Shelby County, Tennessee

County in TN, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

919,173

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

35.9

years ∙ half population younger than 35.9, half older

Diversity Index

61%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

7.9%

foreign-born population

92.1%Native

7.9% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Shelby County is a county in Tennessee, United States.

Location

County in TN, US

Co-ordinates

DEC35.184553° N, 89.894612° W

DMS35° 11′ 04.39″ N, 89° 53′ 40.60″ W

Population Density & area

1,221/sq mi (471.4/km²)

Total Area

781.6 sq mi (2,024.3 km²)

Land Area

752.8 sq mi (1,949.7 km²) · 96.3%

Water Area

28.8 sq mi (74.6 km²) · 3.7%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

47.5% male

Male 47.5%

Female 52.5%

males per 100 females

Shelby County 90.4

Tennessee 96.4

United States 98

Nativity

7.9%

foreign-born population

92.1%Native

7.9% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Shelby County 7.9%

Tennessee 6.1%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

35.9

years ∙ half population younger than 35.9, half older

Shelby County

35.9

Tennessee

38.9

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

67.3

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Shelby County 67.3

Tennessee 64.6

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	25.4%	22.2%	22%
Working age (18-64)	59.8%	60.7%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	14.8%	17.1%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	67.3	64.6	64.4
Child dependency ratio	42.6	36.5	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	24.8	28.1	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

32.7%

Black

52.3%

Asian

2.9%

Hispanic

8.8%

Other

3.3%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

61%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Shelby County 61%

Tennessee 46.5%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Shelby County population

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Hispanic or Latino	8.8%	7.4%	19.3%
Mexican	4.6%	3.8%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.4%	0.6%	1.8%
Cuban	0.2%	0.3%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	3.6%	2.7%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	91.2%	92.6%	80.7%
One race	88.5%	88.9%	76.4%
White	32.7%	71%	57.4%
Black or African American	52.3%	15.4%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	2.9%	1.9%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0.1%	0.1%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.4%	0.4%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	2.7%	3.7%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

60.4% family

Family 60.4%

Non family 39.6%

% family households

Shelby County 60.4%

Tennessee 64.2%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.49

persons per household

Shelby County

2.49

Tennessee

2.45

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Shelby County population

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Total households	362,741	2,824,277	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.49	2.45	2.53
Family households	218,952	1,813,072	82,990,528
Average family size	3.27	3.04	3.14
Married couple family	127,370	1,321,068	60,637,388
Other families	91,582	492,004	22,353,140
Male householder	18,999	135,443	6,572,819
Female householder	72,583	356,561	15,780,321
Non-family households	143,789	1,011,205	46,236,968
One-person households	124,335	832,106	37,140,836
Male householder	54,896	377,158	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	13,955	115,070	5,225,110
Female householder	69,439	454,948	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	29,517	220,217	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	19,454	179,099	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

404,333

housing units

Shelby County 404,333

Tennessee 3,143,670

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

89.7% occupied

Occupied 89.7%

Vacant 10.3%

vacancy rate

Shelby County 10.3%

Tennessee 10.2%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

70.6%

Single family houses

70.6%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

28.2%

Mobile homes

1.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.1%

Median Year Built

1978

Half of houses were built before 1978, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

5.9%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

32.6%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

42.8%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

18.9%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.7	5.7	5.5
1–3 rooms	10.9%	11%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	54.2%	53.7%	51.6%
7+ rooms	34.8%	35.4%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	1.9%	1.7%	2.9%
1 bedroom	10.2%	8.2%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	24.8%	24.5%	25%
3 bedrooms	40.1%	45.2%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	23.1%	20.4%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1978	1988	1981
Total housing units	404,333	3,143,670	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

54.1% owners

Renter-occupied 45.9%

Owner-occupied 54.1%

homeownership rate

Shelby County 54.1%

Tennessee 66.9%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.57

Owner-occupied

2.4

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Shelby County 2.57

Tennessee 2.53

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Total occupied units	362,741	2,824,277	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	26.6%	26.2%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	40.3%	39.4%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	15.6%	15.7%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	17.6%	18.8%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	97.6%	97.8%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.7%	1.5%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.7%	0.6%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	8.2%	5.2%	8.4%
1 vehicle	38.9%	30.9%	33.1%
2 vehicles	35%	38%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	18%	25.9%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	46.5%	34.1%	51.4%
Electricity	52.6%	63.7%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.1%	0.3%	3.9%
All other fuels	0.3%	1.3%	2%
No fuel used	0.4%	0.5%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.3%	0.3%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.9%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.8%	1%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$249,100

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Shelby County

$249,100

Tennessee

$286,700

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

28%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

28%

Owners without a mortgage

14%

Renters

54.2%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Property value
Median Value	$249,100	$286,700	$332,700
Under $100,000	18.4%	13%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	21.1%	18.5%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	19.4%	21%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	25.9%	28.3%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	12.8%	15.3%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	2.3%	3.8%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	62.3%	57.9%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	37.7%	42.1%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,682	$1,566	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$602	$464	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,232	$1,189	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

34.3%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Shelby County 34.3%

Tennessee 31.1%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

10.2%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Shelby County 10.2%

Tennessee 10%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

228,156

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

6.2%

K–12

72.9%

College / Undergraduate

14.5%

Graduate / Professional

6.4%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

29.3%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Shelby County

29.3%

Tennessee

36.1%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	228,156	1,593,794	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	6.2%	5.4%	5.7%
K–12	72.9%	70.7%	67.6%
Kindergarten	6.6%	5.3%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	21.7%	21%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	22.2%	21.9%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	22.4%	22.5%	21.7%
College or graduate school	20.9%	24%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	14.5%	18.7%	21%
Graduate, professional school	6.4%	5.3%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	29.3%	36.1%	40.9%
School type
Public school	81.8%	79.8%	82%
Private school	18.2%	20.2%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

605,447

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

3.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

6.3%

HS graduate

27.3%

Some college no degree

21.4%

Associates degree

6.9%

Bachelors degree

20.3%

Graduate or professional degree

14%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

52.4% · 47.6%

9th-12th, no diploma

50.6% · 49.4%

HS graduate

50.3% · 49.7%

Some college no degree

44.8% · 55.2%

Associates degree

38.3% · 61.7%

Bachelors degree

44.6% · 55.4%

Graduate or professional degree

41.3% · 58.7%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Population (25+)	605,447	4,870,330	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	3.9%	3.7%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	6.3%	6.3%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	27.3%	31.2%	26%
Some college, no degree	21.4%	19.9%	19.1%
Associate's degree	6.9%	7.9%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	34.3%	31.1%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	20.3%	19.4%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	14%	11.7%	14.1%
High School or higher	89.9%	90%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$46,857

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$30,564

HS graduate

$35,783

Some college or associates

$42,458

Bachelors degree

$60,872

Graduate or professional degree

$80,147

Poverty Rate

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

31.4%

HS graduate

20.9%

Some college or associates

12.1%

Bachelors degree or higher

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Shelby County	Tennessee	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$46,857	$48,058	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$30,564	$31,689	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$35,783	$38,347	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$42,458	$44,566	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$60,872	$61,810	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$80,147	$76,817	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	31.4%	27.9%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	20.9%	15.1%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	12.1%	9.7%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	5%	4.3%	4.5%

Insights for Shelby County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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