Memphis had an estimated 609,647 residents on July 1, 2025, down 5.8% from the 2010 census and 3.7% from 2020. Age, households, income and housing.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Every figure on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau and is linked to its table. Updated when new estimates or survey data are released.

Memphis had an estimated 609,647 residents on July 1, 2025, according to the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates. That is 5.8% fewer than the 646,889 people the 2010 census counted and 3.7% fewer than the 633,104 counted in 2020. Memphis is still by far the largest city in Shelby County, with about two-thirds of the county’s 910,226 residents. See the city’s QuickFacts page.

The sources

Population since 2010

Line chart of Memphis' population: 646,889 in the 2010 census, 633,104 in the 2020 census, then estimates of 622,541 in 2021, 618,901 in 2022, 615,634 in 2023, 614,222 in 2024 and 609,647 in 2025.

Year Population Source
2010 646,889 Census
2020 633,104 Census
2021 622,541 Estimate, July 1
2022 618,901 Estimate, July 1
2023 615,634 Estimate, July 1
2024 614,222 Estimate, July 1
2025 609,647 Estimate, July 1

Memphis lost 2.1% of its people between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, and every annual estimate since has been lower than the one before. The latest year’s drop, from July 2024 to July 2025, was 4,575 people, or 0.7%.

Who lives here

From the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year average:

Measure Memphis Shelby County
Median age 34.2 35.9
Under 18 25.2% 25.4%
65 and older 14.4% 14.8%
Households 253,120 362,741
Average household size 2.39 2.49
Median household income $51,736 $63,767
People below the poverty line 23.1% 17.8%
Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher 28.0% 34.3%

Housing

Measure Memphis Shelby County
Housing units 289,887 404,333
Owner-occupied homes 44.9% 54.1%
Median value, owner-occupied home $169,000 $249,100
Median gross rent $1,181 $1,232

For current market values, see our home prices page.

Memphis and its neighbors

July 1, 2025, estimates and the change since the Census Bureau’s April 2020 estimates base:

Place 2025 estimate Change since 2020
Memphis 609,647 -3.0%
Shelby County 910,226 -2.1%
Southaven, Miss. 57,819 +5.8%
Bartlett 56,416 -2.4%
Olive Branch, Miss. 47,563 +2.5%
Germantown 40,001 -3.2%
Horn Lake, Miss. 26,741 +0.1%
West Memphis, Ark. 23,336 -4.8%

The DeSoto County, Mississippi, suburbs to the south are the only neighbors that grew. The estimates base for Memphis (628,510) differs slightly from the 2020 census count, so the change in this table is not the same as the change since the census. Estimates for the neighbors come from the Mississippi and Arkansas files.

What this means for you

  • Memphis is shrinking slowly, by less than 1% a year in every estimate since 2020.
  • It is younger and lower-income than the county as a whole, and most households rent.
  • Compare neighborhoods and ZIP codes on data.census.gov.

More guides: moving to Memphis, home prices and schools.

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Memphis, Tennessee?

609,647 on July 1, 2025, according to the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimates. The 2020 census counted 633,104 people.

Is Memphis losing population?

Yes. The city fell 2.1% from 2010 to 2020 and has kept shrinking in every annual estimate since, to 609,647 in July 2025, down 0.7% from 614,222 a year earlier.

What is the median household income in Memphis?

$51,736, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, against $63,767 for Shelby County as a whole.

How many people live in Shelby County?

910,226 on July 1, 2025, by the Census Bureau’s estimate. Memphis holds about two-thirds of them.

What share of Memphis homes are owner-occupied?

44.9% of occupied homes, according to the 2020-2024 American Community Survey; the rest are rented. Median gross rent is $1,181 a month.