GET THE FACTS
The facts make the case for Memphis. Here, businesses benefit from unparalleled global connectivity, exceptional urban advantages and a powerful, diverse workforce.
Read the most requested data on Greater Memphis.
If national or global reach is at the heart of your business strategy, your company should be at the center of it all—in Memphis. In less than a day’s drive from Memphis, you can reach 40% of the U.S. population. With our quadromodal, world-class infrastructure—railways, roadways, runways and river ways—you can get where you need to go, anytime, any mode, any speed.
The Memphis International Airport (MEM), gives your business access to over 30 non-stop destinations and some of the latest drop-off times for overnight shipping in the country. Plus, MEM rarely lets weather incidents affect its operations. Wilson Air Center, one of the best fixed-based operators in the country, and General DeWitt Spain Airport are also located in Memphis.
Memphis’s intermodal infrastructure moves your cargo from planes and barges to trucks with ease. Get to major markets like Birmingham or Atlanta via Interstate 22 Corridor. Head to the Midwest via Interstate 55. Access the third busiest trucking corridor, Interstate 40 and travel to the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. Or drive along Interstate 69 to Mexico or Canada.
Memphis is one of only four cities in the U.S. served by 5 Class I railroads. Your business can reach 45 states and Canada and Mexico by rail in 2 days. Access our rail services 24/7 with any of the nine intermodal yards, which have five wide-span cranes and a lift capacity of more than 2 million TEUs annually.
The International Port of Memphis is proud to claim the fifth largest inland port in the U.S., the second largest inland port on the shallow draft portion of the Mississippi, and the largest still water harbor on the Mississippi River. The port is also home to the Valero petroleum refinery, the only refinery in the State of Tennessee.
One of the largest artesian water sources in the world, the Memphis Aquifer offers nearly 100 trillion gallons of water. It’s a natural resource that was formed more than 2,000 years ago via a natural filtration of surface water through sand and clay. As a result, we have some of the finest drinking water and our water bills are some of the lowest in the nation.
An eclectic and vibrant district, Midtown is a mix of local businesses, culture and entertainment venues, and sought-after destinations. Businesses benefit from a plethora of consumers and skilled workers. Here, tourists visit award-winning venues, while residents reside in some of the many established and affordable neighborhoods.
With a population of over 100,000, South Memphis is known for its many world-renowned music venues, like Graceland, Royal Studios and the Stax Museum. Residents here are revitalizing neighborhoods, keeping the history of LeMoyne Owen College alive and creating a skilled and ready workforce for new and innovative businesses.
Considered Memphis’s second business district outside of Downtown, East Memphis is a hub for corporate headquarters, businesses, retail, restaurants and outdoor attractions. The district is located just six miles from Memphis International Airport and has 7.7 million square-feet of office and retail space and a plethora of amenities and business professionals.
Home to 17,000+ residents, North Memphis is a smaller community with big perks. Nike’s second largest U.S. campus is here, and local business owners experience great opportunities here. Residents are proud of their community, enjoying the many indoor and outdoor recreational conveniences and a short 10-minute drive to the airport.
Discover the best of both worlds, where suburban serenity meets urban accessibility. In the heart of Shelby County, Cordova offers the perfect blend of suburban feel with easy access to the vibrant inner city and neighboring communities. It’s a thriving hub of commerce opportunities along Germantown Parkway—and no surprise that Cordova is one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in Memphis.
Businesses in Memphis have easy access to all the resources and talent available throughout Shelby County. The nearby suburbs of Germantown, Collierville, Arlington, Cordova, Bartlett Millington and Lakeland offer high-achieving schools, quaint communities and positive economic development opportunities.
As the largest of Tennessee’s 95 counties, Shelby County has a workforce of over 447,000, with a high school graduation rate of 89%. Shelby County is a majority-minority population, with over 50% being African American. Our diversity extends beyond our population to support businesses from a variety of sizes and industries.
If a trained workforce is at the top of your list, look no further than Memphis. We have more than 62,000 students in the Greater Memphis region enrolled in four-year and community colleges. Our post-secondary education institutes include 10 colleges, universities and technical training institutes within our metro area and 39 within a 150-mile radius of Memphis.
Memphis is home to some of the most prestigious higher education institutions in the nation. With colleges and universities ranked highly by U.S News Education Rankings, our city continues to produce a trained workforce. The University of Memphis has 40+ nationally ranked programs, and the University of Tennessee has multiple locations in Shelby County.
Businesses in Memphis can rest assured their employees have access to all the training they need right within our region. Local community colleges are governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), which helps ensure Tennesseeans have access to education and training regardless of income or age.
Memphis’s highly ranked vocational and technical training institutions offer work-ready training in a variety of specialties. From training and apprenticeships in the trades to medical certifications and more, Memphis’s workforce is ready for your business’s demands.
Helping the Memphis workforce reach their full potential is the goal of the many professional training and coaching organizations in our city. They offer professional development and continuing education opportunities to improve Memphis’s workforce in a variety of specialty areas.
Memphis is ripe with trained talent. The 447,000+ labor force within Shelby County gives businesses access to a diverse talent pool ready to take on the challenges of your business. If you’re ready to make an investment in your business, move your business to Memphis.
Explore in detail the geography of Memphis and our infrastructure, district and points of interest.
Memphis has all the resources of a big city and is centrally located to the rest of the U.S. Click the link below to explore regional maps, discover the points of interest, and see how Memphis infrastructure can move your brand forward.
The facts make the case for Memphis. Here, businesses benefit from unparalleled global connectivity, exceptional urban advantages and a powerful, diverse workforce.
Read the most requested data on Greater Memphis.