Shelby County, TN

County

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Population

935,764

0.128% 1-year decline

US Senator

Lamar Alexander

Republican Party

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

Median Age

Poverty Rate

20.6%

Median Household Income

$47,500

4.32% 1-year decline

Median Property Value

$157,700

6.12% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

430,511

0.68% 1-year decline

About

In 2018, Shelby County, TN had a population of 936k people with a median age of 36 and a median household income of $47,500. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Shelby County, TN declined from 936,961 to 935,764, a -0.128% decrease and its median household income declined from $49,647 to $47,500, a -4.32% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, TN are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (53.6%), White (Non-Hispanic) (35.4%), White (Hispanic) (3.86%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.66%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.1%). NaNk% of the people in Shelby County, TN speak a non-English language, and 95.6% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Shelby County, TN are University of Memphis (4,597 degrees awarded in 2017), Southwest Tennessee Community College (1,328 degrees), and The University of Tennessee-Health Science Center (939 degrees).

The median property value in Shelby County, TN is $157,700, and the homeownership rate is 55%. Most people in Shelby County, TN commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 22.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Shelby County, TN is 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

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Tennessee. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Tennessee, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Impact on Employment

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.

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Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Tennessee across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Hillary Rodham Clinton with 61.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.5%), followed by Other (3.57%). The most partisan county was Wayne County, TN with 86% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn 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.

Shelby County, TN 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 Popular Vote Over Time

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

2016 Election Results

Hillary Rodham Clinton (61.9%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.5%)
Republican Party
Other (3.57%)
Other Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Hillary Rodham Clinton with 61.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.5%), followed by Other (3.57%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Tennessee for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of Tennessee.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Popular Vote for Tennessee

61.9% for the Democratic Party

Most Partisan Counties in Tennessee

Wayne County, TN
86% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Scott County, TN
84.9% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Macon County, TN
83.5% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in Tennessee was Wayne County, TN with 86% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Tennessee colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Tennessee

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

Lamar Alexander

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2003

Marsha Blackburn

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn 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, colored by their political party.

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 Shelby County, TN have changed over time starting in 2008.

Diversity

Shelby County, TN is home to a population of 936k people, from which 95.6% are citizens. As of 2018, 6.46% of Shelby County, TN residents were born outside of the country (60.5k people).

In 2018, there were 1.51 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (502k people) in Shelby County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 332k White (Non-Hispanic) and 36.1k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, TN

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
502k ± 2.76k
White (Non-Hispanic)
332k ± 1.32k
White (Hispanic)
36.1k ± 4.09k

6.54%

Hispanic Population

61.2k people

6.54% of the people in Shelby County, TN are hispanic (61.2k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Shelby County, TN as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

6.46%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

60.5k people

6.35%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

59.5k people

As of 2018, 6.46% of Shelby County, TN residents (60.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Shelby County, TN was 6.35%, 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.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.4

In 2018, the median age of all people in Shelby County, TN was 36. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 35, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 40. But people in Shelby County, TN are getting getting older. In 2017, the average age of all Shelby County, TN residents was 35.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
84,132 ± 7,077 people
India
18,226 ± 3,310 people
Honduras
14,274 ± 2,930 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 84,132 Tennessee residents, followed by India with 18,226 and Honduras with 14,274.

Citizenship

95.6%

2018 Citizenship

95.8%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 95.6% of Shelby County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Shelby County, TN was 95.8%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
16,998 ± 1,771
Gulf War (2001-)
9,415 ± 2,072
Gulf War (1990s)
9,013 ± 1,713

Shelby County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.81 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Shelby County, TN is $47,500. In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Shelby County, TN was Census Tract 213.53 with a value of $165,321, followed by Census Tract 213.11 and Census Tract 215.40, with respective values of $142,569 and $134,826.

Males in Tennessee have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,237. The income inequality in Tennessee (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Shelby County, TN employs 431k people. The largest industries in Shelby County, TN are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,345 people), Transportation & Warehousing (58,810 people), and Retail Trade (45,389 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($75,190), Finance & Insurance ($52,041), and Public Administration ($49,705).

Wages

Median Household Income

$47,500

2018 value

± $2,160

-4.32%

1 Year Growth

± 6.01%

Households in Shelby County, TN have a median annual income of $47,500, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $49,647 in 2017, which represents a -4.32% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Shelby County, TN compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$60,607

Average Male Salary in Tennessee

± $1,379

$44,237

Average Female Salary in Tennessee

± $1,006

In 2018, full-time male employees in Tennessee made 1.37 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Tennessee by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Tennessee

Asian
$56,380 ± $6,815
White
$49,129 ± $940
Two or More Races
$42,683 ± $7,409

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Tennessee workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.15 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Tennessee.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Tennessee by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

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

0.464

2018 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.466

2017 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2018, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.388% decline from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 213.53
Census Tract 213.11
Census Tract 215.40

In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Shelby County, TN was Census Tract 213.53 with a value of $165,321, followed by Census Tract 213.11 and Census Tract 215.40, with respective values of $142,569 and $134,826.

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

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

20.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shelby County, TN (190k out of 919k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males < 5 and then Males 6 - 11.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

Black
139,175 ± 2,881
White
35,589 ± 1,534
Hispanic
18,281 ± 1,006

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

431k

2018 Value

± 12,491

-0.68%

1 Year decline

± 4.09%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of -0.68%, from 433k employees to 431k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shelby County, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (52,158 people), Management Occupations (39,950 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (39,101 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Shelby County, TN.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Shelby County, TN, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (52,158 people), Management Occupations (39,950 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (39,101 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Shelby County, TN has an unusually high number of residents working as Material Moving Occupations (2.42 times higher than expected), Fire Fighting & Prevention, & Other Protective Service Workers Including Supervisors (1.92 times), and Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (1.48 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Shelby County, TN, by median earnings, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($71,520), Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($69,818), and Management Occupations ($68,634).

Industries

Employment by Industries

431k

2018 Value

± 12,491

-0.68%

1 Year decline

± 4.09%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of -0.68%, from 433k employees to 431k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shelby County, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,345 people), Transportation & Warehousing (58,810 people), and Retail Trade (45,389 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Shelby County, TN, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,345 people), Transportation & Warehousing (58,810 people), and Retail Trade (45,389 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Shelby County, TN has an unusually high number of Transportation & Warehousing (2.86 times higher than expected), Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services (1.47 times), and Management of Companies & Enterprises (1.24 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Shelby County, TN, by median earnings, are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($75,190), Finance & Insurance ($52,041), and Public Administration ($49,705).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Tennessee to other states, or from other states to Tennessee.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2015, the top outbound Tennessee product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $33.7B, followed by Motorized vehicles ($31.1B) and Mixed freight ($26.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Tennessee products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Tennessee.

$333B

2015 Value in Tennessee

$525B

Projected 2045 Value in Tennessee

57.7% growth

In 2015, total outbound Tennessee trade was $333B. This is expected to increase 57.7% to $525B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Tennessee trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Tennessee to other states, or from other states to Tennessee.

Most Common Trade Partners

Kentucky
$27.6B
Texas
$17.3B
Georgia
$16.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Tennessee domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Kentucky with $27.6B, followed by Texas with $17.3B and Georgia and $16.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Tennessee shares with each state (excluding itself).

Education

In 2017, universities in Shelby County, TN awarded 11,813 degrees. The student population of Shelby County, TN is skewed towards women, with 19,008 male students and 30,021 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Shelby County, TN are White (5,419 and 47.3%), followed by Black or African American (4,816 and 42%), Hispanic or Latino (420 and 3.66%), and Asian (419 and 3.65%).

The largest universities in Shelby County, TN by number of degrees awarded are University of Memphis (4,597 and 38.9%), Southwest Tennessee Community College (1,328 and 11.2%), and The University of Tennessee-Health Science Center (939 and 7.95%).

The most popular majors in Shelby County, TN are Registered Nursing (751 and 6.36%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (717 and 6.07%), and General Business Administration & Management (640 and 5.42%).

The median tuition costs in Shelby County, TN are $17,978 for private four year colleges, and $8,321 and $23,691 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
514 degree-majorss awarded
Other Multidisciplinary Studies
338 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
324 degree-majorss awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Shelby County, TN was Registered Nursing with 514 degree-majorss awarded.

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

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Memphis
4,597 degrees awarded
Southwest Tennessee Community College
1,328 degrees awarded
The University of Tennessee-Health Science Center
939 degrees awarded

$8,321

Median In-State Public

$17,978

Median Private

In 2017, the Shelby County, TN institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Memphis with 4,597 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

4,489

Degrees Awarded to Men

7,324

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 4,489 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Shelby County, TN, which is 0.613 times less than the 7,324 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Shelby County, TN by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
5,419 degrees awarded
Black or African American
4,816 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
420 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Shelby County, TN were to White students. These 5,419 degrees mean that there were 1.13 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 4,816 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Shelby County, TN was $157,700 in 2018, which is 0.687 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $148,600 to $157,700, a 6.12% increase. The homeownership rate in Shelby County, TN is 55%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Shelby County, TN have an average commute time of 22.3 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Shelby County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$157,700

2018 Median

± $4,499

$148,600

2017 Median

± $4,817

In 2018, the median property value in Shelby County, TN grew to to $157,700 from the previous year's value of $148,600.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Shelby County, TN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Shelby County, TN the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

Household Income

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

$47,500

Median Household Income

± $2,160

353k

Number of Households

± 10,529

In 2018, the median household income of the 353k households in Shelby County, TN declined from $47,500 from the previous year's value of $49,647.

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 < $10k range.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Shelby County, TN 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.

Rent vs Own

55%

2018 Homeownership

55.2%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 55% 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 percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Shelby County, TN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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 (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 0.862% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

Drove Alone
85%
Carpooled
9.48%
Worked At Home
2.47%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Shelby County, TN was Drove Alone (85%), followed by those who Carpooled (9.48%) and those who Worked At Home (2.47%).

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.

Transportation

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, followed by 1 car.

Health

89.6% of the population of Shelby County, TN has health coverage, with 46.6% on employee plans, 21.4% on Medicaid, 9.54% on Medicare, 10.4% on non-group plans, and 1.65% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Tennessee was $7,372 in 2014. This is a 3.74% increase from the previous year ($7,106).

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, TN see 1209 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.11% decrease from the previous year (1235 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1412 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 780 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Dyer County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (17.5%). Additionally, Hardeman County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.7%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,209 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Shelby County, TN

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, TN see an average of 1,209 patients per year. This represents a 2.11% decrease from the previous year (1,235 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.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$7,372

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Tennessee

$4,680

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,677

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,371

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Tennessee (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.74%, from $7,106 to $7,372.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

10.4%

Uninsured

46.6%

Employer Coverage

21.4%

Medicaid

9.54%

Medicare

10.4%

Non-Group

1.65%

Military or VA

Between N/A and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shelby County, TN N/A by N/A from N/A% to 10.4%.

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.