Sample data. These scores are illustrative placeholders, not real measurements — live scores arrive when the data pipeline runs.
Where Memphis lands on the scale
Every city is graded on the same 0–100 Fun Score, split into five bands from quiet to exceptional — here is where Memphis sits.
Pro sports in Memphis
The five major US leagues anchor a city’s sports identity — home stadiums, season-long event flow, drive-time fanbases. Memphis hosts 1 major-league team across 1 league.
- NBA Memphis Grizzlies
How the Fun Score adds up
The Fun Score is one number with two halves — 16 things that make Memphis fun, minus 7 that wear it down. Here is the arithmetic.
16 things that lift the score, blended onto 0–100
7 things that wear it down, blended onto 0–100
- Fun factors lift it
- –
- Drawbacks pull it down
- –
- Raw composite
- –
- Fun Score placed on the published 0–100 scale
- –
Only 40% of the drawback total is subtracted — even a great city can carry a few flaws. Every factor below spells its contribution out as an equation — score times weight. Those 23 contributions are the building blocks behind the two totals above (each is rounded for display).
The Fun breakdown
Every factor is scored 0–100 against the other cities in the index.
Memphis's strongest factors are Star Power, Bike & Micromobility and Climate. Its heaviest drawbacks are Crime, Economic Strain and Disaster Risk.
On every bar, the marker shows the typical city — the median score across the whole index.
What lifts the score
- Eats –
Restaurants, food halls and the depth of the dining scene.
Measured from OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Drinks –
Bars, breweries, cocktail rooms and the nightlife spread.
Measured from OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Coffee –
Cafés and the strength of the third-place coffee culture.
Measured from OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
-
Music venues and how often live shows actually happen.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues.
-
Notable people the city is known for, plus headliner acts that tour through.
Measured from SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended).
- Outdoors –
Parks, beaches and easy access to nature.
Measured from OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities.
- Culture –
Museums, theatres, galleries and arts institutions.
Measured from OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Events –
Festivals, fairs and a packed year-round events calendar.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events.
- Sports –
Pro and college teams and the game-day energy around them.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres.
-
Escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke spots.
Measured from OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
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How much the city is talked about and searched for — news and search attention.
Measured from GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged).
- Climate –
How often the weather is good enough to get outside.
Measured from NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days.
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How well a person without a car can move around the city.
Measured from GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share.
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Density of fun within walking distance — sidewalks, intersections, mixed-use blocks.
Measured from EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city).
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Density of college and university students — the engine behind a college town.
Measured from NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data.
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Protected bike lanes and a working public bikeshare system.
Measured from OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog.
What weighs it down
- Crime –
Reported violent and property crime rates.
Measured from FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals.
- Traffic –
Congestion and the time lost to commuting.
Measured from US Census commute-time data (ACS).
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Recent particulate matter and ozone levels — a trailing-week air-quality average.
Measured from EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average).
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Exposure to natural hazards and severe events.
Measured from FEMA National Risk Index.
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Punishing heat, cold and storm extremes.
Measured from NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data.
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Cost of living and housing pressure on residents.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate.
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What a typical night out actually costs in this metro.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services.
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Cities like Memphis
The Memphis read Free
A written read on Memphis, grounded in the data
A plain-English analysis of why Memphis scores the way it does — its standout strengths, where it falls short, who it suits best, and the cities most like it. Every figure is drawn from the same 23 factors on this page: it narrates the measured data, it never invents a number.
Memphis, TN: A Quiet City with Notable Star Power
Memphis, TN is a Quiet city with a Fun Score of 13, tied for #127 out of 134 cities nationally, and stands out most for its Star Power.
Why it scores high
Memphis shines brightest in its Star Power, achieving a high score of 79 and ranking #29 nationally out of 134 cities. This indicates a strong presence of notable residents and popular headliners, suggesting a vibrant cultural legacy and contemporary appeal that draws significant attention (SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended)).
The city also offers a respectable environment for active transportation, with its Bike & Micromobility scoring 67, placing it tied for #44 nationally. This suggests a good network of protected cycleways and available bikeshare options, making it easier for residents to get around without a car (OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog).
Furthermore, Memphis benefits from a pleasant Climate, scoring 55 and ranking #61 nationally. This score reflects a good number of comfortable days throughout the year, contributing to an enjoyable outdoor experience for much of the time (NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days).
Where it falls short
Despite its strengths, Memphis faces challenges in several areas. Its Outdoors scene scores a low 6, placing it at #126 nationally. This indicates a relative scarcity of parks, nature reserves, and other outdoor recreational facilities (OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities). Similarly, the Coffee scene is quite limited, with a score of 8 and a national rank tied for #123, suggesting fewer cafes and coffee shops with lower quality ratings (OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality).
A significant concern for Memphis is its Crime score, which is a very low 8, placing it tied for #131 nationally. This indicates a less safe environment compared to many other cities (FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals). Additionally, the city experiences considerable Economic Strain, scoring 11 and ranking tied for #123 nationally, reflecting challenges related to unemployment, housing costs, and income levels (Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate). The city also faces a high Disaster Risk, with a score of 23, placing it tied for #103 nationally, indicating a higher susceptibility to various natural disasters (FEMA National Risk Index).
Who it's for
Memphis is for individuals who appreciate a city with a rich cultural history and a strong sense of identity, particularly those drawn to its musical heritage and the presence of notable figures. It might appeal to those who don't prioritize extensive outdoor recreation or a bustling coffee shop culture, and who are comfortable navigating a city with economic and safety challenges.
Cities like it
- San Antonio, TX also has a strong cultural identity and historical significance.
- Wichita, KS shares a similar quiet urban character.
- Baton Rouge, LA also faces some comparable economic and social challenges.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services
- Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate
- EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average)
- EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city)
- FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals
- FEMA National Risk Index
- GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged)
- GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share
- NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data
- NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days
- NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data
- OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities
- OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog
- OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended)
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues
- US Census commute-time data (ACS)
This narrative is generated by AI from CityFunIndex's measured data. The Fun Scores, ranks and raw values are computed deterministically; the wording around them is the model's. Verify any figure against the linked city page.
Go deeper
Use the data
Memphis’s Fun Score and every factor score are available through the licensed CityFunIndex API — clean JSON, metered one call per city record, behind a paid key.
Cite this page
Paste-ready credit line for journalists, researchers and bloggers. Carries the score, the algorithm version and the canonical URL so readers can verify it themselves.
CityFunIndex Fun Score for Memphis, TN: 14/100 (v2.1.0-dev). https://cityfunindex.com/city/memphis-tn
Press, research and partnership enquiries: media kit · api@cityfunindex.com.