Knox County vs Shelby County
A side-by-side comparison of Knox County and Shelby County: population, income, housing, and more.
Knox County and Shelby County are counties in Tennessee. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Shelby County has the higher population (922,195 vs 487,401 in Knox County). Knox County has the higher median household income ($71,662 vs $62,337 in Shelby County). Knox County has the higher median home value ($279,700 vs $229,700 in Shelby County).
Population, income & housing
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 487,401 | 922,195 |
| Median age | 37.3 yrs | 35.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $71,662 | $62,337 |
| Median home value | $279,700 | $229,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,180 | $1,170 |
| Housing units | 214,606 | 403,144 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.9% | 54.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.2% | 34.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 7.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 461,104 → 487,401 (+5.7%) | 936,374 → 922,195 (-1.5%) |
| Median household income | $57,470 → $71,662 (+24.7%) | $51,657 → $62,337 (+20.7%) |
| Median home value | $183,200 → $279,700 (+52.7%) | $150,400 → $229,700 (+52.7%) |
| Median gross rent | $892 → $1,180 (+32.3%) | $942 → $1,170 (+24.2%) |
Knox County
461,104487,401
$57,470$71,662
$183,200$279,700
$892$1,180
Shelby County
936,374922,195
$51,657$62,337
$150,400$229,700
$942$1,170
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.5% | 6.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.5% | 18.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.9% | 8.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.8% | 14.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 12.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 11.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 12.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.7% | 9.1% |
| 75 and over | 6.4% | 5.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 79.6% | 33.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.0% | 52.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 2.2% | 2.8% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.1% | 8.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.7% | 10.2% |
| High school graduate | 24.6% | 27.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.5% | 28.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 24.4% | 20.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 15.7% | 14.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 76.8% | 78.3% |
| Carpooled | 7.2% | 9.1% |
| Public transit | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 12.7% | 9.4% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 65.9% | 66.6% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.4% | 4.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.2% | 6.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 11.7% | 14.1% |
| 20 or more units | 7.9% | 6.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.8% | 1.2% |
Poverty & households
| Knox County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 17.5% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | 2.52 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 22 | 23 |
| Median year structure built | 1985 | 1977 |
Full profiles
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