Rutherford County vs Shelby County
A side-by-side comparison of Rutherford County and Shelby County: population, income, housing, and more.
Rutherford 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 351,591 in Rutherford County). Rutherford County has the higher median household income ($82,588 vs $62,337 in Shelby County). Rutherford County has the higher median home value ($346,400 vs $229,700 in Shelby County).
Population, income & housing
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 351,591 | 922,195 |
| Median age | 34.0 yrs | 35.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $82,588 | $62,337 |
| Median home value | $346,400 | $229,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,405 | $1,170 |
| Housing units | 135,336 | 403,144 |
| Homeownership rate | 65.0% | 54.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.4% | 34.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 7.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 315,815 → 351,591 (+11.3%) | 936,374 → 922,195 (-1.5%) |
| Median household income | $67,429 → $82,588 (+22.5%) | $51,657 → $62,337 (+20.7%) |
| Median home value | $213,200 → $346,400 (+62.5%) | $150,400 → $229,700 (+52.7%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 → $1,405 (+32.2%) | $942 → $1,170 (+24.2%) |
Rutherford County
315,815351,591
$67,429$82,588
$213,200$346,400
$1,063$1,405
Shelby County
936,374922,195
$51,657$62,337
$150,400$229,700
$942$1,170
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.5% | 18.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.7% | 8.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.7% | 14.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.4% | 12.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 11.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.8% | 12.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.9% | 9.1% |
| 75 and over | 4.0% | 5.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 64.8% | 33.3% |
| Black or African American | 14.9% | 52.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 3.5% | 2.8% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.6% | 8.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.6% | 10.2% |
| High school graduate | 28.1% | 27.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 29.9% | 28.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.4% | 20.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 10.9% | 14.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.0% | 78.3% |
| Carpooled | 10.0% | 9.1% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 13.0% | 9.4% |
| Other means | 0.7% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 67.4% | 66.6% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.2% | 4.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.3% | 6.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 11.6% | 14.1% |
| 20 or more units | 6.8% | 6.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.7% | 1.2% |
Poverty & households
| Rutherford County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 17.5% |
| Average household size | 2.76 | 2.52 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 28 | 23 |
| Median year structure built | 2000 | 1977 |
Full profiles
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