Median rent is 5% lower in Louisville/Jefferson County ($1,120/mo vs $1,181/mo). Buying is cheaper in Memphis, where the median home runs $169,000 versus $233,900. Households earn more in Louisville/Jefferson County ($66,849 vs $51,736 a year).
City A
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
City B
Memphis, TN
How much would you need to earn in Memphis, TN to maintain your standard of living from Louisville/Jefferson County, KY?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Louisville/Jefferson County
Kentucky
Memphis
Tennessee
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,120/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County and $1,181/mo in Memphis. Home buyers face a steeper market in Louisville/Jefferson County: the median home is $233,900 versus $169,000 in Memphis — 28% more expensive.
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Louisville/Jefferson County
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Memphis
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Memphis has cleaner air on average: 19.0 AQI (Good) compared to 32.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Louisville/Jefferson County if you prioritize higher median household income ($66,849/yr).
Pick Memphis if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 19.0).
Is Louisville/Jefferson County cheaper than Memphis?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Louisville/Jefferson County vs Memphis?
Median rent is $1,120/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY and $1,181/mo in Memphis, TN. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has the lower rent by about 5%.
Which has higher salaries — Louisville/Jefferson County or Memphis?
Median household income is $66,849 in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY and $51,736 in Memphis, TN. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Memphis, TN has better air quality on average: 19.0 AQI versus 32.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Louisville/Jefferson County or Memphis?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Memphis to match my Louisville/Jefferson County income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
