City comparison
No. Greensboro's crime index is 214 versus 495 in Memphis, and its violent crime index is 235 versus 629, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Greensboro is cheaper. Median rent is $1,172 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis.
Safety is where Memphis and Greensboro split most clearly. Greensboro scores 281 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,181 in Memphis and $1,172 in Greensboro.
Greensboro is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Memphis makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Greensboro is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Greensboro has rougher pockets and Memphis has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Memphis and Greensboro are 579 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,181 a month in Memphis to $1,172 a month in Greensboro, down $9 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $51,736 in Memphis to $61,515 in Greensboro, up $9,779 (19%).
The crime index goes from 495 in Memphis to 214 in Greensboro, down 281 points (57%).
The move
Greensboro and Memphis are 579 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,172 a month in Greensboro to $1,181 a month in Memphis, up $9 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $61,515 in Greensboro to $51,736 in Memphis, down $9,779 (16%).
The crime index goes from 214 in Greensboro to 495 in Memphis, up 281 points (131%).
Memphis, TN
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Greensboro, NC
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Memphis and Greensboro? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
1% cheaper
Greensboro rent is 1% cheaper than Memphis
Memphis
$1,181/mo
Greensboro
Winner$1,172/mo
Typical rent runs $1,172 a month in Greensboro versus $1,181 in Memphis, so Greensboro is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $9, or $108 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Greensboro? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
19% higher
Greensboro's median income is 19% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$51,736
Greensboro
Winner$61,515
Median household income is $61,515 in Greensboro versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 19% higher in Greensboro (about $9,779 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Greensboro is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
57% lower crime
Greensboro's crime index is 57% lower than Memphis
Memphis
495 (100 = avg)
Greensboro
Winner214 (100 = avg)
Greensboro's crime index is 214 versus 495 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 57% lower in Greensboro. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Greensboro is the easier city. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
33% more comfortable
Memphis weather is 33% more comfortable than Greensboro
Memphis
Winner68°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
Greensboro
56°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 75/100
Memphis averages about 68°F (78°F highs); Greensboro averages about 56°F (67°F highs). Memphis sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Greensboro averages around 56°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Memphis scores 33% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Greensboro if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Memphis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (68°F) beat Greensboro on this page's weather index by 33%. Greensboro may pay more or cost less, but Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Greensboro is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% cheaper here at about $1,172 a month. Choose Greensboro if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Greensboro is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 19% higher here ($61,515). Start with Greensboro if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Greensboro is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 57% lower than Memphis (214 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Safety is the widest gap: Greensboro scores 37/100 versus 11/100 in Memphis. Typical rent is the same $1,172/month in both cities, so you are choosing streets and blocks, not a cheaper lease.
Median income is $61,515 in Greensboro versus $51,736 in Memphis — with rent matched, the paycheck gap matters more.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Greensboro; Memphis only makes sense when you have walked the Memphis ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,181 rent.
Weather averages land near 68°F in Memphis and 56°F in Greensboro.
Common questions
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