I was born in Memphis, went to White Station High School and the University of Memphis, and I’ve sold homes in nearly every part of Shelby County since 2013. So when a buyer asks me where they should live, I don’t hand them a list; I ask what their week looks like. Where do you work, how far are you willing to drive, do you want a yard or a walkable street, and what’s your budget? The answers point to very different neighborhoods, and this guide is built around them.
Below you’ll find the areas I recommend most often, split into the city of Memphis and the suburbs that ring it, with 2026 prices, commute times and a plain description of what each one is like to live in. Every figure is dated and sourced, because Memphis prices move by neighborhood, not by city.
How to Read This Guide
The Memphis metro is unusually affordable for a city its size. Redfin puts the citywide median sale price at about $202,000 as of July 2026, but that number blends everything from $90,000 investor rentals to $2 million estates. The neighborhoods below run from roughly $200,000 to well over $500,000, and the right one for you depends on three things more than anything else: your commute, the kind of house you want, and whether you’d rather have a town center or a bigger lot.
One note on schools. Public ratings from Niche and the Tennessee Department of Education’s state report card are easy to find, and I’ve pointed to them where they matter. I don’t rank schools myself, and attendance zones change, so always confirm the zoning for a specific address before you write an offer.
Neighborhoods Inside Memphis
East Memphis
East Memphis is the established core of the city’s housing market, roughly the area between Poplar Avenue, Walnut Grove Road and the Germantown line. Expect mid-century ranches and traditional two-stories on generous lots, many renovated down to the studs, with new construction appearing on teardown sites. The Shady Grove and Poplar corridors put restaurants, Laurelwood and the medical district minutes away, and downtown is about 20 minutes via Poplar or I-240.
Redfin’s East Memphis median sale price was about $340,000 in June 2026, up 1.9% year over year, with homes going under contract in a median of 38 days. Prices climb sharply toward the Germantown line and around the private schools; renovated homes in the $600,000 to $1.2 million range are common in the blocks around Shady Grove and Walnut Grove. If you want to be close to everything and don’t mind an older house, this is where I’d start.
Chickasaw Gardens
A 1920s planned neighborhood built around a private lake, Chickasaw Gardens is one of the most distinctive places to live in the city. The homes are Tudor, Colonial and Georgian, the streets curve under old hardwoods, and the neighborhood association is active. Inventory is thin because owners tend to stay for decades; when a home does come up, it usually sells well above the East Memphis average. It sits just east of the University of Memphis and about 15 minutes from downtown.
Midtown, Central Gardens and Cooper-Young
Midtown is Memphis’s walkable, historic heart. Central Gardens, a National Register historic district, has early-twentieth-century homes on Belvedere, Peabody and Central with deep porches and original detail; Cooper-Young is smaller bungalows and a lively restaurant strip; Evergreen and the Vollintine-Evergreen area sit north of Overton Park. The ZIP code that covers most of Midtown, 38104, had a median sold price of about $299,000 in June 2026 at roughly $169 per square foot (Movoto), though a restored Central Gardens home can easily run two to three times that. Overton Park, the Memphis Zoo, the Brooks Museum and the Levitt Shell are all here, and downtown is a 10-minute drive.
Midtown fits buyers who want character, walkability and a short commute more than they want a new kitchen. Restoration quality varies widely from house to house, which is exactly why representation matters here.
Downtown and Harbor Town
If you want to walk to work, dinner and the river, downtown is the only true option in Memphis. South Main has lofts and condos in converted warehouses; Harbor Town on Mud Island is a planned neighborhood of townhomes and single-family homes with river views and its own small commercial square. ZIP 38103 had a median sold price of about $349,000 at $209 per square foot in August 2026, with homes averaging about 85 days on market (Movoto), the longest wait of any area in this guide, which means buyers have room to negotiate.
Cordova
Cordova is the value play inside the city limits. Its subdivisions from the 1990s and 2000s offer more square footage per dollar than anywhere else on this list, with quick access to I-40, Germantown Parkway shopping and Shelby Farms Park, the 4,500-acre park that anchors this side of town. ZIP 38018 had a median sold price of about $350,000 at $157 per square foot in July 2026, with homes averaging 54 days on market (Movoto). Cordova commuters reach East Memphis in about 15 minutes and downtown in 25 to 30.
The Best Suburbs Near Memphis
Germantown
Germantown is the suburb most buyers ask about first, and for good reason. Large lots, strict development standards that have kept the housing stock consistent, a city-run school district, and the Wolf River Greenway all add up to a place that holds value. Redfin’s median sale price was about $525,000 in June 2026, up 10.2% year over year, with a median of 19 days on market, the fastest in this guide. The Germantown Municipal School District’s public ratings from Niche and the Tennessee Department of Education are among the most common reasons buyers give for choosing the city. East Memphis is 10 to 15 minutes via Poplar; downtown is about 30. My full Germantown real estate guide goes neighborhood by neighborhood.
Collierville
Collierville is where the Memphis area builds new at the top of the market, and it’s the largest suburb by land area, which shows in the lot sizes. The historic Town Square gives it a real center, with restaurants, boutiques and a weekend farmers market, and the Greenbelt trail system connects the parks. Redfin’s median sale price was about $535,000 in June 2026, slightly above Germantown’s for the first time in years, with a median of 31 days on market and more inventory than in 2022 or 2023. Collierville Schools is a municipal district whose public ratings are a frequent reason buyers cite. FedEx’s headquarters campus sits on the town’s northern edge. Downtown Memphis is about 30 minutes; East Memphis is 15 to 20 via Poplar or Bill Morris Parkway. See my Collierville real estate guide for the neighborhoods.
Bartlett
Bartlett is the most affordable of the established suburbs and one of the most competitive markets in the metro right now. Redfin’s median sale price was about $320,000 in June 2026 with a median of just 17 days on market and a “very competitive” rating, which tells you well-priced homes are drawing multiple offers. The housing stock is mostly brick traditionals from the 1970s through 2000s on the west side and newer construction toward the east, with Bartlett City Schools operating its own district and the Stage Road historic district and Bartlett Station giving the city a small-town core. Downtown Memphis is about 25 minutes via I-40.
Arlington
Arlington, on the northeast edge of Shelby County, is where new construction and small-town character meet. Walker Street’s historic brick storefronts anchor a downtown that hosts festivals through the year, and most of the housing is newer subdivisions built after 2000, with Arlington Community Schools running its own district. Redfin’s median sale price was about $442,000 in June 2026, flat year over year, with a median of 21 days on market and homes selling at 99.5% of list. I-40 and I-269 make Bartlett and Germantown 15 to 20 minutes away; downtown Memphis is about 35.
Lakeland
Lakeland is the smallest city on this list and the one growing fastest at the upper end. Homes around Garner Lake and in the newer subdivisions off Canada Road tend to be larger, and the city has been adding parks, trails and its own schools (Lakeland School System now runs through high school). Redfin’s median sale price was about $537,000 in June 2026, up 11.9% year over year, though homes are taking longer to sell than a year ago at a median of 49 days, so there is negotiating room. It sits between Bartlett and Arlington on I-40, about 30 minutes from downtown.
Eads and the Eastern Corridor
Eads is unincorporated Shelby County east of Collierville and Germantown, and it’s where I live. Luxury here usually means land: three to fifty acres with a custom home, a barn or workshop, and privacy you can’t get inside a city limit. There is no single price index for Eads because the properties are so different from one another, but most sales fall between the high $500,000s and several million dollars. Collierville’s Town Square is 10 to 15 minutes away, East Memphis about 30 minutes via Poplar or Highway 385. If acreage is on your list, this is the conversation to have with me first.
Which Memphis Neighborhood Fits You?
Shortest commute to downtown: Downtown itself, then Midtown and East Memphis.
Walkable, with a town center: Midtown and Cooper-Young inside the city; Collierville’s Square and Arlington’s Walker Street in the suburbs.
Most house for the money: Cordova and Bartlett, with Southaven across the state line close behind.
Newest construction: Collierville, Arlington and Lakeland, plus Olive Branch in Mississippi.
Largest lots and acreage: Eads, Germantown’s estate subdivisions and eastern Collierville.
Established, close-in and renovated: East Memphis and Chickasaw Gardens.
And if you’re open to Mississippi, DeSoto County offers newer homes, lower property taxes and a 20-to-30-minute commute; my DeSoto County guide compares Olive Branch, Hernando, Southaven and Horn Lake.
Ready to Start Looking?
The fastest way to narrow this list is a conversation. Tell me where you work, what your budget is and how you want to live, and I’ll tell you which two or three of these neighborhoods to tour first. Search current listings, estimate a payment with the mortgage calculator, or reach out and we’ll set up a tour day. Selling first? Start with a home value conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Memphis Neighborhoods
What are the best neighborhoods in Memphis?
It depends on how you want to live. East Memphis, Chickasaw Gardens and Midtown are the most established close-in neighborhoods; Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Arlington and Lakeland are the most sought-after suburbs; Cordova is the value option inside the city; Eads offers acreage. Each is described above with 2026 prices and commute times.
What are the best suburbs near Memphis?
Germantown and Collierville lead on established housing stock and municipal school districts, with June 2026 median sale prices of about $525,000 and $535,000 (Redfin). Bartlett is the most affordable at about $320,000, Arlington is about $442,000, and Lakeland is about $537,000. Across the state line, Southaven, Olive Branch and Hernando in DeSoto County, MS are also popular.
How much does a house cost in Memphis in 2026?
The citywide median sale price was about $202,000 in July 2026 (Redfin), but neighborhood medians in this guide range from roughly $300,000 in Midtown to $535,000 in Collierville, with East Memphis and Chickasaw Gardens homes often well above their area medians.
Which Memphis neighborhoods have the shortest commute downtown?
Downtown and Harbor Town are walkable to the core. Midtown is about 10 minutes, East Memphis about 20, Bartlett and Cordova 25 to 30, and Germantown, Collierville and Lakeland about 30 minutes.
Where can I find school ratings for Memphis-area neighborhoods?
Niche and the Tennessee Department of Education’s state report card publish ratings for every public school and district, including the municipal districts in Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Arlington and Lakeland. Confirm the attendance zone for any specific address, as zones change.
Should I buy in Memphis or in the suburbs?
Memphis neighborhoods win on commute, walkability and character; the suburbs win on newer construction, lot size and municipal school districts. Many of my clients tour both before deciding, and I’m happy to set up a day that covers each side.
Market figures in this guide are drawn from Redfin (June and July 2026) and Movoto (June through August 2026) and change frequently; they are provided for general information, are not a guarantee of value or future performance, and should not be relied on as tax, legal, lending or investment advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. Ashley Wisch is a REALTOR® with eXp Realty, LLC, licensed in Tennessee (#345883) and Mississippi, ranked in the top 1% of individual agents in the United States by transactions (RealTrends Verified 2026: #243 nationally and #3 in Tennessee), a member of RealTrends’ “The Thousand,” and the #1 eXp Realty agent in Tennessee and Mississippi for 2025.
Ashley Wisch, REALTOR®
TN license #345883 · Licensed in Tennessee and Mississippi
eXp Realty, LLC · 888-519-5113 ext. 390
Brokered by eXp Realty, LLC, Nashville, TN
Equal Housing Opportunity
Featured photo: Cordova, TN by Barcode at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
