Shelby County, Tennessee
Among the top 1% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 7% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 12% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
- top 3% for airport distance
- top 6% for walkability
- bottom 1% for violent crime
Shelby County is a county in Tennessee with about 926,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and park & nature access. It rates lower on property crime and violent crime.
Official websiteshelbycountytn.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
cold
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comf.
warm
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68%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.6 in4.0 in
muggy 92%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$60k47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 26% of US counties
Home Value$206k70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 17% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 21% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.12%better than 31% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.55%better than 4% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.03%better than 82% of US counties
Unemployment7.3%better than 14% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation55.6 in86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.6 inbetter than 70% of US counties
Sunny Days201 daysbetter than 17% of US counties
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 19% of US counties
Comfortable Days78 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk99.4better than 1% of US counties
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 10% of US counties
School Quality48.8better than 37% of US counties
Violent Crime4495/100kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Crime5526/100kbetter than 1% of US counties
Community
Population926,44098th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.912th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5792nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.915th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+315th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)34.5%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)53.6%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.8%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.9%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.3%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 63% of US counties
Walkability10.4/20better than 94% of US counties
Airport Distance15 mibetter than 97% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.3%better than 57% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.33better than 27% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 92% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Shelby County an affordable place to live?
- Shelby County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 26% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Shelby County?
- The median home value in Shelby County is $206k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Shelby County?
- Median household income in Shelby County is $60k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Shelby County?
- Median gross rent in Shelby County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Shelby County safe?
- Shelby County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 4495/100k (better than 0%). Property crime is 5526/100k.
- What is the weather like in Shelby County?
- Shelby County averages 82°F in July and 41°F in January, with 55.6 in of annual precipitation and about 201 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Shelby County?
- Public-school quality in Shelby County is below average, scoring better than 37% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Shelby County?
- The average one-way commute in Shelby County is 23 min.
Other counties in Tennessee
Explore Tennessee
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)