Shelby County, Tennessee Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Shelby County, TN Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 78% of counties in Tennessee
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 94% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Shelby County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 918,438 | 7,058,506 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1175.8 | 167.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.25% | 0.94% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.6 | 37.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 362,363 | 2,819,839 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Shelby County declined by 0.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 918,438 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Shelby County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.2% of residents. That is 0.9 points above Tennessee as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 204,136 22.2% +0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 202,298 22.0% +0.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 176,631 19.2% -1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 139,660 15.2% -2.1 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Tennessee, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.6% of the people living in Shelby County and men 47.4%.
- Women 52.6% Tennessee 50.9%
- Men 47.4% Tennessee 49.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Shelby County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Shelby County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Shelby County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,222 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.99% | 5.19% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Shelby County is about 8% lower than in Tennessee.
Housing
| Metric | Shelby County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $250,964 | $255,786 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,231 | $1,188 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 54.1% | 66.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Shelby County is about 17.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,231 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Shelby County spend about 44 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 181 hours, about 7.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Shelby County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.8 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.5 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 181 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,621 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 11,633 | 9,259 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,427 | 1,225 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Tennessee:
Dyer County (15.9 min), Henry County (16.7 min), Obion County (17.1 min).
Slowest:
Cannon County (33.3 min), Union County (33.2 min), Fayette County (33.1 min).
The average commute time in Shelby County is about the same as in Tennessee.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Shelby County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Shelby County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 27.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.49 | 2.45 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Tennessee:
Williamson County (0.4), Davidson County (0.3), Knox County (0.3).
Lowest:
Lake County (0.1), Van Buren County (0.1), Lauderdale County (0.1).
Health
Shelby County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Shelby County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.7 | 74.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 21.8% | 19.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.1% | 25.1% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Tennessee:
Williamson County (0.8), Rutherford County (0.8), Wilson County (0.8).
Lowest:
Clay County (0.8), Lake County (0.8), Hancock County (0.8).
Shelby County, TN Compared With Nearby Counties
Shelby County, TN is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 918,438 residents against a local median of 47,563. Where Shelby County, TN breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 52% above the local median of $164,627 at $250,964.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 21.8 min against a local median of 32.6 min, 33% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 33% below the local median it puts Shelby County, TN at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $400,064 on median home price, so Shelby County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Shelby County, TN has the 3rd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County, TN | 918,438 | $64,222 #5/6 | $250,964 #3/6 | 21.8 min #2/6 |
| DeSoto County, MS | 191,302 | $85,458 | $136,029 | 25.1 min |
| Tipton County, TN | 61,301 | $73,641 | $333,403 | 32.6 min |
| Crittenden County, AR | 47,563 | $56,430 | $164,627 | 18.8 min |
| Fayette County, TN | 43,762 | $87,617 | $422,563 | 33.1 min |
| Tate County, MS | 28,321 | $68,865 | $22,500 | 32.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Shelby County, Tennessee.
How many people live in Shelby County, Tennessee?
About 918,438 people live in Shelby County, Tennessee, in 362,363 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.6, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Shelby County, Tennessee urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Shelby County, Tennessee has 1,176 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 14 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Shelby County, Tennessee?
The median home costs 3.9 times the median household income ($250,964 against $64,222), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,231 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Shelby County, Tennessee?
Unemployment in Shelby County, Tennessee is 7.2%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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