While data alone do not tell or illuminate the whole story, here are the statistical comparisons between Baltimore and Memphis:

CITY DATA                                           Baltimore                    Memphis

Population                                             622,104                       653,450
Black                                                         63.7%                          63.3%
College degreed                                    26.8%                          23.7%
Home Ownership                                  48.3%                          51.1%
Median Household Value                  $41,385                       $36,912
Living in Poverty                                     23.8%                          26.9%
Black-owned businesses                   34.6%                          38.2%
Female-headed households              22.7%                          24.3%
Labor force penetration                        62.2%                          63.9%
Vacant Housing                                      18.5%                          16.8%
Minority Poverty Rate                               29.4%                          34.4%

MSA DATA

Black Unemployment                         15.1%                          16.6%
Ranking of most to least
equality                                                   #39                              #43
Median Household Income
African-American                                $43,663                       $31,576
White Median Income                        $80,487                       $58,819

Note: The Memphis MSA is the #1 in cities that are least equal for Hispanics.

LIVING WAGE

1 adult                                                 $11.24                         $9.76
1 adult, 1 child                                   $22.88                         $18.18
2 adults                                               $16.81                         $15.06
2 adults, 2 children                           $21.90                         $19.33

INCOME INEQUALITY

Ranking                                                     #12                              #19
20th percentile                                     $ 13,588                      $ 14,531

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY MSA

2013                                          $168.8 billion (#19)            $67.9 billion (#46)

INCARCERATION RATES (PER 100,000 IN POPULATION)
                                                             897.6                                 1,422

BEST-PERFORMING MSA ECONOMIES (MILKEN RATINGS)

Baltimore: #38
Memphis: #145