Hamilton County vs Shelby County
Hamilton County, Tennessee versus Shelby County, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Hamilton County and Shelby County score about the same overall (42 vs 39 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hamilton County | Shelby County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $69k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $49k |
| Home Value | $251k | $206k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $96k | $198k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.73% | 1.12% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.81% | 7.03% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 7.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.2 in | 55.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.9 in | 2.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 201 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 93.3 | 99.4 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 38.0 | 48.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1813/100k | 4495/100k |
| Property Crime | 3083/100k | 5526/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 367,193 | 926,440 |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 35.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.44 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+31 |
| White (%) | 70.1% | 34.5% |
| Black (%) | 17.7% | 53.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.2% | 6.8% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 2.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 2.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 10.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 103 mi | 15 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 84.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.93 | 0.33 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hamilton County or Shelby County more affordable?
- Shelby County has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Hamilton County's $53k and Shelby County's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Hamilton County versus $1k in Shelby County.
- Is Hamilton County or Shelby County safer?
- Hamilton County has the lower violent crime rate. Hamilton County reports 1813/100k and Shelby County reports 4495/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hamilton County or Shelby County?
- The median home value is $251k in Hamilton County and $206k in Shelby County, so homes are more affordable in Shelby County.