Neighborhood · Memphis, TN

South Memphis Eviction Risk: Moderate

7 census tracts · pop 14,167 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.8/10 · range 4.9–5.9

South Memphis is a black (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Memphis with 7 census tracts and a population of 14,167 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 56% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 36% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $881/month sits 25% lower than the Memphis citywide average ($1,181).

Risk score

5.8

Moderate

7 tracts · population-weighted

South Memphis vs Memphis How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

56.0% +69%

Memphis: 33.2%

Average gross rent

$881 -25%

Memphis: $1,181

Average HH income

$27,726 -46%

Memphis: $51,211

Poverty rate

42.5% +89%

Memphis: 22.5%

Renter share

63.9% +16%

Memphis: 55.1%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across South Memphis and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 7 tracts span score 4.9–5.9

Why South Memphis scores 5.8

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 1.9–1.9 across tracts

1.9

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 6.5–6.5 across tracts

6.5

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 6.0–6.0 across tracts

6.0

Rent control risk

56% of income on rent · Range 1.5–1.5 across tracts

1.5

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 3.5–3.5 across tracts

3.5

Tenant organizing strength

64% renter households · Range 5.0–5.0 across tracts

5.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Economic stress

42.5% below poverty line · Range 5.0–10.0 across tracts

8.8

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.0–2.7 across tracts

1.5

Risk score comparison

South Memphis vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Variance across tracts

How uniformly does eviction risk play out in South Memphis?

Left: distribution of constituent tract scores. Right: every tract as a heat square. Click any square to drill in.

Score distribution

0246810

Spread of 1 points from 4.9 to 5.9. Moderate variation across constituent tracts.

Tracts as heat grid

5.9 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.5 4.9

Each square = one census tract. Color tracks the same green→red ramp as the chloropleth map above.

Census tracts

7 tracts in South Memphis

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
47157005600	5.9	3,865	44%	$912
47157005700	5.9	2,205	59%	$932
47157005900	5.9	2,123	60%	$775
47157011500	5.8	2,214	55%	$804
47157006000	5.8	1,780	60%	$907
47157005800	5.5	908	57%	$816
47157007500	4.9	1,072	77%	$1,041

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 84

Pop-weighted across 7 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 97%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 55%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 98%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 47%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in South Memphis

Aggregated across 0 validated constituent tracts. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Pandemic-era tracking (2020–2021)

2,975Total filings 2020-21
7.5Avg monthly observed
6.3Pre-pandemic baseline
1.10×Ratio to baseline

Pandemic filings ran near baseline. Tracked under Eviction Lab Eviction Tracking System (Memphis, TN).

Frequently asked

About South Memphis

What is the eviction-risk score for South Memphis?

South Memphis scores 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) across 7 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does South Memphis compare to Memphis overall?

South Memphis scores 2.7 points higher than Memphis overall (3.1/10). Renters spend 56% of income on rent vs 33% citywide. Average rent: $881 vs $1,181.

What is the average rent in South Memphis?

Average gross rent in South Memphis eviction risk is $881/month (pop-weighted across 7 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 56% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of South Memphis residents are renters?

64% of South Memphis households are renter-occupied (vs 55% in Memphis). The neighborhood has 14,167 residents.

Is South Memphis a high social-vulnerability area?

South Memphis sits in the 84th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in South Memphis have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in South Memphis is census tract 47157005600 (score 5.9/10). Across the 7 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 4.9 to 5.9, a spread of 1 points.

How safe is South Memphis for landlords?

South Memphis eviction risk carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.8/10). Pop-weighted across 7 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Memphis as a whole (3.1/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of South Memphis?

South Memphis has 13,055 residents (Black (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: Black (non-Hispanic) (96.9%), White (non-Hispanic) (1.3%), Other / Multiracial (1.2%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near South Memphis

5.3 Beale Street Historic District 6 tracts · pop 12,397 5 Medical District 7 tracts · pop 11,456 4.9 Orange Mound 9 tracts · pop 24,928 4.2 Cooper-Young 2 tracts · pop 4,302 3.3 Midtown 2 tracts · pop 5,668 4.7 Crosstown 10 tracts · pop 26,126

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Memphis

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to South Memphis.

5.8 Frayser 4 tracts · pop 13,532 5.7 Annesdale-Snowden 1 tracts · pop 1,739 5.6 North Memphis 4 tracts · pop 7,366 5.5 Parkway Village 7 tracts · pop 31,091 5.4 Binghampton 6 tracts · pop 13,377 5.4 Frayser Spring Hill 3 tracts · pop 15,386

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