CITY FACTS:
Memphis is the cleanest city in the nation according to the National City Beautiful Commission. Memphis is the only five-time winner of the award -- more times than any other U.S. city.

Shelby County has been on the list of the "16 Most Livable Communities in America" published by Partners for Livable Communities.

Memphis is a major flyway for migrating birds.

There are more horses per capita in Shelby County than in any other county in the U.S.

Memphis is the site of the first Welcome Wagon, founded here in 1928.

Memphis' official city tree is the Dogwood.

Memphis' official city flower is a shrub, the Crepe Myrtle.


CLIMATE:
The average annual temperature is 61.9 F (16.61 C). Summer temperatures average 81.2 F (27.33 C); winters average 41.2 F (5.11 C). Average annual rainfall is 48.6 inches. Average annual snowfall is 5.3 inches. Average relative humidity is 69%.


FINANCE & TAXES:
Sales tax for Tennessee is 6%, and sales tax for Shelby County is 2.25%. This makes for an 8.25% sales tax in Memphis. Memphis, Shelby County, and Tennessee have no personal income tax and no payroll tax. Total demand deposits in Memphis banks is $14 billion, and the total assets in Memphis banks is $16 billion.


INFORMATION:
Memphis has one of the largest library systems in the nation. The Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center offers 23 locations that house more than 3.7 million items.


LOCATION:
Memphis is strategically located on the Mississippi River in the southwest corner of Tennessee in Shelby County, 35.10 North by 90.00 West. Memphis is the primary retail/trade/commercial center for 105 counties in six states. The city's average elevation is 331 feet (highest point is 430 feet, lowest point is 185 feet). Shelby County also contains the following cities: Millington, Lakeland, Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, and Arlington.


MEDIA:
Memphis has one major daily newspaper (The Commercial Appeal) and numerous daily/weekly publications. It has 14 AM stations and 15 FM stations. TV stations: Channel 5 (NBC), Channel 3 (CBS), Channel 13 (FOX), Channel 10 (PBS), Channel 24 (ABC), and Channel 30 (UPN).


MEDICAL:
Memphis is the South's largest medical center including St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the world's largest private hospital, Baptist Memorial. Memphis has 23
hospitals with 7,900 beds; 24 full-time clinics; 15 part-time clinics; 2,650 physicians; 730 dentists; and 38 long-term care facilities.


POPULATION:
Memphis: 614,289 (as of 1994); Shelby County: 867,409 (as of 1996); Five-county (Tipton County, TN; Fayette County, TN; Shelby County, TN; DeSoto County, MS; and Crittendon County, AR) Memphis Metropolitan Area: 1,078,151 (as of 1996); 30-county Mid-South Region:

1,696,858 (as of 1995); 105-county Mid-South Common Market: 3,600,000.

Memphis is situated at the center of the country's population. This means that it is in the precise point from which -- in all directions -- there is an equal number of people living. Memphis is at the center of the 275 million-person U.S. population.

The Memphis Metropolitan Area is divided as follows: 58% White, 40.7% Black, .2% American Indian, .8% Asian/Pacific Islander, .8% Spanish, and .8% other. The area's gender is 47.8% male and 52.2% female. Age statistics are: 0-9 years old 16%, 10-21 years old 18.5%, 22-29 years old 13.4%, 30-44 years old 24.4%, 45-59 years old 13.7%, 60-74 years old 9.9%, and 75+ years old 4.3%.


SHOPPING:
Memphis has about 25 shopping centers and seven malls. There is also a wide range of intimate boutiques, famous designer shops, large regional department stores, and import stores specializing in exotic gift items. There are also numerous discount houses featuring designer label apparel at great markdowns.

SIZE:
Memphis is the 18th largest city in the U.S. Memphis has a land area of 295.5 square miles, Shelby County 772 square miles, and the Memphis Metropolitan Area 3,013 square miles.