Moving to Memphis? SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Why Read This? Memphis is a great place to visit and it offers many fine attractions. Next year (2019), Memphis will be celebrating 200 years since its founding. When people relocate to a new area, it is helpful to do your “due diligence” before committing to a new home. There are lots of resources available that try to “sell you” on a locale, but very few resources that realistically present the “downsides” of an area. This document is geared to tell you some of the things that your realtor or others in the community either may not know or may not wish you to know. Everybody has different needs and/or wants, but there are some common denominators that should be examined when deciding on where best to relocate your family. Shelby County frequently gets lumped in with Memphis as if they are one and the same; however, there are several communities within Shelby County and the surrounding area that offer different location profiles than does the City of Memphis. And to be fair, there are many desirable areas in Memphis, but they are frequently adjacent to other less desirable areas of Memphis. Some of the sources for this document are as follows: • • • •
• • •
US Census City/Town Population estimates - Most recent state estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Map of Shelby County with Cities … By Rcsprinter123 - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34194734 Crime Statistics for Memphis and Shelby Country are from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the University of Memphis Public Safety Institute and Memphis Shelby Crime Commission for releasing this information. You can view their 12-page document here: http://www.tba.org/sites/default/files/memphisshelby_crime2018.pdf Education data is derived from the SchoolDigger.com website Major Memphis Headline Stories are individually referenced Other useful data can be found at https://datausa.io/profile/geo/memphis-tn-msar-metro-area/#intro and https://datausa.io/profile/geo/shelby-countytn/#category_coverage
As you will see by reading this document…Memphis does have issues – it cannot even solve its pothole repair and litter control problems much less address the serious crime and poverty problems that continue to plague our community. In addition, taxpayers residing within the City of Memphis and Shelby County pay the HIGHEST property tax rates in the state of Tennessee. County property tax rate is $4.137, and city of Memphis property tax rate is $3.271 per each $100 of assessed value (or $7.408 per each $100 of assessed value).
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Population Trends Shelby County Population Growth - 1940 to 2010 1,000,000 900,000 800,000 700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 0
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
Other Cities in Co.
700
4,696
9,659
29,476
66,712
92,175
129,627
171,545
Unicorporated Co.
64,608
81,697
119,836
68,550
64,227
123,818
118,552
110,218
Memphis, TN
292,942
396,000
497,524
623,988
646,174
610,337
650,100
646,889
Memphis, TN
Unicorporated Co.
Other Cities in Co.
Historically, Memphis has maintained its #1 Population ranking in Tennessee by simply annexing more property to raise more tax money. Now, however, they have run out of property to annex and the other incorporated towns and cities in Shelby County have grown at a much faster rate with a much stronger tax base. Memphis now ranks 2nd to Nashville in population in Tennessee. Memphis ranks 5th among major U.S. cities in having the lowest population density which makes supporting its citizens support services in such a large geographical area virtually impossible as Memphis ranks 23rd in Per Capita Income in U.S. at $22,702 (2016 data).
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Memphis has pretty much maxed out its annexation growth as the state of Tennessee has finally put a halt to “annexation without representation� and must now rely on real growth to expand its population base.
Financially, Memphis cannot afford to absorb any more land mass as it cannot properly provide city services to all the areas presently incorporated.
670,000
Memphis vs Rest of County Population
290,000
665,000
280,000
660,000
270,000
655,000
260,000
650,000
250,000
645,000
240,000 2006
2011 Memphis
2016
2017
Rest of County
PAGE 3
Map Showing Where You Can Live in the Memphis Area…
PAGE 4
Growth Rate of Other Cities and Towns in Memphis Area…
Population Growth OUTSIDE of Memphis 60000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 0
1940
1950
Bartlett, TN
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
500
1,200
17,170
26,989
40,543
54,613
Southaven, MS
8,900
16,071
17,949
28,977
48,982
Collierville, TN
2,000
3,625
7,839
14,427
31,872
43,965
Germantown, TN
1,100
3,474
21,467
32,893
37,348
38,844
Olive Branch, MS
600
1,200
2,100
3,567
21,054
33,484
4,326
9,069
Horn Lake, MS
14,099
26,066
Lakeland, TN
6,862
12,430
Arlington, TN
2,569
11,517
10,433
10,176
Millington, TN
700
4,696
6,059
21,177
20,236
17,866
PAGE 5
Demographics
PAGE 6
Housing Statistics by Community‌
Family Unit Statistics by Community
PAGE 7
Births by Unmarried Parents by Race – Shelby County vs Tennessee vs USA
Life is a series of choices … Root Cause of Poverty: In Shelby County, 83% of births are to black unwed mothers / 33% to white unwed mothers. A recent Brookings Institute study shows that if Americans of any race would simply follow these three basic rules – 1. Graduate high school, 2. Get a job 3. Don’t have kids until after you’re married they are all virtually guaranteed not to fall below the poverty line!
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Education If you have school age children, education should be a prime factor in where you wish to locate. This data comes from the SchoolDigger.com website. Get the facts on your school choice(s) BEFORE you relocate! Rank (of 124)
School District
Grades
# Elementary Schools
# Middle Schools
# Alt. Schools
City
County
Rank score (2017)
1st
Arlington
PK, KG-12
2
1
1
0
Arlington
Shelby
0.974
2nd
Collierville
PK, KG-12
5
2
1
0
Collierville
Shelby
0.918
6th
Germantown
PK, KG-12
3
1
1
0
Germantown
Shelby
0.873
9th
Bartlett
PK, KG-12
6
3
1
1
Bartlett
Shelby
0.777
105th
Millington
PK, KG-12
2
1
1
0
Millington
Shelby
0.337
Lakeland
PK, KG-5
1
0
0
0
Lakeland
Shelby
Shelby County
PK, KG12
116
28
31
21
Memphis
Shelby
# High Schools
Private Schools in and around Shelby County Memphis area offers many good private schools in the area. However, a pre-kindergarten thru High School education can easily run up to $150,000 per child.
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Shelby County High Schools – State Ranking
Students/Teachers
Rank (of 273)
Student/ Teacher Ratio
Free/Disc Lunch Recipients
Average Standard Score (2017)
School
Grades
District
# Students
10
Arlington High
9-12
Arlington
2,066
19.6
11.7 %
85.9
25
Collierville High School
9-12
Collierville
2,304
21.1
14.4 %
77.1
29
White Station High School
8-12
Shelby County
2,201
17.8
50.5 %
74.3
41
Freedom Preparatory Academy
PK, KG-12
Shelby County
618
38.6
70.2 %
70.2
49
Houston High School
9-12
Germantown
1,893
18.9
7.7 %
67.6
68
Whitehaven High School
8-12
Shelby County
1,771
17.7
81.5 %
61.2
97
Bartlett High School
9-12
Bartlett
1,703
18.1
32.3 %
56
110
Middle College High School
9-12
Shelby County
283
15.7
56.5 %
53
119
Hollis F. Price Middle College High School
9-12
Shelby County
109
9.9
49.5 %
51.1
123
Memphis School of Excellence
5-12
Shelby County
454
15.1
88.3 %
50.1
131
Germantown High School
7-12
Shelby County
2,102
18.7
46.9 %
48.6
134
Memphis Academy Of Science Engineering Middle/High
3-12
Shelby County
410
17
96.3 %
47.8
163
Craigmont High School
8-12
Shelby County
938
17.3
84.9 %
40
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Shelby County High Schools – State Ranking
Students/Teachers
Rank (of 273)
# Students
Student/ Teacher Ratio
Free/Disc Lunch Recipients
Average Standard Score (2017)
School
Grades
District
207
Central High School
8-12
Shelby County
1,595
17.9
77.6 %
27.9
216
Millington High School
9-12
Millington
962
16.8
68.4 %
26.6
225
Southwind High School
9-12
Shelby County
1,520
21.1
75.1 %
24.9
240
Cordova High School
4-12
Shelby County
2,074
19.2
70.1 %
20.9
243
Douglass High School
8-12
Shelby County
476
13.2
96.9 %
19.1
249
Soulsville Charter School
5-12
Shelby County
640
20
81.6 %
18.3
256
Overton High School
9-12
Shelby County
1,231
16.8
80.8 %
16.9
Maps of Public High Schools and Public Elementary Schools in Shelby County area
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Elementary School Ranking – State of Tennessee Rankings
Students/Teachers
# Students
Student/ Teacher Ratio
Free/Disc Lunch Recipients
Average Standard Score (2017)
Shelby County
803
15.7
30.8 %
92.7
K-5
Shelby County
480
12.6
50.0 %
74.4
E. E. Jeter Elementary
K-8
Shelby County
352
12.1
59.4 %
68.2
152
White Station Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
634
12.4
63.7 %
66.2
158
Grahamwood Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
1,034
14.9
64.0 %
65.1
239
Macon-Hall Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
1,158
15.6
52.1 %
56.8
253
Westside Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
350
14
98.6 %
55.2
282
Kingsbury Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
628
12.5
97.3 %
52.1
301
Barret's Chapel School
K-8
Shelby County
653
13.8
63.7 %
50.3
351
Hamilton Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
513
16
96.7 %
44.9
371
Downtown Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
566
14.8
79.3 %
43.6
381
Kate Bond Elementary School
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
1,105
14.1
86.0 %
42.4
413
Circles Of Success Learning Academy
K-5
Shelby County
233
17.9
74.3 %
39.9
452
Delano Elementary
K-5
Shelby County
222
13
91.4 %
36.1
497
Newberry Elementary
K-5
Shelby County
394
14
75.1 %
31.8
Rank (of 646)
School
Grades
District
10
Richland Elementary
PK, KG-5
93
Idlewild Elementary
137
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Elementary School Ranking – State of Tennessee Rankings Rank (of 646)
Students/Teachers
# Students
Student/ Teacher Ratio
Free/Disc Lunch Recipients
Average Standard Score (2017)
School
Grades
District
506
Germantown Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
652
12.5
52.0 %
31
521
Germanshire Elementary School
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
817
17
82.5 %
29.6
533
Peabody Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
393
12.2
72.5 %
27.9
553
Riverwood Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
1,058
16
61.8 %
23.7
572
Southwind Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
840
14.7
75.4 %
21.4
577
Chimneyrock Elementary School
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
790
14.3
67.3 %
20.8
583
Balmoral Ridgeway Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
317
13.7
76.3 %
20.3
596
Snowden School
PK, KG-8
Shelby County
1,498
14.2
71.1 %
18
618
Sea Isle Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
511
13.1
69.3 %
13.7
624
Douglass Elementary/Middle
PK, KG-8
Shelby County
409
10.2
96.6 %
12.6
625
Berclair Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
593
13.4
90.2 %
11.2
630
Winridge Elementary School
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
550
15.2
94.4 %
9.5
632
Bethel Grove Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
292
15.3
95.9 %
8
643
Lucie E. Campbell Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
566
15.2
94.0 %
3.3
644
Vollentine Elementary
PK, KG-5
Shelby County
247
10.7
95.6 %
2.2
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MAJOR VIOLENT CRIMES 2006 2011 2016 2017
Rest of Memphis County Shelby 150 3 153 117 6 123 200 18 218 180 5 185
2006 2011 2016 2017
Rest of County Shelby 66 588 78 606 71 636 72 636
Murder
Rape
Memphis 522 528 565 564
Aggravated Rest of Assaults Memphis County Shelby 2006 7,690 650 8,340 2011 6,778 635 7,413 2016 8,179 789 8,968 2017 8,942 857 9,799
Robbery
2006 2011 2016 2017
Rest of Memphis County Shelby 5,341 170 5,511 3,103 94 3,197 3,213 156 3,369 3,483 135 3,618
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MAJOR PROPERTY CRIMES Rest of Burglary Memphis County 2006 16,553 1,960 2011 12,966 1,631 2016 9,165 1,080 2017 9,252 969
Shelby 18,513 14,597 10,245 10,221
Memphis 34,290 26,110 25,032 27,829
Rest of County 5,198 4,742 4,425 5,031
Shelby 39,488 30,852 29,457 32,860
Memphis 6,783 3,471 3,308 4,100
Rest of County Shelby 592 7,375 352 3,823 463 3,771 439 4,539
Theft 2006 2011 2016 2017
Motor Vehicle Theft 2006 2011 2016 2017
Note: It is important to recognize that while the City of Memphis consists of approximately 70% of the county’s population, most of the crime is INSIDE the City of Memphis…that is what this data and these charts depict as well.
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OTHER CRIMES Rest of Simple Assault Memphis County 2006 21,769 3,067 2011 23,475 2,756 2016 17,847 3,146 2017 18,047 3,079
Shelby 24,836 26,231 20,993 21,126
Rest of Drugs/Narcotics Memphis County Shelby 2006 5,035 1,794 6,829 2011 5,188 1,175 6,363 2016 3,511 1,398 4,909 2017 3,325 1,357 4,682
Rest of Weapon Laws Memphis County Shelby 2006 1,508 274 1,782 2011 1,385 224 1,609 2016 1,071 317 1,388 2017 1,282 359 1,641
Domestic Violence 2006 2011 2016 2017
Rest of Memphis County 18,539 2,233 20,681 2,293 17,157 2,418 17,863 2,238
Shelby 20,772 22,974 19,575 20,101
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Nine Memphis Headlines you may not have seen…
(1) The FBI’s 10 Most Dangerous Cities February 2, 2017 by Megan Wells, EfficientGov Contributor
Top 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities, by Violent Crimes: 1. St. Louis, Missouri
• • •
Population: 317,095 Total violent crime: 2,781 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 877.02
2. Memphis, Tennessee • Population: 657,936
• •
Total violent crime: 5,733 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 871.36
3. Rockford, Illinois • Population: 148,178
• •
Total violent crime: 1,238 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 835.48
4. Baltimore, Maryland • Population: 621,252
• •
Total violent crime: 5,176 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 833.16
5. Detroit, Michigan
• • •
Population: 673,225 Total violent crime: 5,409 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 803.45
6. Kansas City, Missouri
• • •
Population: 473,373 Total violent crime: 3,668 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 774.86
7. Milwaukee, Wisconsin • Population: 600,400
• •
Total violent crime: 4,427 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 737.34
8. Little Rock, Arkansas • Population: 198,647
• •
Total violent crime: 1,415 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 712.32
9. Stockton, California
• • •
Population: 304,890 Total violent crime: 2,158 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 707.80
10. Oakland, California
• • •
Population: 419,481 Total violent crime: 2,952 Violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants: 703.73
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(2) 15 Of the Most Dangerous Cities to Raise Kids in the U.S.A.
Some cities have been identified as particularly perilous places to raise children. Only made Number 4 -- Memphis, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee is a thriving and impressive city. It boasts many respected medical and educational facilities including The University of Memphis, The University of Tennessee and the Memphis VA Medical Center. The city also has a symphony, a ballet company and an opera theater. It is known as the "birthplace of rock and roll," largely thanks to Elvis Presley who recorded his first record in Memphis at Sun Records. In 2015, 135 murders were committed in Memphis*, with 1,740.1 violent crimes committed per 100,000 people. The city's poverty rate is 27.4% and its unemployment rate is 7.3%, which is 2 percentage points higher than the nation's average rate for unemployment. Over 7,500 aggravated assaults were reported in Memphis in 2015. *Memphis had a record high of 228 homicides in 2016 and 200 to close out 2017!
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(3) Memphis is the 10th worst city to raise a family, study says By: Jim Spiewak MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis just made the list of top 10 worst places to raise a family. The study is based off housing affordability and school-system quality. Here’s a closer look at the numbers: Raising a Family in Memphis (1=Best; 75=Avg.): • • • • • • • • • •
102nd – % of Families with Young Kids 99th – Median Family Salary (Adjusted for Cost of Living) 39th – Housing Affordability 51st – Unemployment Rate 141st – % of Two-Parent Families 58th – Playgrounds per Capita 46th – Number of Attractions 133rd – % of Families Living Below Poverty Level 140th – Separation & Divorce Rate 140th – Violent-Crime Rate per Capital
>>2017's best and worst places to raise a family
http://www.fox13memphis.com/top-stories/memphis-is-the-10th-worst-cityto-raise-a-family-study-says/603407859
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(4) New Survey Lists Memphis As Worst City to Live in Tennessee By: Kim Chaney Posted: Sep 12, 2017 04:11 PM CDT Updated: Sep 12, 2017 04:11 PM CDT
Based on a range of variable including crime rate, employment growth, access to restaurants and attractions, educational attainment, and housing affordability, Memphis has been identified as the “Worst City in Tennessee to Live In” by financial news and opinion website 24/7 Wall St. Click HERE to read 24/7 Wall St.’s article, the “Worst Cities to Live in Every State.” Tennessee •
Worst city to live: Memphis
•
Population: 655,760
•
Median home value: $94,400
•
Poverty rate: 26.2%
•
Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 24.9%
One of the largest cities to make this list, Memphis struggles with several issues that make it a less than desirable place to live. Chief among these is one of the worst crime rates of any major city. The city’s annual violent crime rate of 1,740 incidents for 100,000 residents, which is close to five times the national rate, is by far the highest in the state. Additionally, the city’s property crime rate of 5,631 for every 100,000 residents is more than double the national rate. Memphis’ housing is relatively inexpensive, but like many cities on this list, that likely largely reflects the ability of Memphis’ citizens to pay. Over one-quarter of the population lives in poverty, the highest poverty rate of any large Tennessee city, and the typical household’s income is less than $37,000, about $10,000 less that the median income across Tennessee.
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(5) Memphis Metro Area Ranked #93 Out of 100 Best Places to Live
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(6) New in 2016 – Memphis has reverted to be the poorest MSA with a population over a million people
Source: The 2017 Update of the Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet, Produced Annually by Dr. Elena Delavega of the Department of Social Work at the University of Memphis. Data from the 2016 American Community Survey Released in September 2017.
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(7) How’s Your Health, Memphis?
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(8) Pedestrian Danger Index – Memphis Ranks 9th out of 104 Metro Areas
Source: Dangerous by Design 2016 was made possible by the support of AARP, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates.
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(9) Top 25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in America – 2017 Listing Even the most dangerous cities in America can have relatively safe neighborhoods, as there is more variation in crime within most cities than between cities. But using exclusive data developed by Neighborhood Scout and based on FBI data from all local law enforcement agencies in America, we here report those specific neighborhoods in America that have the highest predicted rates of violent crime per 1,000 neighborhood residents of all. Violent crimes include murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. These neighborhoods are the epicenters of violence in America, where social issues are likely to ignite into violence and spread. See our FAQ on how we rank the most dangerous neighborhoods SCOUT IT Rank: Neighborhood: Becoming a Victim Here (in one year):
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000):
My Chances of
25
Baltimore, MD (W Mulberry St / N Fremont Ave)
56.96
1 in 18
24
St. Louis, MO (Dr Martin Luther King Dr / N Garrison Ave)
57.16
1 in 17
23
Wilmington, DE (N Walnut St / E 8th St)
57.88
1 in 17
22
Saginaw, MI (E Holland Ave / E Genesee Ave)
58.35
1 in 17
21
Miami, FL (NW 17th Ave / NW 69th St)
59.64
1 in 17
20
Newburgh, NY (City Center)
59.81
1 in 17
19
Cincinnati, OH (President Dr / Williamsburg Dr)
18
Indianapolis, IN (Massachusetts Ave / E 34th St)
60.06
1 in 17
17
Detroit, MI (Lyndon St / W Outer Dr)
60.89
1 in 16
15
Anniston, AL (W 15th St / Boynton Ave)
13
East St. Louis, IL (Caseyville Ave / N Park Dr)
11
Washington, DC (Washington Highlands)
66.67
1 in 15
10
Cincinnati, OH (Central Pky / Central Ave)
67.05
1 in 15
9
Cleveland, OH (Kinsman Rd / Minnie Ave)
70.3
1 in 14
8
Rockford, IL (Kishwaukee St / Grove St)
75.8
1 in 13
7
Toledo, OH (Lagrange St / Water St)
77.33
1 in 13
6
Indianapolis, IN (E 34th St / Sutherland Ave)
83.5
1 in 12
5
Indianapolis, IN (Prospect St / S Keystone Ave)
84.03
1 in 12
4
Baltimore, MD (Mcculloh St / W Preston St)
91.03
1 in 11
3
Chicago, IL (Altgeld Gardens)
59.99
62.57 66.27
1 in 17
1 in 16
1 in 15
99.02
1 in 10
PAGE 25
2
Kansas City, MO (Independence Ave / Prospect Ave)
104.81
1 in 10
1
Memphis, TN (E E.H. Crump Blvd / S 4th St)
106.27
1 in 9
Memphis was ranked as the 10th most dangerous city, but when they broke the numbers down even further, one local community came in as the number one most violent neighborhood in the nation. According to the study, the area from East E.H. Crump Boulevard to South 4th Street is the most violent neighborhood in the country. Individuals reportedly have a 1 out of 9 chances of becoming a victim in this area.
This study also noted that this Memphis neighborhood has more single mother households than 99.6 percent of neighborhoods in the U.S. and 77.9 percent of children here live in poverty.
FINAL COMMENTS The choice is YOURS. You need to decide where your family should reside. I hope this report will serve as a Wake-Up call to at least do a thorough job of researching your ultimate destination before you simply accept the first place that appears suitable. Memphis has a lot to offer but you can still visit the Zoo without living in it!
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