Census tract · Shelby County
Census Tract 78.21, Shelby County, Tennessee
Census Tract 78.21, GEOID 47157007821, in Shelby County, Tennessee, entirely within Memphis. 4,099 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±881); the 2020 Census counted 4,450.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,099
±881 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,450
Median household income
$44,643
±$35,136 (90% margin)
Shelby County: $63,767
Median home value
$79,900
±$9,295 (90% margin)
Shelby County: $249,100
Median gross rent
$911
±$335 (90% margin)
Shelby County: $1,232
Where is Census Tract 78.21?
Census Tract 78.21 is one of 249 census tracts in Shelby County, Tennessee. It covers 1.35 square miles of land, 3,291 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 47157007821, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Memphis | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 78.21: Tract 78.10 ($29,630), Tract 78.22 ($30,256), Tract 81.10 ($31,354), Tract 225 ($50,752) and Tract 9801*. The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income; * a special land-use tract (water, a park or an institution) with few or no residents.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 78.21?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 78.21's population at 4,099 (±881) in 2,184 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,450 residents and 2,152 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 78.21 | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,099 ±881 | 618,980 |
| Households | 2,184 ±520 | 253,120 |
| Average household size | 1.86 ±0.33 | 2.39 |
| Housing units | 2,546 ±474 | 289,887 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 78.21?
The median resident of Census Tract 78.21 is 50.9 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 95.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.0%.
| Measure | Tract 78.21 | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.9 ±5.1 | 34.2 |
| Under 18 years | 12.2% ±8.6 pts | 25.2% |
| 65 years and over | 28.7% ±10.5 pts | 14.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 10.4% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±2.2 pts | 22.4% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 95.0% ±5.2 pts | 62.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 1.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±4.9 pts | 2.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.5% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 7.7% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.9% ±1.5 pts | 11.5% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.9% ±2.7 pts | 5.2% |
| With a disability | 25.7% ±9.7 pts | 13.7% |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.2% ±4.9 pts | 14.7% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.7% ±6.7 pts | 87.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.1% ±7.3 pts | 28.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.5% ±2.6 pts | 11.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.5% ±7.5 pts | 86.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 78.21 earn?
The median household income for Census Tract 78.21 is published as $44,643 with a margin of ±$35,136, too wide to rely on. 38.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 78.21 | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,643 ±$35,136 | $51,736 |
| Mean household income | $47,321 ±$11,029 | $78,517 |
| Per capita income | $26,246 ±$7,247 | $33,100 |
| People below the poverty line | 38.9% ±14.4 pts | 23.1% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 93.6% ±11.1 pts | 35.7% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 29.4% ±14.1 pts | 19.9% |
| Households with a computer | 97.3% ±2.2 pts | 93.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.0% ±6.4 pts | 87.5% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 78.21?
Owners occupy 38.5% of Census Tract 78.21's occupied homes and renters 61.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $79,900 by its owner (±$9,295). The median renter pays $911 a month including utilities, and 28.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 78.21 | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $79,900 ±$9,295 | $169,000 |
| Median gross rent | $911 ±$335 | $1,181 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.5% ±18.4 pts | 46.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $997 ±$131 | $1,420 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 38.5% ±16.0 pts | 44.9% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 61.5% ±16.0 pts | 55.1% |
| Housing units | 2,546 ±474 | 289,887 |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.9% ±7.8 pts | 59.5% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.1% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 3.8% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.3% ±2.3 pts | 7.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.7% ±6.9 pts | 10.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 78.21 get to work?
88.3% of Census Tract 78.21's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.1 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 78.21 | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.2% ±11.8 pts | 63.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.1% ±8.1 pts | 8.3% |
| Drove alone to work | 88.3% ±8.3 pts | 76.2% |
| Carpooled | 6.0% ±6.1 pts | 10.4% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.8% |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 1.7% |
| Worked from home | 5.7% ±5.6 pts | 9.2% |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.1 min ±2.9 | 21.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 78.21 compare with the other tracts in Shelby County?
Among Shelby County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 78.21 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Shelby County | In Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 98th of 245 | 69th of 193 |
| Residents per square mile | 99th of 249 | 93rd of 197 |
| Per capita income | 148th of 244 | 97th of 192 |
| Median home value | 192nd of 227 | 141st of 176 |
| Median gross rent | 217th of 236 | 171st of 190 |
| Poverty rate | 38th of 161 | 38th of 149 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 160th of 209 | 109th of 157 |
| Median age | 10th of 245 | 5th of 193 |
| Owner-occupied share | 165th of 229 | 116th of 178 |
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 78.21?
5 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 78.21 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections