Corps members find Memphis to be an extremely affordable city. Because of the city’s low cost of living, especially compared to the starting salary of a first year teacher, many corps members are able to amass savings, pay off student loans, even purchase homes in the city. Even with the low cost of living, most corps members choose to live with other corps members to increase their savings and disposable income. The city’s affordability allows corps members to live the city life at rural costs.

Corps members attend a housing fair during induction to help choose roommates, if they prefer, and find local housing. Most corps members choose to live with other corps members (approximately 90 percent). Many apartment communities around the city and in the surrounding areas have Memphis City Schools as a preferred employer, exempting corps members from security deposits, credit checks, and/or application fees. This helps to eliminate the start-up costs of living during this period of transition for our corps members. While most corps members choose to live in the downtown or Mid-town/Cooper-Young areas, some corps members choose to live in the neighboring cities of Germantown and Cordova.