Shelby County, TN

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

922,195

0.458% 1-year decline

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

35.8

0.279% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

17.5%

3.2% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$62,337

4.56% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$229,700

11.5% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

428,027

0.242% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Shelby County, TN had a population of 922k people with a median age of 35.8 and a median household income of $62,337. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Shelby County, TN declined from 926,440 to 922,195, a −0.458% decrease and its median household income grew from $59,621 to $62,337, a 4.56% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, TN are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (52.6%), White (Non-Hispanic) (33.3%), Other (Hispanic) (3.76%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.83%), and Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (2.22%).

None of the households in Shelby County, TN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.2% of the residents in Shelby County, TN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Shelby County, TN are University of Memphis (5,018 degrees awarded in 2023), The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (1,139 degrees), and Southwest Tennessee Community College (996 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Shelby County, TN was $229,700, and the homeownership rate was 54.6%.

Most people in Shelby County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Shelby County, TN was 2 cars per household.

Shelby County, TN borders Crittenden County, AR, Mississippi County, AR, DeSoto County, MS, Marshall County, MS, Fayette County, TN, and Tipton County, TN.

About the photo: skyline

Photo by Nicolas Henderson

United States Tennessee Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Population & Diversity

Shelby County, TN is home to a population of 922k people, from which 95.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 7.53% of Shelby County, TN residents were born outside of the country (69.5k people).

In 2023, there were 1.58 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (486k people) in Shelby County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 307k White (Non-Hispanic) and 34.6k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.2%

2023 Citizenship

95.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95.2% of Shelby County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Shelby County, TN was 95.9%, 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)
486k ± 2.09k
White (Non-Hispanic)
307k ± 803
Other (Hispanic)
34.6k ± 2.24k

8.49%

Hispanic Population

78.3k people

8.49% of the people in Shelby County, TN are hispanic (78.3k 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
96,695 ± 7,581 people
Guatemala
27,777 ± 4,084 people
India
24,683 ± 3,850 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 96,695 Tennessee residents, followed by Guatemala with 27,777 and India with 24,683.

Foreign-Born Population

7.53%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

69.5k people

6.79%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

62.9k people

As of 2023, 7.53% of Shelby County, TN residents (69.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Shelby County, TN was 6.79%, 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
13,107 ± 864
Gulf War (2001-)
10,421 ± 1,180
Gulf War (1990s)
7,593 ± 928

Shelby County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.26 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Shelby County, TN employs 428k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Shelby County, TN were Health Care & Social Assistance (59,750 people), Transportation & Warehousing (57,843 people), and Retail Trade (43,778 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($74,890), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($66,439), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($66,230).

Employment

Occupations

428k

2023 Value

± 6,149

−0.242%

1 Year decline

± 2.02%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of −0.242%, from 429k employees to 428k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shelby County, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (53,876 people), Management Occupations (42,599 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (36,115 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

428k

2023 Value

± 6,149

−0.242%

1 Year decline

± 2.02%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of −0.242%, from 429k employees to 428k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shelby County, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (59,750 people), Transportation & Warehousing (57,843 people), and Retail Trade (43,778 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

$47,534

Median earning men ± $813

$39,853

Median earning women ± $789

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($79,323), Public Administration ($70,300), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($63,167).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($50,836), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,096), and Information ($46,910).

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.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing the state of Tennessee. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Shelby County, TN. Showing the available data for Tennessee.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.703%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Tennessee for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Tennessee

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Marsha Blackburn

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Bill Hagerty

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing Tennessee.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Tennessee over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Tennessee

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Tennessee have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Shelby County, TN awarded 11,672 degrees. The student population of Shelby County, TN in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 17,287 male students and 27,608 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Shelby County, TN are White (4,649 and 43.1%), followed by Black or African American (4,045 and 37.5%), Unknown (672 and 6.23%), and Hispanic or Latino (632 and 5.86%).

The largest universities in Shelby County, TN by number of degrees awarded are University of Memphis (5,018 and 43%), The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (1,139 and 9.76%), and Southwest Tennessee Community College (996 and 8.53%).

The most popular majors in Shelby County, TN are Registered Nursing (685 and 5.87%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (619 and 5.3%), and General Business Administration & Management (582 and 4.99%).

The median tuition costs in Shelby County, TN are $16,988 for private four year colleges, and $9,005 and $17,324 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Shelby County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 81.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 44,895 (38.5% men and 61.5% 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 2023 there were 44,895 students enrolled in Shelby County, TN, 38.5% men and 61.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 18,460 records, of which 68.6% were women and 31.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
542 degrees awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
390 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
249 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Shelby County, TN was Registered Nursing with 542 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
5,018 degrees awarded
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
1,139 degrees awarded
Southwest Tennessee Community College
996 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Memphis with 5,018 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 4,046 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Shelby County, TN, which is 0.531 times less than the 7,626 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,649 degrees mean that there were 1.15 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 4,045 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 ($16,988) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,669) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,600) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2023, 0.917% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.783% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.75M), Some college (1.18M), and Bachelors Degree (984k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Shelby County, TN was $229,700 in 2023, which is 0.757 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $206,100 to $229,700, a 11.5% increase. The homeownership rate in Shelby County, TN is 54.6%, which is lower than the national average of 65%.

People in Shelby County, TN have an average commute time of 22.5 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.

Median household income in Shelby County, TN is $62,337. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Shelby County, TN was Census Tract 96, Shelby County, TN with a value of $166,500, followed by Census Tract 85, Shelby County, TN and Census Tract 215.30, Shelby County, TN, with respective values of $162,955 and $161,506.

In 2024, 18.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.15%.

Housing

Property

$229,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,570

$196,804

Median Property Taxes

±$3,662

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

54.6%

Homeownership

2023

65.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 54.6% of the housing units in Shelby County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 55.2%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 96, Shelby County, TN
Census Tract 85, Shelby County, TN
Census Tract 215.30, Shelby County, TN

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Shelby County, TN was Census Tract 96, Shelby County, TN with a value of $166,500, followed by Census Tract 85, Shelby County, TN and Census Tract 215.30, Shelby County, TN, with respective values of $162,955 and $161,506.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Shelby County, TN colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$62,337

Median Household Income

± $1,088

361k

Number of Households

± 5,520

In 2023, the median household income of the 361k households in Shelby County, TN grew to $62,337 from the previous year's value of $59,621.

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.

0.459

2023 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.462

2022 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2023, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.459 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.619% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 2023

Drove Alone (78.3%)
Worked At Home (9.39%)
Carpooled (9.12%)

In 2023, 78.3% of workers in Shelby County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.39%) and those who carpooled to work (9.12%).

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

22.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Shelby County, TN have a shorter commute time (22.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.03% 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 2024, 18.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.15%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

17.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shelby County, TN (159k out of 906k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. 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 2024, 23.5% of the children was living in poverty in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 8.6%.

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
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

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.

Health

87.9% of the population of Shelby County, TN has health coverage, with 45.8% on employee plans, 18.9% on Medicaid, 9.94% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.5% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, TN see 1,167 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.46% increase from the previous year (1,139 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1289 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 528 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 2.46% increase from the previous year (1,139 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27% under 18 years, 22.2% between 18 and 34 years, 36.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.2% 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

12.1%

Uninsured

45.8%

Employer Coverage

18.9%

Medicaid

9.94%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.5%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shelby County, TN grew by 1.4% from 11.9% to 12.1%.

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 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 92.4 in Shelby County, TN.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, 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 38.2% in Shelby County, TN.

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