What Locals Know About Memphis
Think you really know Memphis? It's a city with barbecue smoke that could fog up Graceland, a duck march that you'll have to witness yourself, and blues legends that are immortalized on every corner. Let's run through the facts, stats, and fried chicken & catfish receipts that showcase what makes Memphis' swagger worth the humidity.
Mike, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Michael is a Tennessee native who has lived, worked, or worn out tires in all three divisions of the state, from Memphis to Nashville to Johnson City, plus plenty of small towns that never make postcards. He once moved from the far northeast corner of Tennessee to the far southwest for college, stayed twenty years, then somehow boomeranged right back to Appalachia. He knows the difference between mountain quiet and river loud, will defend Memphis BBQ like its a birthright, and can point you to everything from out of the way eateries to where locals actually hunt. We are not all barefoot moonshiners, but yes, some of us know where the real stuff is. At Snappy Scout Michael uses that deep statewide mileage to refine Tennessee moving guides so they're as real as a proper BBQ smoke ring, not some oven baked liquid smoke waste of calories.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Makes Memphis Memphis?
The weird, useful, and surprisingly relevant facts that shape everyday life here.
Common nicknames for Memphis
Bluff City, Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis' Home.
Local Reality Check
People think it's just BBQ and Elvis. It's also FedEx's global superhub, and you'll be reminded constantly as planes fly overhead every 5 minutes.
You're most likely moving from
Pricier Southern cities like Nashville, Atlanta, or surprisingly, California.
Strangely large concentration of
Distribution warehouses. If you ordered it online, especially tech, it probably touched Memphis by plane, train, truck, or barge.
Music scene
Beale Street still swings nightly, plus a scrappy local scene in Cooper-Young.
You'll have to see it to believe it
The Peabody ducks marching through a five-star hotel lobby twice daily at 11 am and 5 pm, led by their own Duckmaster.
Unique Geography
Sits on the Mississippi bluffs, the highest point above the river between Cairo and Vicksburg.
Memphis is home to
FedEx global headquarters and the world's busiest cargo airport, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and The National Civil Rights Museum in the Lorraine Motel.
Well known for its
Dry-rub and sweet wet-sauce BBQ, fried catfish, soul music heritage, and an honestly unsettling number of Elvis impersonators.
Fun history fact
First city in the South to elect a Black mayor, Harold Ford Sr., in 1974.
Celebrity sightings
Justin Timberlake, Yo Gotti, Three 6 Mafia alumni, occasional Grizzlies players at brunch.
Noteworthy Census stat
Over 63% Black population, one of the highest percentages among major U.S. cities.
Most interesting sub-culture within Memphis
Memphis rap scene, birthed crunk, and still cranking out Grammy winners.
Population
2nd largest city in TN, top 30 largest nationwide.
Memphis is roughly the same geographic size as
Portland, Oregon (both sprawl around 315 square miles).
A Local Event Worth Experiencing Once
The Memphis in May International Festival has something for everyone, from the World Championship Bargeque Cooking Contest, to the Great American River Run marathon, to local venues with plenty of live music. Get your tickets early to eat, party, and repeat!
— Mike Stover
Tennessee Local Expert
Ready to See If Memphis Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Memphis guide for the bigger picture.