Moving to Memphis TN? Why Arlington, Lakeland, and Bartlett Are the Best Suburbs for New Construction Homes 2026

So you’ve accepted a job offer. Or your company is transferring you. Or you’ve simply decided that Memphis, Tennessee is where the next chapter of your life begins. You’ve done a little Googling, you’ve seen that the cost of living is attractive, and now you’re trying to figure out one thing:

 

Where exactly should I live?

 

If you want new construction, good schools, room to breathe, and a neighborhood that feels like a real community — the answer is probably one of three places: Arlington, Lakeland, or Bartlett.

 

I’m Venus Miller, a real estate agent with eXp Realty serving the Memphis metro area. I work with relocation buyers regularly, and these three suburbs come up in almost every single conversation. Let me tell you exactly why — and what you need to know before you start touring model homes from 1,000 miles away.

 

First, Let’s Talk About What “Memphis Suburbs” Actually Means

 

Memphis sits in the far southwestern corner of Tennessee, right on the Mississippi River at the border of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The city itself is large and urban, but most families relocating here for work or lifestyle end up settling in Shelby County’s suburban communities to the east and northeast.

 

The three we’re focusing on today — Arlington, Lakeland, and Bartlett — all sit along the Highway 70 and I-40 corridor heading northeast out of Memphis. They are close enough to downtown and major employers to be practical, but far enough out to offer the space, safety, and neighborhood feel that most relocation buyers are looking for.

 

All three have experienced significant new construction growth over the past several years, and all three have good school systems. But they each have a distinct personality, price point, and lifestyle profile. Let’s break them down.

 

BARTLETT, TENNESSEE

The Established Suburb With Room to Grow

 

Bartlett is the largest of the three cities we’re covering, with a population of around 57,000. It’s the most established, with a mix of older neighborhoods, mature trees, and newer development pushing toward its outer edges. If you want the feel of a suburb that has already figured itself out — good restaurants, well-maintained parks, a strong sense of community identity — Bartlett delivers.

 

What relocation buyers love about Bartlett:

 

•Shelby County Schools with several highly rated elementary and middle schools

•Shorter commute to key Memphis employment corridors including Wolfchase, Germantown Parkway, and downtown

•Wide range of price points — from starter homes in the low $200s to new construction in the $400s and up

•Active parks and recreation system including Bartlett Station, a mixed-use downtown district

•Lower property taxes compared to unincorporated Shelby County

 

New Construction in Bartlett:

Bartlett continues to see new construction activity, particularly in its northern and eastern areas. Builders like D.R. Horton, Adams Homes, and local custom builders have active communities here. Many of these communities are HOA-governed, which means neighborhood standards are maintained and property values tend to hold well.

 

What to know before you buy new construction in Bartlett:

Bartlett requires a permit for every new fence installation — even small additions — and has specific rules about front yard fence materials and heights. If a private backyard and fencing are important to you (they usually are for families with kids or dogs), make sure your lot doesn’t have drainage easements that limit where a fence can go. Your agent should pull the plat before you sign a contract.

 

Bartlett is right for you if: You want an established suburb with a true community feel, a reasonable commute, and a wide range of home options including new construction at a competitive price point.

 

ARLINGTON, TENNESSEE

The Fast-Growing Suburb Where Land Still Exists

 

Arlington is where a lot of the excitement in the Memphis market is happening right now. It’s smaller than Bartlett — around 14,000 people — but it has been one of the fastest-growing towns in all of Tennessee over the past decade. And the reason is simple: land.

 

Arlington still has large parcels available for development, which means builders can offer something that’s increasingly rare in the Memphis suburbs — new construction homes with real yard space, wider lots, and room to spread out. If you’re coming from a high cost-of-living market where a new construction home at this price point would be unthinkable, Arlington is going to feel like a revelation.

 

What relocation buyers love about Arlington:

 

•Some of the most competitively priced new construction in Shelby County

•Arlington Community Schools, an independent school district with a strong reputation and dedicated community following

•Genuine small-town charm — a historic depot square, local events, a tight-knit feel

•Larger lot sizes than you’ll typically find closer to Memphis

•Room for future appreciation as the area continues to develop

 

New Construction in Arlington:

Arlington has multiple active new construction communities, with builders offering everything from entry-level homes in the mid $200s to larger homes in the $400s and $500s. Many communities are master-planned with HOAs, amenities like pools and walking trails, and architectural review committees that govern how homes and additions — including fences — must look.

 

What to know before you buy new construction in Arlington:

Because Arlington is growing so quickly, some communities are still in early phases of development. That means your future neighbors may still be under construction, your street may not be fully finished, and community amenities may not be complete yet. This is completely normal for new construction, but relocation buyers who haven’t bought new construction before are sometimes surprised by it. Your agent should walk you through the full builder contract, explain what’s included and what’s an upgrade, and flag any lot-specific issues like drainage easements or HOA fence restrictions before you sign anything.

 

Arlington is right for you if: You want more space for your money, you value a small-town community feel with good schools, and you’re excited about being part of a growing area with long-term upside.

 

LAKELAND, TENNESSEE

The Planned Community With High Standards and a Distinct Identity

 

Lakeland is the smallest of the three cities — around 15,000 residents — but it punches well above its weight in terms of quality of life and neighborhood standards. It incorporated as a city in 1977 specifically to maintain local control over development, and that intentionality shows in how the community looks and feels.

 

Lakeland is known for being exceptionally well-planned, visually cohesive, and family-oriented. It has its own school district — Lakeland School System — which is consistently one of the highest-rated in the greater Memphis area and a major draw for families relocating with school-age children.

 

What relocation buyers love about Lakeland:

 

•Lakeland School System — one of the top-rated in the Memphis metro, and a huge driver of home values

•Beautifully maintained neighborhoods with consistent architectural standards

•Strong sense of civic identity and community engagement

•New construction options that tend to be higher-end and well-appointed

•Access to Shelby Farms Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States, just minutes away

 

New Construction in Lakeland:

Lakeland has active new construction, though inventory moves quickly because demand is high. Price points for new construction here tend to run higher than Arlington or Bartlett — expect to start around the mid $300s and go well into the $500s and $600s for larger homes in premier communities. The quality of construction and the neighborhood standards tend to reflect those price points.

 

What to know before you buy new construction in Lakeland:

Lakeland has some of the most detailed fence and property regulations of any suburb in Shelby County. All fences require city review and approval, composite wood fencing is explicitly permitted by city ordinance, but chain link is prohibited in most residential zones. Importantly, if your community has an HOA, Lakeland requires you to submit written HOA approval with your fence permit application — the city will not process the permit without it. Lakeland also prohibits fences within Scenic Corridor Buffers, which exist in certain parts of the city. These are the kinds of details that matter when you’re buying from out of state and planning your home from a distance.

 

Lakeland is right for you if: Schools are your top priority, you want a high-standard community where property values are well-protected, and you’re looking for a polished suburban lifestyle in a city that takes its planning seriously.

 

WHAT EVERY RELOCATION BUYER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING NEW CONSTRUCTION FROM OUT OF STATE

 

Buying new construction when you’re relocating is genuinely different from buying an existing home locally. Here’s what catches people off guard most often:

 

You are signing a builder contract, not a standard purchase agreement. Builder contracts are written to protect the builder, not you. They often limit your ability to back out, define upgrade and change order processes, and contain clauses about delays and completion timelines that can significantly affect your plans. Having a buyer’s agent review the contract before you sign is not optional — it’s essential.

 

You may never see the lot before you buy it. Many relocation buyers are choosing lots and signing contracts based on site maps, renderings, and virtual tours. Your agent should pull the recorded plat for any lot you’re considering, check for drainage easements or utility easements that affect usable yard space, confirm setbacks, and flag anything that could affect how you can use or improve the property after you move in.

 

Model home upgrades are not standard. The model home you tour is typically loaded with every available upgrade. What’s included in your base price versus what costs extra is spelled out in the contract, but it’s easy to miss if you don’t know what to look for. An experienced agent will walk you through the included features versus upgrade list before you get emotionally attached to the granite countertops and the spa shower.

 

HOA documents need to be read before closing. Every HOA community comes with a set of CC&Rs — Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions. These govern everything from fence styles to paint colors to whether you can park a boat in your driveway. In a new construction community, these rules are set by the builder and become binding on every homeowner. Your agent should obtain these documents and review the key sections with you before you close.

 

The builder’s preferred lender is not always your best option. Builders often offer incentives — closing cost credits, rate buydowns, free upgrades — if you use their preferred lender. Sometimes these are genuinely good deals. Sometimes they’re not. You should always get a competing quote from an independent lender so you know whether the builder’s incentive is actually saving you money or just making the builder’s financing arm more profitable.

 

WHY WORKING WITH A LOCAL AGENT MATTERS WHEN YOU’RE RELOCATING

 

I want to be direct with you about something: when you’re relocating from out of state, the temptation is to go directly to the builder’s sales office, because they’re easy to find, they’re on-site, and they seem helpful.

 

The builder’s agent works for the builder. Their job is to sell you that builder’s homes at that builder’s prices. They are not obligated to tell you about drainage easements on a specific lot, or that a competing builder two miles away has a better price per square foot, or that the HOA in that community has a history of disputes, or that school district boundaries in that area changed recently.

 

A buyer’s agent who knows the Memphis suburbs works for you. And in Tennessee, the builder typically pays the buyer’s agent commission — so having your own representation costs you nothing and gives you an advocate in your corner for the entire process.

 

I work with relocation buyers regularly — including people who are navigating the entire process from another state — and I can help you understand the differences between these communities, review builder contracts, flag lot-specific issues before you commit, and be your boots on the ground when you can’t be here in person.

 

READY TO TALK ABOUT YOUR MOVE TO MEMPHIS?

 

If you’re relocating to the Memphis area and you’re trying to figure out whether Arlington, Lakeland, Bartlett, or another suburb is the right fit for your family — let’s have that conversation. I offer a no-pressure relocation consultation where we talk through your priorities, your budget, your timeline, and what daily life actually looks like in each of these communities.

 

You don’t have to figure this out from a Google search alone.

 

📞 (901) 461-3210  | ( 888) 519-5113

🗓️ Book a call: tidycal.com/venussells901

 

Venus Miller | eXp Realty | Memphis, Tennessee Metro Area

Serving Bartlett, Arlington, Lakeland, Collierville, Germantown, Millington, Eads, Piperton, Rossville, Atoka, and surrounding communities

 

This post is for informational purposes only. School ratings, community details, and builder availability are subject to change. Always verify current information directly with the municipality, school district, and builder before making a purchase decision.