City comparison
No. New Orleans's crime index is 350 versus 495 in Memphis, and its violent crime index is 393 versus 629, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Memphis and 2023 FBI data for New Orleans.
Memphis is cheaper. Median rent is $1,181 a month versus $1,251 in New Orleans.
Safety is where Memphis and New Orleans split most clearly. New Orleans scores 145 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 $1,251 in New Orleans.
This is a genuine split. Memphis wins on cost of living and New Orleans wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. New Orleans has rougher pockets and Memphis has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Memphis and New Orleans are 359 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,181 a month in Memphis to $1,251 a month in New Orleans, up $70 a month (6%).
Median household income goes from $51,736 in Memphis to $56,631 in New Orleans, up $4,895 (9%).
The crime index goes from 495 in Memphis to 350 in New Orleans, down 145 points (29%).
The move
New Orleans and Memphis are 359 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,251 a month in New Orleans to $1,181 a month in Memphis, down $70 a month (6%).
Median household income goes from $56,631 in New Orleans to $51,736 in Memphis, down $4,895 (9%).
The crime index goes from 350 in New Orleans to 495 in Memphis, up 145 points (41%).
Memphis, TN
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
New Orleans, LA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Memphis and New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
6% cheaper
Memphis rent is 6% cheaper than New Orleans
Memphis
Winner$1,181/mo
New Orleans
$1,251/mo
Typical rent runs $1,181 a month in Memphis versus $1,251 in New Orleans, so Memphis is 6% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $70, or $840 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 New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
9% higher
New Orleans's median income is 9% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$51,736
New Orleans
Winner$56,631
Median household income is $56,631 in New Orleans versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 9% higher in New Orleans (about $4,895 more household income a year). The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
29% lower crime
New Orleans's crime index is 29% lower than Memphis
Memphis
495 (100 = avg)
New Orleans
Winner350 (100 = avg)
New Orleans's crime index is 350 versus 495 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 29% lower in New Orleans. 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, New Orleans 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
Neck and neck
Memphis and New Orleans are about even on typical weather.
Memphis
68°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
New Orleans
73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Memphis averages about 68°F (78°F highs); New Orleans averages about 73°F (81°F highs). Memphis sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. New Orleans sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Memphis
Memphis is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 6% cheaper here at about $1,181 a month. Choose Memphis if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
New Orleans is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 9% higher here ($56,631). Start with New Orleans if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
New Orleans is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 29% lower than Memphis (350 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
Memphis carries the heavier crime signal on this page (11/100 safety vs 22/100 in New Orleans). That 11-point spread matters more than the $70 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Memphis rent at $1,181/month is still below New Orleans's $1,251, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,181 in Memphis and $1,251 in New Orleans.
Pick New Orleans when you want the stronger safety signal (22/100). Otherwise, Memphis's case rests on a Memphis ZIP you trust at $1,181 rent.
Common questions
Ready to move to New Orleans?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for New Orleans when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Memphis and New Orleans, plus other cities in TN and LA.
