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Shelby County

#19 in Best Counties to Live in Tennessee
  • B
    Overall Grade
  • County in Tennessee
  • 121 reviews
    B
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      C-
    2. Crime & Safety
      C-
    3. Housing
      C-
    4. Nightlife
      A
    5. Good for Families
      C+
    6. Diversity
      A
    7. Jobs
      C+
    8. Weather
      B
    9. Cost of Living
      B-
    10. Health & Fitness
      A-
    11. Outdoor Activities
      B+
    12. Commute
      B
    View Full Report Card
    Shelby County is located in Tennessee with a population of 937,847. In Shelby County, most residents own their homes. In Shelby County there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Shelby County and residents tend to be liberal.
    Population
    937,847

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $135,700
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $894
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    —
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      44%
    • Own
      56%
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    Shelby County Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    C-
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      1,135.7
      282.7
    • Murder
      22.3
      6.1
    • Rape
      76.9
      40.7
    • Robbery
      433
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      1,217.5
      500.1
    • Theft
      3,720.1
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      512.3
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    A
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      14%
    • 10-17 years
      11%
    • 18-24 years
      10%
    • 25-34 years
      14%
    • 35-44 years
      13%
    • 45-54 years
      13%
    • 55-64 years
      12%
    • 65+ years
      12%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      12%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      19%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      30%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      27%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      12%
      13%

    Working in Shelby County

    Jobs
    C+
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $48,415
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Shelby County
    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    • Colleges

      Shelby County Reviews

      121 reviews
      All Categories
      Memphis is an affordable city with good weather (although the summers are humid, the winters are mild). The city is getting revitalized one neighborhood at a time. Plenty to do for any age group and type of interests. Give Memphis a shot!
      Start Your Review of Shelby County
      Rate It!
      I have lived in Shelby County the majority of my life. It seems like the quality of life here varies depending on the area. I have known the majority of Shelby County to be stricken with poverty, so there are direct consequences that effect the community greatly such as crime and addiction. I love my home and the people here, people are very resilient and full of life. The culture here is typical of that in the south, strong religious backgrounds are common. It seems to have negative consequences for the community, abstinence focused sex education and misinformation spread about resources like Planned Parenthood have left us with high STD rates as well as an abundance of teen pregnancy. I hope that some type of reform comes about in the next decade as we hopefully vote out some of the corrupt politicians, which seems to be an issue in our government.
      have lived in Shelby County the majority of my life. It seems like the quality of life here varies depending on the area. I have known the majority of Shelby County to be stricken with poverty, so there are direct consequences that effect the community greatly such as crime and addiction. I love my home and the people here, people are very resilient and full of life. The culture here is typical of that in the south, strong religious backgrounds are common.