Novarly Parcel · Memphis, TN

Is your Memphis home sinking?

Satellites have measured Memphis's ground to the millimetre: across 51,881 grid cells, the fastest-sinking spot moves 16.9 mm/yr. Check any Memphis-area address for free.

Measured grid cells51,881
Median ground motion0 mm/yr downward
Fastest-sinking cell16.9 mm/yr
Cells at notable rates (≤ −3 mm/yr)0.9%

Satellite InSAR measurements on a ~100 m screening grid (negative = sinking). Sources: Ohenhen et al. InSAR VLM datasets (CC0/CC-BY); contains modified Copernicus Sentinel-1 data. Data updated 2026-07-23.

Screening only — not a structural guarantee. For any decision, consult a licensed geotechnical engineer.

Is Memphis sinking?

Parts of it, measurably. Across 51,881 satellite-measured grid cells in the Memphis metro, the median ground motion is 0 mm/yr downward, the fastest-sinking cell measures 16.9 mm/yr, and 0.9% of measured cells exceed the 3 mm/yr "notable" threshold. Motion varies block by block — check your specific address.

How do you measure ground motion in Memphis?

InSAR: radar satellites (Copernicus Sentinel-1) compare the phase of millions of radar returns across years of passes, revealing millimetre-scale vertical land motion. The data comes from peer-reviewed research (Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities 2025 and related datasets) and is screened on a ~100 m grid.

What should Memphis buyers and owners do with this?

Use the free screening for the measured rates around any address. An amber or red result is context for a professional conversation — share the report with a licensed geotechnical engineer or structural surveyor. A green result means no notable motion was measured nearby; it is not a guarantee.

Other cities:

Nashville, TNSan Francisco, CAAustin, TXDetroit, MILos Angeles, CASan Diego, CANew York, NYDenver, COLas Vegas, NVSan Antonio, TX

Sea-level + sinking, combined · Explore the measurements live · Methodology