Q

How big is Memphis?

With a population of around 650,000, Memphis is larger than other cities in the South and MidSouth, including Atlanta and New Orleans, and twice the size of cities like Lexington, Kentucky.

Adjacent Shelby County is the largest of Tennessee’s 95 counties in geography and population, and is home to around 935,000 residents. The city and county populations have remained stable for the last 10 years. 

The size of Memphis is an advantage because you get to know more people. It’s a tight-knit community and things are more accessible here than they are in bigger cities. I go to a cycle studio that’s within walking distance to my house, which makes it so much easier to exercise.

Line drawing of Mondira Kundu

Mondira Kundu

Member

East Memphis

photo of down town memphis at sunset

The Memphis skyline, viewed from the west.

Memphis was my first mid-sized city and it feels like the best of both worlds. It has big-city amenities but also has this real small-town feel. The community we found in East Memphis has big yards and mid-Century homes. And the kind of house we bought in Memphis, we would never have been able to afford in Dallas, where we lived previously.

line drawing of Sam Hughes

Sam Hughes

Program Manager

East Memphis