Living Cost Compare
Memphis

Tennessee

$1,110/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,110 in Memphis, TN versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Memphis, TN is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Wilmington, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $51,211 in Memphis, TN and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 7% higher in Wilmington, DE. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Memphis, TN
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$877
$1,103
+26% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$948
$1,024
+8% in Wilmington, DE
2 Bedroom
$1,073
$1,213
+13% in Wilmington, DE
3 Bedroom
$1,281
$1,394
+9% in Wilmington, DE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$157,100
$224,500
+43% in Wilmington, DE

Income

Median Household Income
$51,211
$55,269
+8% in Wilmington, DE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,890
$54,310
+16% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.3 yr
37.0 yr
+2.7 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
46.0%
46.0%
about equal
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.2%
33.1%
+4.9 pp in Wilmington, DE
Avg Commute
21.3 min
23.0 min
+1.7 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
2,507.6
1,138.2
+55% in Memphis, TN
Property Crime
6,966.3
3,182.4
+54% in Memphis, TN

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
63.1°F
54.9°F
+8.2°F in Memphis, TN
Annual Precipitation
53.7 in
43.1 in
+10.6 in in Memphis, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in Memphis, TN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — MATA vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.5
19.4
+34% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.83
$22.51
+34% in Wilmington, DE

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / DE)
7%
None
+7.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

Memphis vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Memphis or Wilmington?
Memphis, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,110 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Memphis than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $38,000 a year in Memphis versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Memphis or Wilmington?
Memphis is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).