1st Advantage MortgageThe median Shelby County household earns $63,767, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Shelby County, TN: the basics
- Shelby County housing compared with Tennessee
- What Shelby County households earn
- Jobs and commutes in Shelby County
- The communities that make up Shelby County
- Shelby County and the counties next door
- Shelby County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Shelby County data as a borrower
- Room for a loan payment in Shelby County
- Four steps for Shelby County borrowers
- Who licenses lenders for Shelby County residents
- More guides for Shelby County
- Frequently asked questions
Shelby County, TN: the basics
Shelby County is home to about 919,173 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 1st most populous of 95 county-level areas in Tennessee. Packed into 753 square miles, that is close to 1,221 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 7 places in the county (7 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Memphis, with about 618,980 residents, or 67% of the county.
Shelby County housing compared with Tennessee
A typical Shelby County rental runs $1,232 a month including utilities, which is 4% above Tennessee. By the Census definition, 54% of Shelby County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $249,100, about 3.9 times the median household income. 54% of Shelby County households own their home and 46% rent.
| Home costs | Shelby County | Tennessee | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,232/mo | $1,189/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $249,100 | $286,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 54% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.2% | 8.1% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 10% | n/a |
For the many renters in Shelby County, deposits, moving costs and card balances are typical reasons to borrow. Keep the amount small and the term short. Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
What Shelby County households earn
Half of Shelby County households take in less than $63,767 a year and half take in more, 8% below the Tennessee median of $69,595. Only 28 Tennessee counties post a higher median.
| Income band | Share in Shelby County | Difference from Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.5% | +3.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.7% | -1.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.1% | -2.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.7% | +0.7 pts |
About 27% of households earn under $35,000, while 32% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 17.8%, 4 points higher than the state's 13.8%. A household earning below the $63,767 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Jobs and commutes in Shelby County
Education and health care employs 23% of working residents, the largest share; transportation, warehousing and utilities is next with 14%. Compared with Tennessee, the county leans toward transportation, warehousing and utilities (14% against 7%). The survey's unemployment rate for Shelby County averages 7.2% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.7%). 6% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 11% work from home.
| Industry | Share of Shelby County workers | vs Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.9% | +0.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 13.9% | +6.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.8% | +0.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.4% | -1.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.0% | -3.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.5% | -0.5 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
The communities that make up Shelby County
Here are the 7 most populous of the county's 7 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 88% of Shelby County residents live in one of the 7. Incomes vary by place: $149,920 at the median in Germantown, $49,979 in Millington. Median rent ranges from $1,111 in Millington to $2,164 in Arlington. Names with links open a city guide. The other 6 places are covered here.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | city | 618,980 | $51,736 | $1,181 | 7 mi |
| Bartlett | city | 56,876 | $102,070 | $1,638 | 5 mi |
| Collierville | town | 51,515 | $138,598 | $1,691 | 15 mi |
| Germantown | city | 40,673 | $149,920 | $1,816 | 10 mi |
| Arlington | town | 15,205 | $135,105 | $2,164 | 14 mi |
| Lakeland | city | 14,192 | $116,250 | $1,755 | 11 mi |
| Millington | city | 11,289 | $49,979 | $1,111 | 10 mi |
Shelby County and the counties next door
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (22 to 37 miles). Fayette County leads the group on income ($88,456), Marshall County trails ($53,458), and Shelby County out-earns 2 of the six. Some neighbors are in Arkansas and Mississippi. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Shelby County resident follows Tennessee rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | - | $63,767 | $1,232/mo | 54% |
| DeSoto County, MS | 22 mi | $85,297 | $1,451/mo | 78% |
| Crittenden County, AR | 23 mi | $55,358 | $911/mo | 57% |
| Tipton County, TN | 23 mi | $74,127 | $1,013/mo | 76% |
| Fayette County, TN | 27 mi | $88,456 | $902/mo | 81% |
| Marshall County, MS | 36 mi | $53,458 | $868/mo | 79% |
| Tate County, MS | 37 mi | $69,704 | $963/mo | 76% |
Shelby County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 34% of the adult population. About 12% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Shelby County | All of Tennessee | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 38.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.3% | 31.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.1% | 10.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 12.0% | 10.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 12.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.2% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 22.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 49.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.6% |
| 60+ min | 2.5% |
Reading the Shelby County data as a borrower
Based on the Shelby County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Uninsured care. 12% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Renters under pressure. When 54% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Room for a loan payment in Shelby County
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Shelby County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $63,767 a year is $5,314 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $1,232, takes 23% of that
- Under a 35% cap, $1,860 total minus rent leaves $628
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,159 a month
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Four steps for Shelby County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Tennessee.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Who licenses lenders for Shelby County residents
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Shelby County borrowers answers to the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. More on Tennessee: Tennessee personal loans.
More guides for Shelby County
Guides that cover parts of Shelby County:
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Shelby County household make?
About $63,767 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 8% below the Tennessee median.
Is Shelby County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,232 against $1,189 statewide, and 54% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Which towns does the Shelby County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 7 Census places: Memphis, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Arlington.
Are Shelby County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Who regulates personal lenders for Shelby County residents?
The Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Tennessee; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.