Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis
City
Downtown Memphis skyline Beale Street FedExForum Graceland Memphis Pyramid
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Bluff City, Home of the Blues, Grind City, The 901
Interactive map of Memphis
Memphis Location in Tennessee Show map of Tennessee Memphis Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 35°07′03″N 89°58′16″W / 35.11750°N 89.97111°W / 35.11750; -89.97111
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	Shelby
Founded	May 22, 1819 (1819-05-22)
Incorporated	December 19, 1826 (1826-12-19)
Founded by	John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson
Named after	Memphis, Egypt
Government
• Mayor	Paul Young (D)
Area [1]
• City	302.55 sq mi (783.66 km2)
• Land	294.92 sq mi (763.83 km2)
• Water	7.63 sq mi (19.77 km2)
Elevation	337 ft (103 m)
Population  (2020)[2]
• City	633,104
• Estimate  (2024)[3]	610,919
• Rank	77th in North America 28th in the United States 2nd in Tennessee
• Density	2,100/sq mi (810/km2)
• Urban	1,056,190 (US: 45th)
• Urban density	2,149.9/sq mi (830.1/km2)
• Metro [4]	1,345,425 (US: 45th)
Demonym	Memphian
GDP [5]
• Metro	$102.934 billion (2023)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	ZIP Codes[6] 37501, 37544, 38101, 38103–38109, 38111–38120, 38122, 38124–38128, 38130–38139, 38141, 38145, 38148, 38150–38152, 38157, 38159, 38161, 38163, 38166–38168, 38173–38175, 38177, 38181–38182, 38184, 38186–38188, 38190, 38193–38194, 38197
Area code	901
FIPS code	47-48000[7]
Website	memphistn.gov

Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in Tennessee, the fifth-most populous in the Southeast, and the 28th-most populous in the nation. Memphis is the largest city proper on the Mississippi River and anchors the Memphis metropolitan area that includes parts of Arkansas and Mississippi, the 45th-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. with 1.34 million residents.

European exploration of the area began with Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541. Located on the high Chickasaw Bluffs, the site offered natural protection from Mississippi River flooding and became a contested location in the colonial era. Modern Memphis was founded in 1819 by John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson. The city thrived due to its river traffic and cotton-based economy, becoming one of the largest cities in the Antebellum South. After the American Civil War, it remained a key hub for the cotton and hardwood industries. Memphis is also notable for its role in the American Civil Rights Movement; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated there in 1968, and the city is now home to the National Civil Rights Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate.

Memphis is one of the nation's leading commercial centers in transportation and logistics.^[8] The largest employer is FedEx, which maintains its global air hub at Memphis International Airport, one of the world's busiest cargo airports.^[9] The Port of Memphis also hosts the fifth-busiest inland water port in the U.S.^[10] Memphis is also known for its music scene, with Beale Street central to the development of Memphis blues and a broader legacy that includes soul, rock and roll, and hip-hop. Cultural landmarks include Graceland, Sun Studio, the Memphis Pyramid, and Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The city is also famed for its Memphis-style barbecue and hosts the annual World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. It is home to the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA and several colleges and universities, including the University of Memphis, Christian Brothers University, and Rhodes College.