Olive Branch

In the residential parts of Center Hill, it’s common to see horses grazing in pastures and neighbors strolling around a pond on Saturday morning. Along the western edge, past the woodland-bordered cul-de-sacs, is a long strip of industrial buildings and a general aviation airport near Hacks Cross Road. Although Center Hill is bordered to the west by the city of Olive Branch and to the north by the Tennessee state line, the Memphis-connected neighborhood holds its rural feel — even as new subdivisions pop up. Homeowners tend to stay in Center Hill long-term because of the large lot sizes, rising home values and sense of community. "It’s the way a neighborhood should be,” said Brandy Marek of Berkshire Hathaway Home Service McLemore & Co. Realty, a Realtor with several sales in the area and a former resident of Center Hill. Many homes were built in the last 25 years in organized subdivisions such as the Estates of Center Hill, the Highlands of Forest Hill, and Miller Station. Still, there are equestrian-friendly lots outside of homeowners associations off Center Hill Road. Regardless of whether or not homes are part of an association, it’s typical for neighbors to get to know one another. “We would leave little gifts on each other’s doorsteps at Christmas that said, ‘Now you have to do this for two people.’ It was very Mayberry. Every little community has a little thing like that,” Marek said. Most traditional-style homes cost between $300,000 and $400,000 and sit on less than a quarter of an acre; however, there are homes with anywhere from a third of an acre to half an acre that range from $400,000 to $600,000 and occasionally feature French Country and ranch-style architecture. Because Center Hill is in the Memphis metro area, it does face a risk of occasional tornadoes — particularly during the spring. The DeSoto County district serves Center Hill. Students can start at Center Hill Elementary, a school that receives an A-minus grade from Niche and is located in the southernmost part of the neighborhood. From here, they can head 6 miles north to two other A-minus-graded schools: Center Hill Middle and Center Hill High. The high school is ranked as the fifth-best public high school in the Memphis area on Niche, and it offers after-school activities such as Science Club, Fellowship of Christian Students and Mustang TV. Subdivisions such as Forest Hill include private walking trails, but the nearest public parks are about 3 miles west of Hacks Cross Road. Olive Branch City Park is 135 acres, making it the largest option and the most amenity-rich. A mountain trail runs along the park’s border, and walking trails weave around the sports fields, dog park and small ponds. Less than 2 miles southeast, Southridge Park features a single trail that connects the pavilion, playground and large pond. Mid-South Ice House is closer to Center Hill, only half a mile west of Hacks Cross Road, and includes year-round public ice skating and an ice hockey academy. Grocery stores such as Walmart Supercenter and Kroger are around 8 miles west in Olive Branch, but it is often easier to head north into Tennessee for major shopping trips. “The farther west you get, the more traffic there is. Center Hill is way less traffic and just easier. You’re 12 minutes to Costco, but you’re still in Mississippi,” Marek says. The Target at Collierville Crossing and the clothing retailers at Carriage Crossing are also about 10 miles away, reached most easily via State Route 385. Chain restaurants such as Waffle House and Hardee’s border the Olive Branch Airport, home of a busy airline-pilot training facility but no passenger service. Farther south, near the ramps for Highway 78, Memphis chain Tops Bar-B-Q serves barbecue sandwiches and classic American fare, and a few doors down, Rancho Grande Restaurant includes a menu of Mexican food from chimichangas to burritos. It’s about 30 miles to downtown Memphis on State Route 385 and 20 miles to Memphis International Airport. The neighborhood is split between commuters heading into the city and folks working south of the Tennessee line. “There’s an industrial park, so there are a lot of steelworkers who live in that area. Country folks who wanted to stay country,” says Justin Marek of Berkshire Hathaway Home Service McLemore & Co. Realty, an agent serving the area and former resident of Center Hill. “You’re still only 15 minutes away from the FedEx World Headquarters, so a lot of people will live down there and drive up for that.” The Methodist Olive Branch Hospital is also in Center Hill — a contributing factor in the growth and ongoing rise in property values throughout the community. “The hospital brought in nurses, doctors, pharmacists, all kinds of technicians, so you’re looking at an area that had an average income of maybe $38,000 that jumped up to $55,000,” he said. According to the CAP Index, Center Hill receives a Crime Score of 1 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.

In Lewisburg, houses sit on multi-acre properties, tucked behind a wall of towering evergreens and oak trees. Dry Creek and vast green fields are visible from the neighborhood’s main streets, giving the community a quiet feel despite it being a commuter hub for folks working in Tennessee. “It’s a very rural setting but close to Memphis. The next grocery store is only about 15 minutes away, and there’s a lot of interstate in between. There’s even a Methodist hospital 10 minutes away,” says Shelly Bookwalter of Century 21 #1 Realty Group, an agent with over 30 years of real estate experience in the Memphis metropolitan area. “But in that area, the first thing for new homebuyers is the school district. Everybody wants their kid there.” The largest lot sizes are at the heart of Lewisburg, close to Byhalia Road and State Route 305. Because the area is a growing suburb of Memphis, most traditional-style houses were built anywhere from 1999 to 2023. Homes with 2,000 to 3,000 square feet cost between $350,000 and $485,000, and homes with at least 4,000 square feet range from $530,000 to $765,000, depending on lot features like in-ground pools or private ponds. Properties along the edges of Lewisburg include smaller lot sizes, usually because they are part of newly built subdivisions like Twin Lakes and Cayce Pointe. Homes to the east, where most of the new development is concentrated, typically range from $300,000 to $450,000, and a few older ranch-style homes can cost between $200,000 and $275,000. Though bordered by the small city of Olive Branch, “Lewisburg is in the county, which is county taxes only. The cost doubles in the city,” Bookwalter says. The DeSoto County School District serves the neighborhood, and all students attend Lewisburg schools — one of the biggest draws for living in the area. Lewisburg Primary receives a B grade from Niche, Lewisburg Elementary receives an A-minus, and Lewisburg Intermediate has not yet received a Niche score. Both Lewisburg Middle and Lewisburg High get A grades, and the high school ranks as the No. 3 best high school in the state and the No. 1 best high school in DeSoto County on Niche. Lewisburg High has a 94% graduation rate, an 88% Advanced Placement exam pass rate, and after-school programs like Chick-fil-A Leader Academy and Educators Rising. Lewisburg’s community park is across the street from the high school and has a modern playground and walking trails right off Craft Road. There are also two other parks within a 6-mile drive of Lewisburg. Right up State Route 305, Olive Branch City Park packs amenities into its 135-acre grounds, including a mountain biking trail and a dog park. The park also includes a senior center that hosts daily activities like chair yoga and dominoes. For a smaller, more relaxed park with a simple playground and ball field, Fairview Community Park is to the east, reached either via Byhalia Road or Interstate 269. According to Environmental Services of DeSoto County, Ingrams Mill Community Center is located in Lewisburg, but the facility is used solely for private events, not county-sponsored activities. Olive Branch's grocery stores, like Walmart Supercenter and Kroger, are about 10 miles away and can be reached most easily by taking State Route 305 to Highway 78. There are a few restaurants in the Lewisburg area, alleviating the need to drive to neighboring cities for an evening out. Milano’s NY Pizza sits just north of the interstate, across from the elementary school. El Tejocote Mexican Restaurant and Grill serves tacos and hot wings in the southern part of Lewisburg, close to Holly Spring Road. State Route 305 runs through Lewisburg from north to south, connecting the neighborhood to Olive Branch and eastern Shelby County in Tennessee. Interstate 269 connects Lewisburg to Memphis's major employers in about 30 miles and to Memphis International Airport in about 20 miles. For medical care, the Methodist Olive Branch Hospital is 6 miles northeast. According to the CAP Index, Lewisburg receives a Crime Score of 1 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4. To foster relationships with the community, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department hosts a Citizens Academy that allows people to ride along with officers and dispatchers to learn more about how the department functions.