Life In West Memphis, Arkansas

Weekends in October are never dull. In fact, there are a lot of things happening in the Mid-South this weekend. Southland Casino Hotel hosts Trucktober Fest. It is homecoming week at West Memphis High School. Saturday the Crittenden County Leadership Class hosts a food truck festival at the West Memphis Chamber square. Additionally, local professional baseball player Curtis Washington Jr has a baseball clinic Saturday morning. For even more events, WREG lists fun Memphis activities this weekend in their article here.

If you're considering a move to West Memphis, Arkansas, you're in for a pleasant surprise. This small city offers the charm of a tight-knit community with the convenience of being just across the river from Memphis, Tennessee. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful place to raise a family or a location that balances work and leisure, West Memphis has a lot to offer. Here are five compelling reasons to make West Memphis your new home.

1. Affordable Cost of Living

One of the biggest draws to West Memphis is its affordable cost of living. Housing prices are significantly lower than in many nearby cities, including Memphis. Whether you're looking to rent or buy, you can find spacious homes at a fraction of the cost you'd expect in larger metropolitan areas. Lower property taxes and utility costs also contribute to making West Memphis a budget-friendly choice for families and individuals alike.

2. Proximity to Memphis, TN

West Memphis may be a small city, but it’s perfectly positioned near the vibrant metropolis of Memphis, Tennessee. In just a few minutes, you can drive across the Mississippi River and enjoy all the amenities of a major city. This includes access to renowned music venues, museums, world-class dining, and plenty of shopping options. Whether you’re commuting to work or planning a night out, you get the best of both worlds—small-town life with big-city convenience.

3. Family-Friendly Activities

Living in West Memphis puts you within easy reach of countless family-friendly activities in Memphis, Tennessee. Some must-visit spots include:

• Memphis Zoo: A perfect weekend outing with over 3,500 animals and interactive exhibits for kids.

• Shelby Farms Park: One of the largest urban parks in the U.S., featuring playgrounds, trails, and paddle boats.

• Children’s Museum of Memphis: A hands-on museum designed for younger children with plenty of educational and interactive exhibits.

• Graceland: Explore Elvis Presley’s famous home, a hit with tourists and locals alike.

These activities are perfect for creating lasting memories with your family in West Memphis.

4. Outdoor Recreation

If you love the outdoors, West Memphis won't disappoint. The city is located near several parks and recreational areas, including the scenic Mississippi River. You can enjoy activities such as fishing, boating, hiking, and camping. The nearby Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge offers opportunities for bird watching and exploring nature trails. For those who love cycling, the Big River Crossing offers stunning views of the Mississippi River as you bike between West Memphis and Memphis.

5. Strong Community Spirit

West Memphis is known for its strong sense of community. With a population of around 24,000, the city has a small-town feel where neighbors know each other, and local events bring people together. Community festivals, farmers’ markets, and holiday parades are common, offering plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow residents. For families, the city's schools and community programs help foster a supportive environment for children to grow and thrive.

Conclusion

West Memphis, AR, offers an ideal mix of affordability, convenience, and community, making it a great place to call home. With its proximity to Memphis, TN, residents can enjoy a peaceful, small-town life while taking advantage of all the activities and amenities a major city offers. From family-friendly outings to outdoor adventures and a tight-knit community, West Memphis has something for everyone.

MakeMyMove first put West Memphis on my radar through its relocation program in 2024. A year later, my partner and I decided to pull over in a burgeoning city off 55. “Isn’t that program located here?”

I was invited to participate in June 2026, but the timing did not line up with a job transition. We were preparing to relocate to a larger metro further South when we stopped for lunch in West Memphis, a city I’d seen dozens of times on Google Maps and was quickly catching feelings for while seeing it in person.

After two years diligently researching where I wanted to live, work, raise my daughter, and continue building, West Memphis continually flowed in and out of conversation. My partner and I thought we had settled on an easier choice with a larger metro, assuming it would have more resources and amenities, but as I stood in the middle of town I started paying attention to the infrastructure around everyday life in West Memphis: schools, healthcare, workforce and economic development in action, strong financial institutions, innovative technology, community relationships, and the opportunities for life-long learning.

We grabbed our to-go bags, fell in love with the Greenways at Marion, and moved in the next week. Although my life didn’t quite align with the official MakeMyMove program, the community in West Memphis, Marion and Crittenden County have given us an undeniable reason to stay and anchor our roots in our new home.

Choosing a Community to Parent with Dignity in the Digital Age

As a mother, choosing the best community to raise my daughter was the highest priority when choosing our next home. I spend a bulk of my time researching parenting environments and understanding how communities can support parenting as the Founder of the Center on Rural Parenting. West Memphis and Marion offer affordable places to live, great school systems, affordable healthcare, community resources, and future-forward thinking around technology education and innovation.

Community understanding of technology and digital landscapes was front of mind when we decided to sign, and re-sign, our lease. Children grow up within digital communication environments, and those environments extend across home, school, healthcare, libraries, youth programs, workplaces, community organizations, and family networks. Technology is woven through those systems. AI is becoming part of learning, support, creativity, customer service, and everyday problem-solving.

That means the adults around children need shared capacity to understand the digital environments children are navigating at a community level. In my work, I call this shared baseline amongst adults Community Digital Awareness: enough understanding to notice change, ask good questions, communicate well, connect people to help when they need it, and ultimately keep our children safe and prepare them for their futures and the workforce.

West Memphis has played a critical role in creating the ‘Digital Delta’ and preparing the community for the future, and collaborating with its neighbors to create the infrastructure necessary for a competitive region.

A Foundation the Future Can Stand On

I can’t overstate the importance of a strong school system, which serves as the earliest investment in our children. My daughter attends a school in the Marion School District, but the importance of academic excellence is part of the glue that holds Marion and West Memphis together. Watching her learn in a new environment has made the connection between education and community infrastructure tangible for me.

Children build knowledge through school, family, relationships, and everyday life. The people around them shape what they understand about the world and what they believe is possible within it.

That matters for economic development because talent development starts long before someone enters a workforce program. Communities are continually preparing people to understand, communicate, solve problems, and learn new things.

Lifelong Learning and Professional Development for Adults

In West Memphis, learning doesn’t stop after high school. Last year, the governor announced a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Commerce, Grow with Google and Coursera to make digital certificates available to Arkansas residents.

100% free and 100% online.

I have continued building technical skills through this opportunity, including completing the Google Cybersecurity Certificate through the state’s Grow with Google initiative. These courses have allowed me to successfully pivot my career into the tech industry and better provide for my family.

People need to understand technology and digital systems, recognize risk, evaluate information, communicate across digital environments, and make informed decisions about how technology fits into their lives and work.

As busy adults, we don’t always have the chance to stop and learn, and understand the latest tech developments or tools coming out. Living here has provided the opportunity to keep building the capacity to understand it, navigate it, secure it, and shape what comes next.

Participating in an Active Community

Even without formally participating in the MakeMyMove program, the West Memphis Department of Economic Development has been a great resource for me to get settled and connected. Economic development becomes meaningful at the household level when people can participate in the systems that create opportunity. That includes employment, entrepreneurship, capital, credit, housing, financial education, and the ability to make informed decisions.

I was introduced to great folks at the Marion Chamber of Commerce, where I learned about initiatives to get young people involved in business and civic life. I’ve also had great service at the local Truist Bank when I realized the local credit union I used before relocating didn’t have a branch within hours of here.

My partner found employment quickly at a respected local business in West Memphis known to invest back into its workers and the community.

That kind of infrastructure is important because access alone does not guarantee participation. People need knowledge, relationships, and practical pathways for using the systems available to them.

A Place to Put Down Roots

When we pulled over in West Memphis that day, I thought we were making a lunch stop on the way to somewhere else.

Instead, we found the place we wanted to stay.

I came to this region looking for a community where my daughter could learn, where my family could build a stable life, and where I could continue growing professionally. What I found was a community already investing in the pieces that make those things possible: education, healthcare, technology, workforce development, financial services, relationships, and opportunities for people to keep learning.

That matters to me as a parent, but it also matters to me as someone who studies how communities communicate, how people navigate systems, and how rural communities prepare for what comes next.

I know West Memphis and Marion are still growing. I’m still learning the region myself. But I have already experienced what happens when a community gives a person more than a reason to move there. It gives them reasons to participate.

That is what ultimately made the decision for us.

We weren’t looking for the biggest city anymore. We were looking for a place where we could build a life.

We found it here.

🎶 Blues Off Broadway Takes a Bow—But the Free Music Isn’t Over! 🎸 West Memphis showed out in style this May as the Blues Off Broadway concert series lit up the Eugene Woods Civic Center parking lot with live blues, soul, and Southern rhythm. With food trucks, community vibes, and an incredible lineup of local talent, the series once again proved that West Memphis knows how to kick off summer the right way. Ethel Tamara and the award-winning Florida bluesman Selwyn Birchwood capped the month long music experience. While the 2025 Blues Off Broadway series has officially wrapped, music lovers don’t have to wait until next year to keep the rhythm going. Just across the river, the Levitt Shell in Memphis, TN, continues to host free outdoor concerts throughout the summer! The New Breed Brass Band featuring Trombone Shorty is pictured above. 🌟 The Levitt Shell Free Concert Series is a beloved tradition, offering a mix of local, regional, and national acts—right under the stars. It’s a perfect way to enjoy live music with friends and family, picnic-style, in the heart of Midtown Memphis. 🎵 Check out the full Levitt Shell schedule here: 👉 [https://levittshell.org/calendar](https://levittshell.org/calendar) Whether you danced with us in West Memphis or you’re just looking for your next free night out, we encourage you to explore all the great music our region has to offer. Let the good times roll—and we’ll see you again next year for more Blues Off Broadway magic! 🎤💙 #BluesOffBroadway #WestMemphisMusic #LevittShell #FreeConcerts #LiveMusic #SummerVibes #SupportLocalMusic

🍔🎶 Get Ready for the Broadway Food Truck Fest – This Saturday in West Memphis! 🎉🚚 Foodies, families, and festival lovers—Broadway Food Park is the place to be this Saturday, May 17, 2025, for the highly anticipated Broadway Food Truck Fest in the heart of West Memphis! 📍 Location: 306 E. Broadway, West Memphis, AR 72301 🗓️ Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025 🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM 💲 Food: $5 at each food truck! Join us for a full day of mouth-watering eats, live music, and good vibes at one of West Memphis’ newest hotspots—Broadway Food Park. With a wide selection of food trucks offering delicious dishes for just $5 each, it’s the perfect opportunity to sample your way through local favorites and support small businesses. 🎤 Live Music Lineup:

Enjoy high-energy performances from Lamar & The Get Up Band with special guests The Infinity Band, providing the perfect soundtrack for a day full of flavor and fun. 🍴 Participating Food Trucks Include: * M\&M Catering * Legendary B\&D * Delta Grind * Fish Daddy’s * Zoe's Food Bus * BG’s Food Truck * Bree the Vegan …and more! 🧺 Bring the family, grab your friends, and come hungry! This event is family-friendly and open to everyone who loves great food and great community energy. 🛍️ Don’t forget to check out local vendors and community partners who are helping make this event a success, including Regions Bank, Stewart Title, Southland Casino & Hotel, East Arkansas Family Health Center, and Crittenden EMS. 🔗 For more info, visit [www.MainStreetWestMemphis.com](http://www.MainStreetWestMemphis.com) --- See you at the Food Truck Fest—where good food meets good people in the heart of West Memphis! 🌮🍕🎷 #FoodTruckFestWM #BroadwayFoodPark #WestMemphisEats #MainStreetWestMemphis #SupportLocal #EatLocalWM #CommunityVibes

Looking for a fun, music-filled way to spend your Thursday evening? Blues Off Broadway is back, and it’s bringing the rhythm, the soul, and the good vibes to downtown West Memphis! 📍 Location: Eugene Woods Civic Center Parking Lot 🗓 Date: Thursday, May 15 🕕 Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM 📣 Admission: FREE! This week’s featured artist is the incredibly talented Iyuana Patrice, with live performances by Ras Blues Band and Jonathan Ellison’s Rhythm & Soul Revue. Bring your friends, lawn chairs, and your dancing shoes—because it’s going to be an evening to remember! 🍻 What to Expect: * Free live music * Food trucks with local eats * Beer garden * Great community vibes Blues Off Broadway is held every Thursday in May and has become one of the city’s favorite traditions for kicking off the weekend early. It’s all about coming together as a community to celebrate music, culture, and connection right in the heart of West Memphis at 212 West Polk Avenue. Don’t miss out—May 15 is going to be lit with blues, soul, and sunshine! 🎤🎷🎉 For more info, visit [VisitWestMemphis.com](https://visitwestmemphis.com) #BluesOffBroadway #WestMemphisEvents #LiveMusic #FreeConcert #IyuanaPatrice #JonathanEllison #RasBluesBand #DowntownVibes #MusicOnMain