Cicero IL vs Memphis TN — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Cicero, IL

Illinois · Population: 26,938

  • Median HH Income$57,479
  • Median Home Price$268,119
  • Unemployment12.7%
  • Bachelor's+20.2%

Memphis, TN

Tennessee · Population: 629,063

  • Median HH Income$51,211
  • Median Home Price$147,306
  • Unemployment8.3%
  • Bachelor's+28.2%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Cicero
26,938
Memphis
629,063
Memphis +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Cicero
N/A
Memphis
N/A
Median Age
Cicero
35.6
Memphis
34.3
Memphis +
Foreign Born
Cicero
15.7%
Cicero +
Memphis
7.4%
White
Cicero
26.6%
Cicero +
Memphis
25.0%
Black
Cicero
40.3%
Memphis
62.9%
Memphis +
Asian
Cicero
0.2%
Memphis
1.7%
Memphis +
Hispanic
Cicero
37.2%
Cicero +
Memphis
10.2%
Spanish at Home
Cicero
N/A
Memphis
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Cicero
$57,479
Cicero +
Memphis
$51,211
Per Capita Income
Cicero
$25,488
Memphis
$32,314
Memphis +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Cicero
$68,110
Cicero +
Memphis
$59,097
Unemployment Rate
Cicero
12.7%
Memphis
8.3%
Memphis +
Poverty Rate
Cicero
24.7%
Memphis
22.5%
Memphis +
Bachelor's Degree+
Cicero
20.2%
Memphis
28.2%
Memphis +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Cicero
$268,119
Memphis
$147,306
Memphis +
Homeownership Rate
Cicero
63.2%
Cicero +
Memphis
46.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Cicero
344
Cicero +
Memphis
639
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Cicero
1842
Cicero +
Memphis
2350

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Cicero
35.5%
Cicero +
Memphis
42.1%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Cicero
13.5%
Cicero +
Memphis
17.6%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Cicero
16.5%
Cicero +
Memphis
20.7%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Cicero
29.7%
Memphis
14.9%
Memphis +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Cicero
19.0%
Memphis
13.5%
Memphis +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Cicero
12.8%
Cicero +
Memphis
19.9%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Cicero
N/A
Memphis
60.9°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Cicero
N/A
Memphis
54.9 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Cicero
9.4 µg/m³
Memphis
8.9 µg/m³
Memphis +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Cicero
55.0%
Memphis
75.0%
Memphis +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Cicero
33.7 min
Memphis
22.9 min
Memphis +

Which City is Right for You?

Cicero leads in median household income at $57,479, while memphis offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $147,306. On public safety, Cicero is safer with a violent crime rate of 344 per 100,000 residents, compared to 639 in Memphis. Memphis has a lower unemployment rate at 8.3%, and Memphis has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Cicero scores better with a lower obesity rate of 35.5%.

Compare More Cities

About Cicero & Memphis