Moving to Collierville, TN: A Practical Relocation Guide

Relocating from another city or state comes with a long list of small questions that nobody seems to answer in one place. Who do I call to turn on the water? Why are there two tax bills? How long will it take to get across town at rush hour? If Collierville is on your short list, or you already have a closing date in 38017, these notes are meant to save you a few phone calls and help the first month feel a little more settled.

Utilities: What the Town Handles and What MLGW Handles

One of the first surprises for newcomers is that utilities in Collierville are split between two providers.

• Town of Collierville: water and sewer. The town draws its water from wells tapping the Memphis Sand aquifer and runs its own wastewater treatment plants, so your water account is with the town, not with Memphis.
• Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW): electricity and natural gas. Power comes through MLGW from the Tennessee Valley Authority.
• Garbage and recycling: handled by the town's Sanitation Division, with weekly curbside household pickup and recycling. The town lists the residential charge at $27 per month.

To start water service on a home you are buying, the town asks for photo ID (a driver's license is preferred), your Social Security number, and proof of residency such as your closing papers. The town site lists a non-refundable $100 service establishment fee for purchased homes, with higher fees for after-hours turn-ons, so it pays to schedule ahead of move-in day. You can apply in person at Town Hall at 500 Poplar View Parkway, by mail, by fax, or by email to [email protected]. MLGW service is set up separately with MLGW.

A seasonal note if you are arriving this fall: the town's loose leaf collection typically begins the first Monday in November and runs into late February. Bagged yard waste is picked up on your regular collection day year-round.

Property Taxes: Town and County

Homes inside Collierville town limits are taxed by both the Town of Collierville and Shelby County. The town's tax page lists its current municipal rate as $1.62 per $100 of assessed value, and a local summary of the town's FY2027 budget, adopted in June 2026, notes that the rate was held flat. In Tennessee, residential property is assessed at 25 percent of appraised value, so the rate applies to that assessed figure rather than the full market value.

Shelby County taxes are set separately by the county, and the town directs residents to the Shelby County Assessor for county information. That same budget summary also mentions a new $5 monthly street infrastructure maintenance fee that took effect July 1, 2026. If you would like a clearer picture of what a specific home will cost to own, the town's tax office can be reached at 901-457-2281, and your lender and closing attorney can help you estimate escrow using the property's actual assessed value.

Collierville Schools: The Basics

Collierville Schools is the town's municipal school district, formed in 2014 when it separated from the former Shelby County Schools system. According to the district's website, it currently operates nine schools:

• Elementary: Bailey Station, Collierville Elementary, Crosswind, Schilling Farms, Sycamore, and Tara Oaks
• Middle: Collierville Middle and West Collierville Middle
• High: Collierville High School

Which school serves a particular address depends on district zoning, so it is worth confirming the zoned schools for any home you are considering directly with the district. The district's New Student Registration page lists the documents needed to enroll and any important dates.

Getting Around: Main Corridors and Commute Routes

Collierville sits at the southeastern edge of Shelby County, bordered by Germantown to the west, with Piperton and Fayette County to the east and Olive Branch, Mississippi, a short drive south. A few roads do most of the work:

• Poplar Avenue (US-72): the town's main east-west spine, running west through Germantown toward East Memphis and east toward Mississippi.
• Bill Morris Parkway (SR-385): a limited-access route running from I-240 in southeast Memphis to I-269 in Collierville, with interchanges at Houston Levee Road, Byhalia Road, and US-72. Many commuters use it as an alternative to Poplar.
• I-269: connects to Bill Morris Parkway and continues north toward Arlington and I-40, which is handy for trips toward Nashville or the northern suburbs.
• Houston Levee Road: a key north-south road on the west side of town, linking neighborhoods to Poplar and the parkway.

Traffic patterns change with school schedules and construction, so a test drive of your actual route at the time you would normally travel is one of the most useful things you can do before choosing a home.

Parks, the Library, and Settling In

Collierville's parks department maintains a large network of parks and greenbelt trails. W.C. Johnson Park, off Byhalia Road along the Wolf River, is a standout: the town describes it as a 271-acre park with ballfields, lakes, spray parks, the Peterson Lake Nature Center with a boardwalk, and river bottom trails through protected wetlands. H.W. Cox Jr. Park, Hinton Park with its disc golf course, and Suggs Park with its dog park round out the options, and the greenbelt trail system connects many of them. The historic Town Square is worth a stroll once you are unpacked, too.

A few other first-month tasks:

• Library card: the Lucius E. and Elsie C. Burch Jr. Library is run by the town. Bring a photo ID and proof of your current address.
• Vehicle and voter registration: both are handled at the county level through Shelby County offices, so update your address there after you move.
• Town news: the Town of Collierville website posts holiday sanitation schedules, budget updates, and service notices.

Moving anywhere new takes some getting used to, and it is completely normal to have more questions once the boxes are open. If it would help to talk through neighborhoods, commute options, or what to expect at closing in Collierville, I am always glad to listen and share what I know, with no pressure at all.

Kelly Day, SRES, SRS, AHWD, PSA, RENE
Multi Million Dollar Club
Broker Lic # 365811
simpliHOM
901-289-9227
855-856-9466
[email protected]
https://memphishouselistings.com