Alternatives · Memphis

Cities Like Memphis for Investors

Memphis is a low-cost, high-yield cash-flow buyer's market. Below: the 8 markets in our coverage with the closest fundamentals, ranked by similarity score.

GEOGRAPHIC SPREAD: 6 OTHER STATES (MI, MS, AL, TX, LA, OH)

Memphis baseline

What these alternatives are matched against.

Median home value$147,306
YoY appreciation-3.2%
Gross rent yield10.23%
Median days on market32.666666666666664
Market typeBuyer
Investor score88/100
Similar markets

Ranked by fundamentals similarity.

  1. 01
    Detroit, MI
    detroit-mi · SIMILARITY 100/100
    MEDIAN
    $76k
    YoY -3.9% Yield 20.99% DOM 40.833333333333336 Type Buyer Score 90/100
    WHY: same price tier · similar rent yield · similar market pace
  2. 02
    Jackson, MS
    jackson-ms · SIMILARITY 100/100
    MEDIAN
    $88k
    YoY -0.7% Yield 17.10% DOM 27.333333333333332 Type Buyer Score 90/100
    WHY: same price tier · similar rent yield · similar market pace
  3. 03
    Birmingham, AL
    birmingham-al · SIMILARITY 94/100
    MEDIAN
    $137k
    YoY -2.1% Yield 11.39% DOM 22.833333333333332 Type Buyer Score 83/100
    WHY: same price tier · similar rent yield · both buyer markets
  4. 04
    Corpus Christi, TX
    corpus-christi-tx · SIMILARITY 88/100
    MEDIAN
    $226k
    YoY -0.8% Yield 7.42% DOM 41.5 Type Buyer Score 88/100
    WHY: similar rent yield · similar market pace · both buyer markets
  5. 05
    New Orleans, LA
    new-orleans-la · SIMILARITY 88/100
    MEDIAN
    $246k
    YoY -2.7% Yield 8.17% DOM 44.666666666666664 Type Buyer Score 95/100
    WHY: similar rent yield · similar market pace · both buyer markets
  6. 06
    Cleveland, OH
    cleveland-oh · SIMILARITY 86/100
    MEDIAN
    $118k
    YoY -2.1% Yield 14.53% DOM 14 Type Balanced Score 78/100
    WHY: same price tier · similar rent yield · aligned appreciation trend
  7. 07
    Akron, OH
    akron-oh · SIMILARITY 82/100
    MEDIAN
    $141k
    YoY +2.5% Yield 9.70% DOM 10.333333333333334 Type Balanced Score 71/100
    WHY: same price tier · similar rent yield
  8. 08
    Dayton, OH
    dayton-oh · SIMILARITY 82/100
    MEDIAN
    $139k
    YoY +1.3% Yield 10.36% DOM 13.333333333333334 Type Balanced Score 77/100
    WHY: same price tier · similar rent yield
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FAQ

Frequently asked.

What makes a city "similar" to Memphis for investors?

Similarity is scored on four fundamentals: price tier (typical home value bucket), rent yield (gross rent-to-price ratio), market pace (median days on market), and market type (buyer/seller/balanced). Same-state cities get a small penalty so the list surfaces geographic alternatives, not just neighbors.

Why would an investor look at similar cities instead of Memphis?

Three common reasons: (1) Memphis prices have moved past your acquisition budget and you need similar fundamentals at a lower price tier; (2) you're already deep in Memphis and want to diversify into a different state without changing your underwriting playbook; (3) you suspect Memphis is overheated and want comparable markets earlier in their cycle.

Are these alternatives ranked by overall investment quality?

No — they're ranked by similarity to Memphis, not by absolute investor score. A market scoring 85/100 for similarity is "very similar to Memphis" but might still be a worse or better deal in absolute terms. Click into each city's full report for the investor-score view.

What's the difference between this page and a head-to-head comparison?

Head-to-head (/compare/[a-vs-b]) is a deep one-on-one breakdown across all metrics. This alternatives page is a discovery layer — surfacing 8 markets with the closest fundamentals so you can identify candidates to deep-dive on next.

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