Housing Guide
Memphis has an average per capita income slightly ahead of the national average while its cost-of-living is slightly lower. Combined with no personal income taxes, affordable housing costs, and low utility rates, more and more people are discovering that Memphis is an excellent place to live. In fact, with a downtown residential population of more than 8,000 people, Memphis has more urban dwellers than several of the nation’s largest cities.
Whether you choose to live in the bustling downtown area, the quiet, historic Midtown area or one of the fast-growing suburbs, Memphis has a neighborhood for you.
Downtown has a large variety of completely unique living spaces. There are single-family homes overlooking the Mississippi river, condos of all shapes and sizes, new and spacious lofts, smaller apartment communities, and large apartment hi-rises.
With art galleries, shops, restaurants, sports, shopping, and movies just outside your door, downtown Memphis is a vibrant community. Downtown Memphis even has a new elementary school.
East Memphis has many quiet communities. They are all close to shopping and entertainment. The Memphis Botanic Garden, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Audubon Park and the Lichterman Nature Center, Pink Palace Museum and the new Central Library are all located in East Memphis. The University of Memphis is also nearby.
Chickasaw Gardens is located just to the east of Midtown and features large homes, parks and a central lake. Cordova, a fast-growing community, has both large and moderate-sized upscale homes. A large mall, dozens of restaurants, churches and office space can all be found in the area.
Midtown, is one of the city's oldest residential neighborhoods and has a rich and diverse history. Tree-lined avenues play host to both new and old apartment complexes, gracious homes, and unique bungalows. The Memphis Zoo, Overton Park, and the Memphis College of Art can all be found in Midtown. Two local universities, Rhodes College and Christian Brothers College call Midtown home.
There are many distinct neighborhoods in Midtown, each with its own unique character. Overton Square is a small community that offers restaurants and bars, live theater and entertainment, music and movie theaters. Cooper-Young is known as one of Memphis’ two art districts. It has unique shops and art galleries, historic residential homes, and restaurants. The neighborhood also hosts the annual Cooper-Young festival. Vollintine-Evergreen is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has dozens of beautiful, stately homes with large yards and tree-lined streets. Central Gardens is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features large, turn-of-the-century homes.
Employees do not have to live in Memphis to teach in Memphis City Schools. Many of our teachers live in the surrounding suburban areas, including in Mississippi and Arkansas. The Memphis, Tennessee suburbs include Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, and Millington are rapidly-growing towns with many of their own unique features and amenities.
Housing Assistance
Memphis City Schools does not offer housing assistance or offer reimbursement for relocation. However, there are several state and national programs designed to help teachers become home-owners. Many banks and lending institutions offer special mortgage programs for teachers and several local home builders offer incentive programs and mortgage assistance for educators.
The Teacher Next Door Program
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) developed the Teacher Next Door (TND) program to encourage teachers to buy homes in low and moderate-income neighborhoods. It is open to any person "employed full-time by a public school, private school, or federal, state, county, or municipal educational agency as a state-certified classroom teacher or administrator in grades K-12." Participants must certify that they are employed by an educational agency that serves the school district/jurisdiction in which the home they are purchasing is located. Educators may purchase TND property at a 50% discount from the list price.
For more information, visit: http://www.hud.gov/teacher.
Please visit our Loan Programs and Housing Assistance page for more information. These programs are not affiliated with Memphis City Schools.
FAQs
Do you need to live in Memphis to teach in Memphis?
You do not have to live in Memphis to be an employee of MCS.
Does Memphis City Schools offer relocation assistance?
MCS does not offer relocation assistance, but we encourage you to research federal home loan and assistance options.
