SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. (WMC) – Suburban Shelby County is thriving as more families choose to call the area home for its schools. The latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau reveal a steady population shift, showing significant growth in suburban districts while Memphis has experienced a slight decline since 2000.
Between 2000 and 2025, Arlington’s population skyrocketed by nearly 500 percent, Lakeland jumped more than 100 percent, and Collierville shot up by 58 percent. Meanwhile, the city of Memphis saw its population drop by just under 5 percent over the same period.
For many families, education is the driving force behind the move. Todd King, a father of three, made the decision to relocate his family from Cordova to the Lakeland school district in 2018 after his son Austin struggled at his previous school…