Where crime is still clustering in Memphis.

The most current look at the data shows the pattern still holds: crime is not spread evenly across Memphis. It clusters in a small number of ZIP codes and tends to intensify later at night.

Date range used here: January 1, 2025–December 31, 2025 (NOTE: most complete data available at this time) Primary sources: City of Memphis Safer Communities Dashboard, MPD year-end 2025 reporting, and Memphis Crime Beat’s MPD/TBI summary pages.

Based on the latest public ZIP-level snapshots tied to that 2025 reporting window, the three hottest crime zones were:

38118 – Parkway Village / Oakhaven This ZIP accounted for the largest share of overall crime citywide at 13.18% in MPD’s public-facing 2025 ZIP snapshot, and Action News 5 separately reported that 38118 still showed the city’s most notable concentration even while crime declined there by more than 38% in 2025.

38115 – Hickory Hill This ZIP was listed at 6.22% of overall city crime in the same 2025 MPD ZIP snapshot.

38126 – South City / South Forum / Lemoyne-Owen area Also listed at 6.22% of overall city crime in that same 2025 ZIP breakdown.

On the offense side, the most common problems showing up in these higher-activity areas are best understood as a mix of theft/larceny, motor vehicle theft, and aggravated assault. That is based on MPD/Memphis Crime Beat’s 2025 category tracking, which shows Memphis crime is still dominated by nonviolent offenses overall, while aggravated assault remains the major violent-crime driver tracked citywide.

Three practical ways to lower your risk: 1. Don’t make the easy target easier. Keep vehicles locked, remove visible bags, guns, and electronics, and do not leave cars running unattended. 2. Tighten up late-night routines. Most clustering happens after dark. Use well-lit routes, avoid lingering in poorly lit lots, and pay more attention during the 9 PM–3 AM window. 3. Add visibility where it matters. Good lighting, doorbell or perimeter cameras, and mobile alerts do not prevent everything, but they reduce opportunity and improve response time.

Bottom line: Memphis made real progress in 2025, but the risk is still concentrated by place and time of day. The smartest response is targeted prevention, not panic.