Signals
Lakeland
Memphis
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs26 · Bottom 4%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
97 · Top 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Access
98 · Top 20%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
76 · Top 14%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Lakeland | Memphis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,192 | 618,980 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $116,250 | $51,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,035 | $33,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 604/sq mi | 2,136/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $388,900 | $169,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,755 | $1,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.2% | 44.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.1% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.2% | 23.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.9" | 54.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 22.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 34.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 220 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 65.1% | 10.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.3% | 13.8% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lakeland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Memphis
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: Lakeland, TN · Memphis, TN · How this is calculated: methodology