Shelby County, TN population age distribution
A complete breakdown of Shelby County's age demographics from 0 to 85 years, distributed across 18 age groups is listed in the table below.
Age Group | Population | % of Total Population |
---|---|---|
Under 5 years | 63,949 | 6.88% |
5 to 9 years | 63,904 | 6.88% |
10 to 14 years | 67,895 | 7.31% |
15 to 19 years | 61,180 | 6.58% |
20 to 24 years | 61,366 | 6.6% |
25 to 29 years | 71,526 | 7.7% |
30 to 34 years | 65,452 | 7.04% |
35 to 39 years | 60,364 | 6.5% |
40 to 44 years | 56,943 | 6.13% |
45 to 49 years | 57,231 | 6.16% |
50 to 54 years | 57,153 | 6.15% |
55 to 59 years | 56,031 | 6.03% |
60 to 64 years | 59,259 | 6.38% |
65 to 69 years | 45,890 | 4.94% |
70 to 74 years | 34,367 | 3.7% |
75 to 79 years | 21,263 | 2.29% |
80 to 84 years | 12,197 | 1.31% |
85 years and over | 13,208 | 1.42% |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Shelby County, TN population by age group
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2021

The largest age group in Shelby County, TN was for the group of age 25-29 years with a population of 71,526 (7.70%), according to the 2021 American Community Survey.
At the same time, the smallest age group in Shelby County, TN was the 80-84 years with a population of 12,197 (1.31%).
Shelby County, TN population by age cohort
To better understand the age distribution of Shelby County, TN's population, we divided it into the following 3 cohorts:
- Children : Under the age of 18 years
- Adults (working population): Between the age of 18 and 64 years
- Seniors: 65 years and above

Here's the population for each of the three cohorts.
Age Group | Population | % of Total Population |
---|---|---|
Under 18 years | 233,920 | 25.17% |
18 to 64 years | 568,333 | 61.17% |
85 years and over | 126,925 | 13.66% |
Key stats for each age cohort as per our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey:
- Shelby County's population under 18 was 25.17%, compared to the 22.51% nationwide.
- Shelby County's working population (between 18 and 64) was 61.17%, compared to 61.45% nationwide.
- Shelby County's elderly or the senior population (over 65 age) was 13.66% as compared to 16.04% nationwide.
Shelby County, TN population pyramid
Population pyramid for Shelby County, TN is charted below using the estimates from U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year estimates. A wide base suggests population increase, narrow base indicates declining birth rates.
Key stats from our analysis of the Shelby County's population pyramid:
- Youth dependency ratio, which is the number of children aged 0-14 per 100 persons aged 15-64, for Shelby County, TN, is 32.3.
- Old-age dependency ratio, which is the number of persons aged 65 or over per 100 persons aged 15-64, for Shelby County, TN, is 20.9.
- Total dependency ratio for Shelby County, TN is 53.2.
- Potential support ratio, which is the number of youth (working age population) per elderly, for Shelby County, TN is 4.8.

Here's the Shelby County, TN's male and female population across different age groups:
Age Group | Population(Male) | Population(Female) | Total Population |
---|---|---|---|
Under 5 years | 32,352 | 31,597 | 63,949 |
5 to 9 years | 32,443 | 31,461 | 63,904 |
10 to 14 years | 34,727 | 33,168 | 67,895 |
15 to 19 years | 30,823 | 30,357 | 61,180 |
20 to 24 years | 30,096 | 31,270 | 61,366 |
25 to 29 years | 34,406 | 37,120 | 71,526 |
30 to 34 years | 31,286 | 34,166 | 65,452 |
35 to 39 years | 28,402 | 31,962 | 60,364 |
40 to 44 years | 27,394 | 29,549 | 56,943 |
45 to 49 years | 27,063 | 30,168 | 57,231 |
50 to 54 years | 27,044 | 30,109 | 57,153 |
55 to 59 years | 26,233 | 29,798 | 56,031 |
60 to 64 years | 27,122 | 32,137 | 59,259 |
65 to 69 years | 20,157 | 25,733 | 45,890 |
70 to 74 years | 15,697 | 18,670 | 34,367 |
75 to 79 years | 9,252 | 12,011 | 21,263 |
80 to 84 years | 4,525 | 7,672 | 12,197 |
85 years and over | 3,767 | 9,441 | 13,208 |
Things to know
What is the population of Shelby County, TN under 18?
Shelby County's population under the age of 18 is 233,920, as per the latest U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey estimates. This population is 25.17% of the total resident population of Shelby County, TN.
What is the aging population in Shelby County, TN?
Shelby County's population aged 65 years and above was 126,925. As per the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, this population is 13.66% of the entire population.
References
- U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates