and consists primarily of single-family homes and townhomes.
Collierville Mall, along with some shops and restaurants, is located in this neighborhood.
Several museums and music venues are also available, which attract the tourist trade.
Many visitors check out Six Flags Magic Mountain, the Graceland Museum of Art, historic Beale Street, and other famous historical attractions.
The area is very walkable and is free of crime.
A lot of young families and college students live in this area.
9. Normandy Meadows East / Richland Acres
It is a suburban neighborhood just west of the intersection of I-240 and Sam Cooper Blvd.
The neighborhood has mainly medium-sized and large single-family homes and townhouses, mainly built between 1940 and 1969.
The area has the feel and look of America of a bygone era.
Most of the residents are high-income earners, executives, professionals, and managers.
Most of the employed people who reside in this part of Memphis commute in their private cars, but spend an average of 15 to 30 minutes getting to and from work.
The area has a low enough crime rate that statistics are not kept.
10. Sea Isle Park East
It is on the northwest curve of I-240 just south of the Southern Railroad.
Housing consists of medium to large-family homes, apartment complexes, and high-rise apartments.
Most of the residents are upper to middle-income.
Sea Island Park abuts the west side of the area.
An 18-hole disc golf course and a dog park are also available.
Most people either use their private cars or carpool to work with an average commute time of 15 to 30 minutes.
Crime in this area is low enough so that specific statistics are not being kept.
5 Safety Tips for Traveling to Memphis
- Avoid being out on the street after dark. Take a taxi or ride-share to get from place to place.
- Exercise awareness about where you are and your surroundings at all times. If you feel unsafe, duck into a nearby business or call a taxi or ride-share to get the rest of the way to where you’re going.
- If you are at a bar or restaurant and you find yourself even a little inebriated, have someone call you a cab or ride-share to get back to where you’re staying. Driving or even walking when you are impaired is never a good idea.
- Do not display anything of value such as a smartphone or cash when out on the street. These things will tempt a stickup artist to take them away from you.
- Secure your valuables, such as cash, credit cards, and ID when out and about in a money belt, the better to avoid losing them to pickpockets.
Memphis Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Memphis Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: HIGH
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
How does one get around Memphis?
Memphis has an extensive bus and trolly system.
Taxis and ride-share are also available.
What are some of the best tourist attractions in Memphis?
Memphis boasts of some riverside and walking tours that highlight that city’s rich heritage.
No visit to the city is complete without stopping by Graceland, the home and memorial to Elves Pressley.
The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the former Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated, is also worth a visit.
The neighborhood is near restaurants and gyms where residents can spend the evenings and weekends.
