Shelby County, Tennessee facts for kids

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Shelby County

U.S. county

Shelby County Courthouse

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee

Tennessee's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Tennessee

Founded

November 24, 1819

Named for

Isaac Shelby

Seat

Memphis

Largest city

Memphis

Area

• Total

785 sq mi (2,030 km²)

• Land

763 sq mi (1,980 km²)

• Water

22 sq mi (60 km²) 2.8%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

929,744

• Estimate

(2023)

910,042

• Density

1,184.4/sq mi (457.29/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional districts

8th, 9th

Shelby County is located in the western part of Tennessee, a state in the United States. It is the westernmost county in Tennessee. In 2020, about 929,744 people lived here. This makes it the largest county in Tennessee, both by how many people live there and by its size.

The main city and county seat is Memphis. Memphis is a busy port city on the Mississippi River. It is also the second-largest city in Tennessee. The county got its name from Isaac Shelby (1750–1826), who was a governor of Kentucky. Shelby County is one of only two counties in Tennessee where most people are African American. It is part of the larger Memphis metropolitan area. The Mississippi River forms its western border.

Long ago, this area was known for its large cotton farms. Cotton was a very important crop here for many years. Today, the economy of Shelby County has many different types of businesses.

History of Shelby County

The land along the Mississippi River was home to many different groups of indigenous peoples for a long time. In more recent history, the Chickasaw people lived in much of this area. They are thought to be related to the ancient Mississippian culture. This culture built large, complex cities with strong defenses. One of the biggest was Cahokia, which was active from around 950 CE until the 1400s. It was located on the east side of the Mississippi River, in what is now southern Illinois.

The United States government gained the Shelby County area from the Chickasaw people in 1818. This was part of a deal called the Jackson Purchase. Shelby County was officially created in 1819 by European-American settlers. It was named after Isaac Shelby, who helped with the land deal.

From 1827 to 1868, the county seat was in a town called Raleigh, Tennessee. Raleigh is now part of Memphis. After the American Civil War, Memphis grew a lot and became very important. So, the county seat was moved there.

Before the Civil War, the lowlands near the Mississippi River were used for big cotton farms. Most of the workers on these farms were enslaved African Americans. They were brought from other parts of the country. Even before the Civil War, most people in the county were Black, and most of them were enslaved. Memphis became a major place for trading cotton.

After the war, enslaved people became free. Many freedmen (newly freed people) stayed and worked on the land as sharecroppers. This meant they farmed the land and shared the crops with the landowner.

After the Civil War, politics in Tennessee were very competitive. People in eastern Tennessee often supported the Republican Party. Black people in western Tennessee also supported the Republican Party. Most white people who wanted to keep things as they were supported the Democratic Party.

From 1877 to 1950, there were many unfair acts of violence against Black people in Shelby County. This was the highest number in the state. Around the early 1900s, laws were passed that made it very hard for Black people to vote. The state also passed Jim Crow laws. These laws made public places separate for Black and white people. Black people were mostly kept out of the political system for over 60 years.

In the 1900s, new machines made farming easier, so fewer farm workers were needed. At the same time, factories and railroads in the North were looking for workers. This led to the Great Migration. Many African Americans moved from rural areas to Memphis or to cities in the North. They were looking for jobs and better social and political opportunities.

After World War II, new highways were built. This led to many new homes being built outside Memphis, where land was cheaper. People started moving from the city to the suburbs. Businesses followed them. As more homes and suburbs grew, the population of the wider Memphis area became mostly white.

Today, Shelby County has six towns that have their own local governments. Other areas are not part of any town. People in the county enjoy many parks and attractions in Memphis.

Geography of Shelby County

Shelby County covers about 785 square miles. About 763 square miles is land, and 22 square miles (2.8%) is water. It is the largest county in Tennessee by land area. The lowest point in Tennessee is in Shelby County. It is on the Mississippi River, where the river leaves Tennessee and flows into Mississippi.

Rivers in Shelby County

Neighboring Counties

Tipton County (north)
Fayette County (east)
Marshall County, Mississippi (southeast)
DeSoto County, Mississippi (south)
Crittenden County, Arkansas (west)

People of Shelby County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	364	—
1830	5,648	1,451.6%
1840	14,721	160.6%
1850	31,157	111.7%
1860	48,092	54.4%
1870	76,378	58.8%
1880	78,430	2.7%
1890	112,740	43.7%
1900	153,557	36.2%
1910	191,439	24.7%
1920	223,216	16.6%
1930	306,482	37.3%
1940	358,250	16.9%
1950	482,393	34.7%
1960	627,019	30.0%
1970	722,014	15.2%
1980	777,113	7.6%
1990	826,330	6.3%
2000	897,472	8.6%
2010	927,644	3.4%
2020	929,744	0.2%
2023 (est.)	910,042	−1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014

Population pyramid Shelby County

**Shelby County, Tennessee – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	414,888	359,106	316,740	46.23%	38.71%	34.07%
Black or African American alone (NH)	434,201	481,434	475,074	48.38%	51.90%	51.10%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	1,538	1,804	1,561	0.17%	0.19%	0.17%
Asian alone (NH)	14,552	21,245	27,960	1.62%	2.29%	3.01%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	248	274	256	0.03%	0.03%	0.03%
Other race alone (NH)	946	1,097	3,614	0.11%	0.12%	0.39%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	7,735	10,595	26,832	0.86%	1.14%	2.89%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	23,364	52,092	77,707	2.60%	5.62%	8.36%
Total	897,472	927,644	929,744	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2020 Census Information

In 2020, the United States census counted 929,744 people living in Shelby County. There were 353,950 households and 215,446 families.

2010 Census Information

According to the 2010 United States Census, there were 927,644 people in the county.

52.1% were Black or African American.
40.6% were White.
2.3% were Asian.
0.2% were Native American.
3.3% were of some other race.
1.4% were of two or more races.
5.6% were Hispanic or Latino (this group can be of any race).

Education in Shelby County

Colleges and Universities

Shelby County has many places for higher education. These include colleges and university campuses.

In Memphis, you can find:

Baptist College of Health Sciences
Christian Brothers University
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Worldwide (Memphis Campus)
Harding School of Theology
LeMoyne–Owen College
Memphis College of Art
Memphis Theological Seminary
Rhodes College
Southern College of Optometry
Southwest Tennessee Community College
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
University of Memphis

In Cordova, there is Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Germantown has a campus of Union University.

Schools for Kids (K-12)

Shelby County Schools (SCS) is the main school district. It serves all of Memphis and most areas outside the city.

Some towns in the county have their own school districts:

Arlington Community Schools
Bartlett City Schools
Collierville Schools
Germantown Municipal Schools
Lakeland School System
Millington Municipal Schools

Before 2013, there were two main school districts: Shelby County Schools (for areas outside Memphis) and Memphis City Schools (for Memphis). On June 30, 2013, these two districts joined together. They formed one big school system called Shelby County Schools. This unified system lasted for one year.

In 2014, six towns (Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland, and Millington) decided to create their own school districts. Their residents had voted to do this. These new municipal districts started classes on August 4, 2014.

Getting Around Shelby County

Local Travel

The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) provides public transportation. MATA operates buses and the MATA Trolley. There is also a special suspended monorail called the Memphis Suspension Railway. It connects the city to Mud Island.