City comparison
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY is about 325 miles (500 km) from Memphis, TN in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 400 miles, or about 6 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY to Memphis, TN takes about 38 min, covering roughly 325 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Memphis has a population of 630,027, vs 629,176 in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) — about the same size. By land area, Memphis covers about 290 sq mi vs 265 sq mi for Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance).
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) | Memphis | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,014/mo | $1,050/mo | 3.6% higher in Memphis |
| Median home value | $204,800 | $139,600 | 46.7% higher in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) |
| Median household income | $63,114 | $48,090 | 31.2% higher in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) |
| Groceries index | 96.0 | 96.4 | ≈ equal (Memphis slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 79.2 | 76.0 | 4.2% higher in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 95.8 | 1.9% higher in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) |
| Healthcare index | 97.1 | 95.3 | 1.9% higher in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), you'd need $100,069 in Memphis to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) and Memphis have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 3% higher in Memphis than in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance). If you earn $80,000 in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), you'd need about $80,055 in Memphis to keep the same standard of living.