Rutherford County vs Shelby County
Rutherford 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.
Rutherford County edges out Shelby County on overall objective livability (45 vs 40 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Rutherford County | Shelby County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $49k |
| Home Value | $305k | $206k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.54% | 1.12% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.26% | 7.03% |
| Unemployment | 3.9% | 7.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 39°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.2 in | 55.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.1 in | 2.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 183 days | 201 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 91.7 | 99.4 |
| Air Quality | — | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 34.5 | 48.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1968/100k | 4495/100k |
| Property Crime | 1585/100k | 5526/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 343,727 | 926,440 |
| Median Age | 34.0 | 35.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+16 | D+31 |
| White (%) | 67.5% | 34.5% |
| Black (%) | 15.0% | 53.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.1% | 6.8% |
| Asian (%) | 3.6% | 2.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 2.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 6.5/20 | 10.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 23 mi | 15 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.1% | 84.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.58 | 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 Rutherford County or Shelby County more affordable?
- Shelby County has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Rutherford County's $60k and Shelby County's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Rutherford County versus $1k in Shelby County.
- Is Rutherford County or Shelby County safer?
- Rutherford County has the lower violent crime rate. Rutherford County reports 1968/100k and Shelby County reports 4495/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Rutherford County or Shelby County?
- The median home value is $305k in Rutherford County and $206k in Shelby County, so homes are more affordable in Shelby County.