RANK #847 / 1001 NAT · #28 / 33 TN · POP 919,173
1YR FORECAST: -2.5%
5YR OUTLOOK: +22%
Shelby County, Tennessee, is perhaps best known as the home of Memphis, a city celebrated for its deep musical heritage and its position along the Mississippi River. The county, the largest in Tennessee by both land area and population, sits in the state's southwestern corner, bordering Arkansas and Mississippi. Commutes vary, with options including personal vehicles, public transportation via the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) bus and trolley lines, and rideshare programs. Beyond the urban landscape, outdoor recreation is available at expansive green spaces like Shelby Farms Park, one of the nation's largest urban parks, and Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, which offers hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing.
Life in Shelby County offers a mix of urban and suburban experiences, with notable towns such as Germantown, Collierville, and Bartlett providing distinct community feels. Public education is served by Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the largest district in Tennessee, alongside several independent municipal school districts. The economy, historically rooted in agriculture, particularly cotton, has diversified. It now leverages its strategic location as a logistics hub, supported by its airport, rail, road, and river infrastructure. Recent economic developments show investment in advanced manufacturing and technology sectors, contributing to job growth and economic expansion.
Shelby County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -1.5% YoY, population -0.3%, wages +3.5%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Below national median (11.3x)
Prices declining
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing is fairly valued at 6.6x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
xAI Data Center (Project Colossus)
xAI (Elon Musk)
|
$500M | Under Construction |
|
MLGW Solar and Battery Storage Project
Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW)
|
$180M | Planned |
|
WR Graceland Solar Farm
RWE Renewables
|
$140M | Under Construction |
|
Amazon Fulfillment Center (Frayser)
Amazon
|
$100M | Operating |
|
Shelby County East Data Center
Nickson General Contractors
|
$50M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Shelby County scores just 15/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #847 of 1001 counties. Job growth at -2.5% and median household income of $63,767 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Housing in Shelby County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $249,100 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.26, with rents averaging $1,232/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Shelby County's job market is contracting (-2.5% YoY) while population is roughly stable (-0.3% change). Home values are -1.5% over the past 12 months. Hiring headwinds without an offsetting exodus — residents are staying, but local employers are shedding payroll.
Not particularly — 1.03% of Shelby County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.