Shelby County

About Shelby County

Shelby County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 929,744, and was estimated to be 910,226 in 2025, making it the most populous county in Tennessee and the 65th-most populous county in the United States. It is also the largest county in Tennessee in terms of geographic area. The county seat and the largest city is Memphis, a port on the Mississippi River and the second-most populous city in Tennessee and the 29th-most populous city in the United States. The county was named for Governor Isaac Shelby of Kentucky. It is one of only two remaining counties in Tennessee with a majority African American population, along with Haywood County. Shelby County is part of the Memphis metropolitan area. It is bordered on the west by the Mississippi River. Located within the Mississippi Delta, the county was developed as a center of cotton plantations in the antebellum era, and cotton continued as an important commodity crop well into the 20th century. The economy has become more diversified. It contains over 12.60% of the state's population.