Shelby County, TN

County

Add Comparison

2020 Population

936,611

0.0253% 1-year growth

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

35.7

0.281% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

19%

1.97% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$52,092

0.842% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$158,700

5.52% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

431,683

0.91% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Shelby County, TN had a population of 937k people with a median age of 35.7 and a median household income of $52,092. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Shelby County, TN grew from 936,374 to 936,611, a 0.0253% increase and its median household income grew from $51,657 to $52,092, a 0.842% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, TN are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (53.6%), White (Non-Hispanic) (35.2%), White (Hispanic) (2.91%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.69%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.5%).

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.

96.1% of the residents in Shelby County, TN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Shelby County, TN are University of Memphis (4,621 degrees awarded in 2020), Southwest Tennessee Community College (221485) (1,113 degrees), and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (487010) (1,007 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Shelby County, TN was $158,700, and the homeownership rate was 54.8%.

Most people in Shelby County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.9 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

Population & Diversity

Shelby County, TN is home to a population of 937k people, from which 96.1% are citizens. As of 2020, 6.5% of Shelby County, TN residents were born outside of the country (60.9k people).

In 2020, there were 1.52 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (502k people) in Shelby County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 330k White (Non-Hispanic) and 27.3k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.1%

2020 Citizenship

95.9%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 96.1% of Shelby County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Shelby County, TN was 95.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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)
502k ± 994
White (Non-Hispanic)
330k ± 1.67k
White (Hispanic)
27.3k ± 1.81k

6.43%

Hispanic Population

60.3k people

6.43% of the people in Shelby County, TN are hispanic (60.3k people).

The following chart shows the 7 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
88,072 ± 7,239 people
India
23,811 ± 3,782 people
Guatemala
14,944 ± 2,998 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 88,072 Tennessee residents, followed by India with 23,811 and Guatemala with 14,944.

Foreign-Born Population

6.5%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

60.9k people

6.53%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

61.2k people

As of 2020, 6.5% of Shelby County, TN residents (60.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Shelby County, TN was 6.53%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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
16,620 ± 921
Gulf War (2001-)
9,245 ± 1,040
Gulf War (1990s)
8,741 ± 780

Shelby County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.8 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Shelby County, TN employs 432k people. The largest industries in Shelby County, TN are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,869 people), Transportation & Warehousing (56,048 people), and Retail Trade (44,249 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($86,750), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($64,327), and Utilities ($58,142).

Males in Tennessee have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,310. The income inequality in Tennessee (measured using the Gini index) is 0.463, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

432k

2020 Value

± 6,061

−0.91%

1 Year decline

± 1.9%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of −0.91%, from 436k employees to 432k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shelby County, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (55,414 people), Sales & Related Occupations (39,973 people), and Management Occupations (39,571 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.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

432k

2020 Value

± 6,061

−0.91%

1 Year decline

± 1.9%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Shelby County, TN declined at a rate of −0.91%, from 436k employees to 432k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shelby County, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,869 people), Transportation & Warehousing (56,048 people), and Retail Trade (44,249 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

$40,293

Median earning men ± $689

$31,879

Median earning women ± $475

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,878), Public Administration ($60,570), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($51,786).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($42,944), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($42,174), and Wholesale Trade ($38,990).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Tennessee. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

View Full Dashboard

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

8,482
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
5,549
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
4,671
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$10.9M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$6.92M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
$6.67M
Manufacturing

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

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 2020, the top outbound Tennessee product (by dollars) was Electronics with $66B, followed by Mixed freight ($49B) and Pharmaceuticals ($47B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Tennessee.

$498B

2020 Value in Tennessee

$1.05T

Projected 2050 Value in Tennessee

111% growth

In 2020, total outbound Tennessee trade was $498B. This is expected to increase 111% to $1.05T by 2050.

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

Georgia
$36.6B
Texas
$29.5B
California
$26.2B

In 2020, the top outbound Tennessee domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $36.6B, followed by Texas with $29.5B and California and $26.2B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Shelby County, TN went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 64.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34%), followed by Other (1.61%).

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

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (64.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34%)
Republican Party
Other (1.61%)
Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Shelby County, TN went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 64.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34%), followed by Other (1.61%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Shelby County, TN for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators 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 Representatives 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 2020, universities in Shelby County, TN awarded 10,827 degrees. The student population of Shelby County, TN in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 16,880 male students and 30,889 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Shelby County, TN are White (4,873 and 46.2%), followed by Black or African American (3,949 and 37.4%), Hispanic or Latino (484 and 4.59%), and Unknown (478 and 4.53%).

The largest universities in Shelby County, TN by number of degrees awarded are University of Memphis (4,621 and 42.7%), Southwest Tennessee Community College (221485) (1,113 and 10.3%), and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (487010) (1,007 and 9.3%).

The most popular majors in Shelby County, TN are Liberal Arts & Sciences (762 and 7.04%), Registered Nursing (670 and 6.19%), and General Business Administration & Management (586 and 5.41%).

The median tuition costs in Shelby County, TN are $15,498 for private four year colleges, and $8,799 and $16,761 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Shelby County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 71.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 47,769 (35.3% men and 64.7% 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 2020 there were 47,769 students enrolled in Shelby County, TN, 35.3% men and 64.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 19,804 records, of which 72.4% were women and 27.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
305 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
475 degree-majors awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
343 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Shelby County, TN was General Business Administration & Management with 305 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
4,621 degrees awarded
Southwest Tennessee Community College (221485)
1,113 degrees awarded
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (487010)
1,007 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Memphis with 4,621 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 3,887 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Shelby County, TN, which is 0.56 times less than the 6,940 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,873 degrees mean that there were 1.23 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 3,949 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 ($15,498) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($1,625) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

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 2020, 0.713% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.697% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.71M), Some college (1.19M), and Bachelors Degree (883k).

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 $158,700 in 2020, which is 0.691 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $150,400 to $158,700, a 5.52% increase. The homeownership rate in Shelby County, TN is 54.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Shelby County, TN have an average commute time of 22.9 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 $52,092. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Shelby County, TN was Census Tract 213.11 with a value of $174,057, followed by Census Tract 96 and Census Tract 215.30, with respective values of $136,125 and $131,600.

In 2021, 19.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1.68%.

Housing

Property

$158,700

Median Property Value 2020

±$2,510

$195,260

Median Property Taxes

±$3,668

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

54.8%

Homeownership

2020

65.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 54.8% of the housing units in Shelby County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 55.1%.

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 213.11
Census Tract 96
Census Tract 215.30

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Shelby County, TN was Census Tract 213.11 with a value of $174,057, followed by Census Tract 96 and Census Tract 215.30, with respective values of $136,125 and $131,600.

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.

$52,092

Median Household Income

± $736

357k

Number of Households

± 5,380

In 2020, the median household income of the 357k households in Shelby County, TN grew to $52,092 from the previous year's value of $51,657.

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.

0.463

2020 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.465

2019 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2020, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.436% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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 2020

Drove Alone (82.9%)
Carpooled (9.56%)
Worked At Home (4.37%)

In 2020, 82.9% of workers in Shelby County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.56%) and those who worked at home (4.37%).

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

22.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Shelby County, TN have a shorter commute time (22.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.07% 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 2021, 19.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1.68%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

19% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shelby County, TN (174k out of 919k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Males < 5.

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 2021, 25.7% of the children was living in poverty in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 6.4%.

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
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 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 1.35k in Shelby County, TN. From 2014 to 2021, 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.

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function

Health

88.5% of the population of Shelby County, TN has health coverage, with 46.6% on employee plans, 19.3% on Medicaid, 9.52% on Medicare, 11.6% on non-group plans, and 1.39% 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 1161 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.01% decrease from the previous year (1197 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1358 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 669 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.9% were men and 54.1% were women.

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.

Y-Axis

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.

View Full Dashboard

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,161 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Shelby County, TN

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, TN see an average of 1,161 patients per year. This represents a 3.01% decrease from the previous year (1,197 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.

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.

View Full Dashboard

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.6% under 18 years, 22.6% between 18 and 34 years, 37.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.9% were men and 54.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.5%

Uninsured

46.6%

Employer Coverage

19.3%

Medicaid

9.52%

Medicare

11.6%

Non-Group

1.39%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shelby County, TN declined by 0.367% from 11.5% to 11.5%.

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 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 84 in Shelby County, TN.

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

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 34.9% in Shelby County, TN.

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

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function