The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Memphis For 2022


We used data and science to identify the neighborhoods in Memphis that are the real pits.

Memphis's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.

It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Memphis.

And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Memphis. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.

So the question arises, which Memphis neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?

Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Memphis hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Memphis area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Windyke-Southwind ranks way above the rest.

We examined 13 of Memphis's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Memphis's reputation.

So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Memphis for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Shelby Forest-Frayser looks to be the worst neighborhood in Memphis.

Read on to see how we determined the places around Memphis that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.

Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Memphis.

For more Tennessee reading, check out:

Worst Neighborhoods In Memphis

The 5 Worst Neighborhoods In Memphis For 2022

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 34,652
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $52,119 (worst)
Median Income: $24,694 (worst)
More on Shelby Forest-Frayser:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 48,441
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $56,744 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $25,786 (2nd worst)
More on Downtown:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 39,436
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $61,991 (4th worst)
Median Income: $34,723 (6th worst)
More on Parkway Village-Oakhaven:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 88,153
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $69,690 (6th worst)
Median Income: $34,319 (4th worst)
More on White Haven-Coro Lake:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 33,880
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $54,679 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $29,979 (3rd worst)
More on Berclair-Highland Heights:  Data

Berclair-Highland Heights Memphis, TN

Methodology: How we determined the worst Memphis neighborhoods in 2022

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Memphis:

  • High unemployment (Less jobs)
  • Low median income (Less pay)
  • Low population density (No things to do)
  • Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
  • High crime (Estimated)

Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee for each of these criteria from worst to best.

Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".

The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Memphis.

Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Memphis to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 13 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.

Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Memphis

Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Memphis with Shelby Forest-Frayser landing at the bottom of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Memphis aren't all bad. Windyke-Southwind takes the cake as the best place to live in Memphis.

We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.

For more Tennessee reading, check out:

Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Memphis For 2022?

Rank Neighborhood Population Home Value Median Income
1 Shelby Forest-Frayser 34,652 $52,119 $24,694
2 Downtown 48,441 $56,744 $25,786
3 Parkway Village-Oakhaven 39,436 $61,991 $34,723
4 White Haven-Coro Lake 88,153 $69,690 $34,319
5 Berclair-Highland Heights 33,880 $54,679 $29,979
6 Midtown 62,752 $96,608 $34,572
7 Raleigh 54,460 $68,098 $37,105
8 Hickory Ridge-South Riverdale 92,024 $90,668 $45,212
9 East Memphis-Colonial-Yorkshire 107,753 $133,731 $47,789
10 River Oaks-Kirby-Balmoral 42,038 $169,116 $64,831
11 Eads-Fisherville 14,121 $197,233 $77,857
12 Cordova-Appling 83,223 $143,825 $65,003
13 Windyke-Southwind 10,884 $275,875 $85,767

Editor's Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don't freak out we updated this article for 2022. This is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Memphis.
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.