Memphis, Tennessee
Soul, history, and the lowest cost on this list
No state income tax and the most affordable major city here, with deep musical and civil-rights heritage and a majority-Black population.
Taxes & affordability
Tennessee has no state income tax — all retirement income is untaxed. Low property taxes.
Climate & risk
Hot humid summers, mild winters; occasional severe storms.
Healthcare & hospitals
Methodist Le Bonheur and Regional One anchor care; St. Jude is here. Nashville's Vanderbilt is within reach.
Safety & civil-rights laws
Statewide protections are limited; pick neighborhoods carefully and use federal fair-housing law.
Black community & culture
Majority-Black city, the National Civil Rights Museum, LeMoyne-Owen College (HBCU), and unmatched music and food culture.
Housing options
The lowest-cost market on the list — you can buy a modest home or manufactured home outright with a sale of property elsewhere.
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