Shelby County, TN

County

2024 Population

919,173

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

35.9

0.279% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

17.8%

1.6% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$63,767

2.29% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

Population & Diversity

Shelby County, TN is home to a population of 919k people, from which 94.9% are citizens.

As of 2024, 7.83% of Shelby County, TN residents were born outside of the country (72k people).

In 2024, there were 1.6 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (480k people) in Shelby County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 301k White (Non-Hispanic) and 36.7k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.9%

2024 Citizenship

95.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 94.9% of Shelby County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Shelby County, TN was 95.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Shelby County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, TN

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
480k ± 2.38k
White (Non-Hispanic)
301k ± 957
Other (Hispanic)
36.7k ± 2.31k

8.85%

Hispanic Population

81.3k people

8.85% of the people in Shelby County, TN are hispanic (81.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Shelby County, TN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Tennessee.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
95,077 ± 7,519 people
Guatemala
31,959 ± 4,379 people
Honduras
26,792 ± 4,011 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 95,077 Tennessee residents, followed by Guatemala with 31,959 and Honduras with 26,792.

Foreign-Born Population

7.83%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

72k people

7.53%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

69.5k people

As of 2024, 7.83% of Shelby County, TN residents (72k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Shelby County, TN was 7.53%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Shelby County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
11,552 ± 845
Gulf War (2001-)
10,498 ± 1,159
Gulf War (1990s)
7,631 ± 840

Shelby County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.1 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Shelby County, TN.

Health

88% of the population of Shelby County, TN has health coverage, with 44.8% on employee plans, 19.5% on Medicaid, 10.2% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 1.37% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, TN see 1,167 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,167 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1289 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 493 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,167 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Shelby County, TN

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, TN see an average of 1,167 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,167 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Shelby County, TN in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Location of Health Services Facilities

Health Service Type

Top 5 Health Facilities Servicing the Greatest Number of Addresses

Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4001
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4002
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4003
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4004
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4005

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.9% under 18 years, 22.1% between 18 and 34 years, 36.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

12%

Uninsured

44.8%

Employer Coverage

19.5%

Medicaid

10.2%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

1.37%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shelby County, TN declined by 0.964% from 12.1% to 12%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Shelby County, TN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 6.49 in Shelby County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shelby County, TN.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 42.6% in Shelby County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shelby County, TN.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 11.4% in Shelby County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shelby County, TN.

Economy

The economy of Shelby County, TN employs 426k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Shelby County, TN were Health Care & Social Assistance (60,536 people), Transportation & Warehousing (56,802 people), and Retail Trade (44,501 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($82,181), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($71,583), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($69,086).

Employment

Occupations

426k

2024 Value

± 6,326

−0.407%

1 Year decline

± 2.07%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of −0.407%, from 428k employees to 426k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shelby County, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (52,732 people), Management Occupations (43,571 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (35,561 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Shelby County, TN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Tennessee (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

426k

2024 Value

± 6,326

−0.407%

1 Year decline

± 2.07%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of −0.407%, from 428k employees to 426k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shelby County, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,536 people), Transportation & Warehousing (56,802 people), and Retail Trade (44,501 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Shelby County, TN, though some of these residents may live in Shelby County, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,864

Median earning men ± $654

$40,824

Median earning women ± $597

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,174), Public Administration ($71,683), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($61,694).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($52,710), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,744), and Information ($48,092).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Y-Axis

3.15%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.29M people employed in Tennessee. This represents a 3.15% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Tennessee.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,327
Retail Trade
1,005
Other Services (except Public Administration)
987
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.68M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$3.75M
Management of Companies and Enterprises
$3.51M
Transportation and Warehousing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

The student population of Shelby County, TN in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 16,440 male students and 25,950 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Shelby County, TN are White (4,379 and 41.9%), Black or African American (4,041 and 38.7%), Hispanic or Latino (727 and 6.96%), and Unknown (452 and 4.33%).

The largest universities in Shelby County, TN by number of degrees awarded are University of Memphis (5,151 and 44.6%), The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (1,203 and 10.4%), and Southwest Tennessee Community College (972 and 8.41%).

The most popular majors in Shelby County, TN are Registered Nursing (735 and 6.36%), General Business Administration & Management (568 and 4.92%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (541 and 4.68%).

The median tuition costs are $17,108 for private four year colleges, and $9,326 and $17,983 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Shelby County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 68.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 42,390 (38.8% men and 61.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 42,390 students enrolled in Shelby County, TN, 38.8% men and 61.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 17,506 records, of which 67.8% were women and 32.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
554 degrees awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
392 degrees awarded
General Psychology
264 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Shelby County, TN was Registered Nursing with 554 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Shelby County, TN according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Memphis
5,151 degrees awarded
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
1,203 degrees awarded
Southwest Tennessee Community College
972 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Memphis with 5,151 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 4,119 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Shelby County, TN, which is 0.554 times less than the 7,434 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,379 degrees mean that there were 1.08 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 4,041 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($17,108) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,494) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,545) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Shelby County, TN was $249,100 in 2024, which is 0.749 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $229,700 to $249,100, a 8.45% increase. The homeownership rate in Shelby County, TN is 54.1%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Shelby County, TN have an average commute time of 22.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Shelby County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 18.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.08%.

Housing

Property

$249,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$4,330

$196,379

Median Property Taxes

±$3,762

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Shelby County, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Shelby County, TN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

54.1%

Homeownership

2024

65%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 54.1% of the housing units in Shelby County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 54.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Shelby County, TN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$63,767

Median Household Income

± $1,251

363k

Number of Households

± 5,629

In 2024, the median household income of the 363k households in Shelby County, TN grew to $63,767 from the previous year's value of $62,337.

The following chart displays the households in Shelby County, TN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Shelby County, TN is from Tennessee.

0.457

2024 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.459

2023 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2024, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.457 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.505% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Tennessee in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Tennessee across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (76.6%)
Worked At Home (10.8%)
Carpooled (9.38%)

In 2024, 76.6% of workers in Shelby County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.8%) and those who carpooled to work (9.38%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Shelby County, TN have a shorter commute time (22.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.943% of the workforce in Shelby County, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Shelby County, TN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Shelby County, TN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Shelby County, TN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 18.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.08%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

17.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shelby County, TN (161k out of 903k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Shelby County, TN is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 28.1% of the children was living in poverty in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 1.35k in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 76.3% per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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