Situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, Memphis is the metropolitan hub of a five-state area known as the Mid-South. Home to more than a million residents, the greater Memphis area offers something for everyone. Residents of Memphis enjoy a relatively low cost of living, the purest water supply in the country, more trees per square mile than any other city, a temperate climate, four distinct seasons, and the hospitable atmosphere and pace of the "City of Good Abode."

A wide variety of affordable housing exists to suit almost any lifestyle. Choices range from high-rise apartments and renovated downtown lofts overlooking the river to a seemingly endless array of single-family homes in the area’s numerous metropolitan, suburban, and rural neighborhoods.

The blues were born in Memphis, and historic Beale Street is alive with sound. All types of music abound in Memphis—the fourth largest recording center in the nation. The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Memphis, Opera Memphis, the historic Orpheum Theatre, the Germantown Performing Arts Center, several excellent museums such as the National Civil Rights Museum, the Pink Palace Museum, and The Children’s Museum of Memphis are all parts of the community. The Memphis Arts Council develops and nurtures the arts for the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County. Diverse festivals such as the Memphis in May International Festival, and a large selection of restaurants and nightspots offer pleasant diversions. And of course, Memphis is known for Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley.

Naturalists enjoy the opportunity to observe undisturbed wildlife in several preserves and parks, and Memphis has a superb zoo. Hunting, fishing, and boating on area lakes are popular pastimes. The cultural crown jewel of the Mid-South, Memphis Botanic Garden has more than 96 acres of sweeping vistas.

Sports enthusiasts can choose among college basketball and football, Memphis Grizzlies basketball, Memphis Redbirds baseball, the St. Jude Classic golf tournament, Memphis Riverkings professional hockey, The Kroger-St. Jude indoor tennis championship, the AXA Liberty Bowl, and the Germantown Charity Horse Show. For those who prefer to participate, there are facilities and organizations for almost all sports.

Click here for a downloadable guide to everything Memphis has to offer.

Or, visit MemphisConnect to hear what Memphians say about living in Memphis.