The outflow of white residents from both Shelby County and the entire eight-county Memphis metro area rose to new highs in the last 10 years, census and birth-death numbers show.
The figures reflect that 66,112 more white residents moved away from Shelby County than moved in while the area’s other seven counties had a white in-movement gain of only 29,085.
What these numbers show is: The eight-county area had a net loss of 37,027 white residents to out-movement.
After the 2000 Census but before Marshall, Tate and Tunica counties were added to the metro area, calculations showed that Shelby County had lost 50,681 white residents to outward movement during the 1990s.
Overall, the then five-county metro area had a net loss of 14,633 white residents to out-movement in the 1990s. The addition of the three counties did not significantly change the population picture in the area.
During 2000-2010, the eight-county area also had a large in-movement of African Americans and other minorities including a significant shift of African Americans and other minorities to DeSoto County.
The minority population also increased significantly in Shelby County outside Memphis reflecting a national trend of black residents and other minorities moving to the suburbs.
Another statistic from the 2010 Census: Primarily as a result of the large white outflow, Shelby County had the smallest population increase in any decade since yellow fellow ravaged the area in the 1870s.
The population gain during that decade was only 2,053. A 31,777 increase during 1910-1920 had been second lowest, but the 30,172 gain recorded during 2000-2010 came in below that.
The 1970 Census was, when birth-death numbers are considered, the last 10-year federal census to show more people moving to Shelby County than moving away.
And as a result of the population shifts during the past decade, the 2010 Census is the first show that minority residents are in a majority in the the Memphis metro area.
The census count figures show the white population at 47.9 percent of the eight-county area’s 1,316,100 residents. The non-Hispanic white population, a designation frequently used in census reports, was 46.2 percent of the total.
The African American percentage was 45.7. For several decades, the Memphis metro area has had the highest percentage of black population among the nation’s large metropolitan areas.
The area has seemed on a path to become the nation’s first metro area of one million or more with a majority black population.
It’s not known for certain right now whether the Memphis area still holds that position since the Census Bureau has not yet published a 2010 racial breakdown of the nation’s metropolitan areas.
Memphis metro area population change 2000-2010
White
Counties 2000 Births Deaths Net Migration 2010
Shelby 424,834 +56,395 -38,847 -66,112 376,270
Fayette 17,997 +2,930 -1,971 +7,622 26,578
Tipton 39,920 +5,691 -3,814 +5,704 47,501
Crittenden 25,896 +3,405 -2,632 -3,223 23,446
DeSoto 91,950 +16,103 -7,702 +16,089 116,440
Tate 17,211 +2,448 -1,846 +1,500 19,313
Tunica 2,541 +314 -383 +81 2,553
Marshall 16,925 +2,468 -2,091 +1,312 18,614
Totals 637,274 +89,754 -59,286 -37,027 630,715
Black and Other
Shelby 472,638 +89,686 -38,282 +27,332 551,374
Fayette 11,351 +1,572 -1,115 +1,772 13,580
Tipton 10,809 +1,829 -1,024 +221 11,835
Crittenden 24,970 +5,536 -2,284 -766 27,456
DeSoto 15,249 +4,045 -1,194 +26,712 44,812
Tate 8,159 +1,489 -673 +598 9,573
Tunica 6,686 +1,776 -650 +413 8,225
Marshall 18,068 +2,751 -1,515 -774 18,530
Totals 567,930 +108,684 -46,737 +55,508 685,385
All
Metro 1,205,204 +198,438 -106,023 +18,481 1,316,100
Source: U.S. Census Bureau and State Vital Statistics Reports
if that black population is that huge, growing every year, with white folks clearly moving out (and even black folks moving to the suburbs as well), why aren’t more realistic efforts made to address the true needs of the population in Memphis ? I mean, I read a lot of crazy stuff like lobbying for bike lanes, skate parks and urban high density living which might be great things in theory and in somebody else’s vision of what makes a city livable, progressive and all of that other stuff, but I don’t have one black or minority friend, neighbor or co-worker talking about or asking for money to be spent on those things. Is Memphis going to spend money on education which benefits everybody both black , white, brown, or on infrastructure which benefits everyone, or say, mass-transit, or is Memphis going to focus on relatively stupid stuff like bike lanes ? I have not spoken with a single black associate (females or males) who have remotely suggested they would ride their bikes to work or to the market ! It would seem easy to grasp that mass tranist might be more of a priority to everybody. Also, most blacks that I have spoken with don’t speak of some burning desire to be cramped into high density city living like they are living in NYC or Detroit or in the apartment-like building slums associated all to often with downtown-city-lving. These are some of the things that black people have expressed to me as being the exact things they are trying not to aspire to, or in which to participate. Most of what has been expressed is a desire for a nice, quiet, safe suburban home with a big yard as a goal or ideal. None have ever expressed living in a high density existence as being ideal at all. So, there seems to be a disconnect between what the true larger population of Memphis sees as ideal, and what they are ‘told’ as what ‘should be’ pursued as a good and desirable lifestyle and environment in which to live and work. The trend is obvious, even to knowitall university professors and self-serving developers. The trend is that people are moving out, and further out every year. People are interested it seems in becoming less concentrated, not more concentrated. If they were, we would see more evidence of that in the numbers. People will continue to move out for a variety of personal reasons. Just look at northern Mississippi. People are even willing to pay higher taxes and fees in their moving out. That should tell the academics and planners something very loudly. It seems they don’t care to listen or to open their eyes to a clear and apparent trend. I think they are trying to reverse the real trend for their own purposes, and certainly not for the true demographic of Memphis, TN. By the numbers, a number of blacks are trying to get out of the city as well. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If it were such a bad thing, then why on earth are so many people making that choice for themselves and their families ? They must like it, or many would be clammering to buy condos, lofts, high-rise apartments, or old shotgun-city-houses, in the central city. I do not see many black families in the majority population doing that now, and I don’t see a sea-change culturally-speaking in the near future. That’s a pipedream of someone else, and that someone else is more than likely a white male already living in an old house in midtown or a loft near Cooper Young district, or on Mud Island. It’s probably not the black professional family that transfered to Memphis from Charlotte, Atlanta, Dallas or NOVA, or the native black family who is saving their hard-earned dollars to purchase their first home in their native Memphis. Of course, there are those out here that deny obvious and embedded trends all the time.
The writer , (Mr. Jimmie Covington) of the above article made other key points in a Memphis Flyer publication:
“Tale of Two Populations”
“More people moved to Nashville than to Memphis over the past 10 years. Nashville’s metro area had a population increase of 178,069 from people moving to the area in the last decade while the Memphis area’s net gain was only 18,481, census and birth-death numbers show.”
He also adds some other fact and color:
“Demographic growth and economic growth go hand in hand,” said John Gnuschke, director of the Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Memphis. “In-migration is a key indicator of economic vitality. In choosing the Nashville area, people found a place where they would like to live and could find work.”
Gnuschke said the Nashville area performed better than the Memphis area in generating job opportunities during the decade.”
The questions for Memphis to answer are PLAIN. WHY did, or is Nashville generating the job opportunities ? And, WHY and HOW did those people come to ‘discover’ they would ‘like’ to live in Nashville ? What was the attraction ??
Memphians need to stop pretending that Memphis is somehow perceived as a true city of destination and city of choice, when it’s not, even when compared to Nashville.
Mr. Covington’s “Tale of Two Populations” provides some truth about what exactly is going on in the region, and how Memphis is seemingly losing- not only to North Mississippi (not simply a suburb mind you), but to another changing and dynamic city just a few short hours away- but perhaps decades ahead and worlds away.
NOrth Mississippi only looks “good” as compared to Memphis. Compared to suburbs in metro areas elsewhere, it doesn’t measure up in any way.
Anon-
Who has been making the following statement:
“Memphians need to stop pretending that Memphis is somehow perceived as a true city of destination and city of choice, when it’s not, even when compared to Nashville”.
As for north Mississippi, the anaylsis that “it” is not simply a suburb is correct. A lack of population growth in Tunica County despite the fact that there are more jobs than people and its lack of property tax is fascinating. Beyond suburban Memphis, north Mississippi is an interesting place indeed. So much wealth and yet so many living in poverty.
“Memphians need to stop pretending that Memphis is somehow perceived as a true city of destination and city of choice,”
This is Shekel’s straw man argument in a nutshell. Like most Memphians aren’t keenly aware of the problems and issues facing this region.
Since old savannah and anonymous are the same person, let us just say this:
Just because you don’t know about it doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. There is much happening to make Memphis a city of choice, and as we have said to you over and over, successful cities do a lot of things at the same time. That’s what’s happening here. They may not be on your agenda – and all of them may not be on ours – but they are nonetheless important to do.
We’ve been writing about these demographic trends for six years of this blog, and we always come back to the same point: Memphis needs to become a center of African-American entrepreneurship and talent. That’s where our future is and it’s time to get serious about it. God knows, if Atlanta could do it, we can do it.
One thing to note is that Shelby County is the most heavily populated county in the southeast outside of Florida. Perhaps someone should inform the mayors that they possess a greater degree of regional and national leverage than one might assume.
I have not met ONE business person or professional anywhere in the southerastern part of the United States or in the Midwest in particular who has lived in multiple cities over the last 20 or so years, that has plainly and clearly articulated that they view, perceive, believe or think that Memphis, TN as a destination city, or a city of choice..not ONE.
Several professionals I do know however who were residing for a while in Florida, when given the necessary business choice of relocating with their families, chose Knoxville, Nashville and the tri-cities area of NC. Memphis never made any of their short lists for a varirety of reasons stated to me.
You can’t make this stuff up ! It doesn’t really matter if that somehow offends your sensibilities about good ole Memphis.
Second, if you actually think the African American population of Memphis, TN is of the same calibre and exposure of that of Atlanta, Georgia (even from a historical perspective), then you are smoking crack. I lived in Atlanta area (Marietta however) for several years, and had my office in Atlanta. The African American professionals and entrepreneurs I met in Atlanta are ambitious, well traveled, well-educated and don’t harbor the limits of racism, as those that I jave met over two decades in Memphis, TN.
What Atlanta “did” over the years is not applicable to the demographic found in Memphis, TN. The cities are not comparable in my experience with respect to African Americas. I dare say, that if you speak to any African transplant to Memphis from Atlanta, they too would grimace and perhaps laugh at such a comparison ‘based on color, race and ethnicity’. In fact many might find it insulting.
Atlanta Georgia had great community leadership, awareness, and a thing called cooperation to put Atlanta FIRST in the southeast. Memphis remained in the weeds…together with Birmingham Alabama, Montgomery, and Jackson Mississipi. Nashville however did start ‘taking noets’ much earlier and seriously than Memphis. Memphis wasn’t even interested in looking anywhere else, they were too busy looking at THEMSELVES, thinking they were automatically competitive, all the while really knowing they were not…but they were too full of false pride, pretense and racism. Now, Memphis lags, and is NOW paying a heavy price.
Memphis suffers from a self-inflicted wound. This writer certainly didn’t create the problems…neither did many many other transplants. The LOCALS hurt themselves, and deliberately so. They shot THEMSELVES in the foot…and fully resent anyone else pointing out the salient truth.
You think Atlanta Georgia is looking over their shoulders,, concerned about Memphis TN’s ‘competition’ ??
You think Charlotte is shaking in their planning ‘boots’ ?? You think Nashvillians are worried about ‘playing catchup to Memphis’ ?? Tampa Bay ??
You’re absolutely out of touch with reality if you do believe these things. Most of these other cities don’t give a crap and worry about being ‘competitive’ when up against Memphis….not really. Ask any Nashvillian on the streets of Nashville ! Atlantans will call you an idiot. Residents of Charlotte will ask you if you have overdosed on your ‘great bbq’. Tampans will ask you if you are suffering from sunstroke.
The only one that might be concerned is crappy Birmingham, AL. No loss their.
Give me a break.
People make a city. The people in Atlanta MSA don’t compare well to the people of W TN. No one could be THAT blind.
Memphis DOES in fact suffer because of its proximity and affinity to the goddam poorest state in the nation….Mississippi. Memphis does in fact suffer from the bifurcation of haves and have nots…ala Mississippi-style.
Mississippi-style does nothing for your image…lol
You must be a riot at parties, Shek. Again, answer my questions: why did you lie about being in the United States Marines and why did you lie about being a rabbi? Thanks in advance….
Anon 10:49: You are right about one thing: people make a city. And how do you measure your contributions?
scm
it’s irrelevant how a poster measures their ‘contributions’ – it matters how the entrenched locals see ‘change’ in relation to meeting the needs of the majority population, and how quickly they choose to react to the need of solving glaring and serious problems.
The locus of responsibility seems squarely upon them, first, and certainly not upon ‘measurements’ or ‘evaluations’ of one person’s involvements
Similarly, the burden of proof is also upon those that helped to create the malaise, or allow it to fester, or allow it to be ignored for decades upon decades.
My responsibility is individual….not to dutifully awake the already slumbering or on death’s doorstep by their own hand. Any renaisance must be chosen by them first. Salvation is theirs to choose…not mine.
It does matter how a poster measures their contribution if said poster hints that they alone know how and where community action should occur. If they are not seriously involved in the community, their credibility is highly questionable where firsthand knowledge of that community’s needs is concerned.
Their credibility is also highly questionable whne they invesnt different personas to give the illusion that more than one person shares their views, not to mention lying about being a U.S. Marine or a rabbi…..lol, I mean, man-oh-man, it JUST an OPINION oh boy, I LOVE using ALL caps….
Not enough use of all caps this time shekel….try again.
BTW, Shek, if you care nothing about “credibility on a website” again, pls explain why you feel it necessary to invent different personas to make it appear as if there is more than one person posting your opinions. Also, why pretend to be a rabbi or Marine to add gravitas to your expressed opinions? thanks….
I’ll say this again, since it was deleted by those that are easily irked
“credibility” ?? you’re jokinag I hope…on the WEB ?
web forums like this and many others exist for expressing opinions
some of you must think that web forums must exist for a de facto think-tank..lol get serious
this writer doesn’t care in the least about establishing ‘credibility’ in the eyes of any other poster or commenter.
Credibility my arse, that’s too odd for me ! It’s the WEB !!
Do you think I have to explain anything to anyone else ?? that’s craaaazy, but funny as hell
“this writer doesn’t care in the least about establishing ‘credibility’ in the eyes of any other poster or commenter.”
Yes you do care, or you wouldn’t invent different personas to make it look like there is more than one person posting, or claim to have been a Marine or a rabbi. Can’t have it both ways, Shek.
“Do you think I have to explain anything to anyone else ??”
Obviously, you think you do, since you keep on trying to explain…
Anonymous: The question it seems everyone is asking is: Do you actually have a fact to back up your strident opinions? That’s why no one is listening, but I suspect you know that.
scm
don’t like opinions ? mine or anyone else’s ?? that’s quite fine with me !
you perceive opinions one way, I perceive them another way…that’s a beautiful freedom that we all have, and no one has to live under ‘sameness’ or repression, or censorship in a wonderfully free socieity, and that includes Memphis, Tennessee, not known for being a bastion of tolerance as everyone already is aware, years and years ago and even now, given some of your visceral reactions to simple opinion. Some of you get irked and your noses out of joint because somebody in Memphis doesn’t share your own opinions..which says a great deal about how far Memphis still has to go.
That’s my opinion, and you don’t have to agree or like it. But just because you don’t like ‘strident opinions’ you and I in a free society should not embrace censorship or personal attack, but many in Memphis aren’t yet smart enough, exposed enough, tolerant enough to fully understand what a ‘free society’ really means. Some of you still think you’re living in a cotton plantation mentality, where a person has to get ‘permission’ from the “BOSSMAN” to speak or to differ with what is being set forth.
Wake up..you can’t silence ‘strident’ or any other genre of “opinion”.
Grow up Memphis…lol….people do have their own minds ya know.
You will probably resort to more censorship, and that will buttress my claim about your inability to even READ divergent thought about Memphis, TN.
You can’t stomach ‘strident opinion’ or any other opinion that does not agree with, or serve your own purpose and agenda….about Memphis, TN. That contributes why many people still view Memphis, TN as a city that has not grown, has not joined the 21st century of thought, atttitude and community relations. You’re busy putting your own stumbling blocks in your own way, and some of you are not smart enough to understand that no one is required to think or opinionate like you think they ‘should’.
Opinions are shaped by practical, personal experiences that are individual….however Memphis has never been a locus of intense individualism ! Many of you ‘foster’ the ‘collective thought’ and resent anyone who rejects the stated program outlined for the “Memphis Plantation”.
Thank god I’m not ‘stuck’….lol
Crazy stuff !