United States › Iowa › Shellsburg CITY
Shellsburg Iowa · 997 residents (2025 est.) · 0.79 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Shellsburg is a city of 868 people in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. 87% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%. The typical home is worth $175,800, having more than doubled since 2000. The poverty rate is 2.7%, under the national 12.5%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 938 in 2000
997 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,099 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 1,123 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
713 830 948 1K 1K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Shellsburg Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $70,179
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,912 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,352 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.371 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.2%
Transportation & warehousing 4.5%
Public administration 4.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.2%
Education & health services 0%
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$175,800
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$967
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $482 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 82.0% in 2000
12.7% rent
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.61 people
+27%since 2009
from 2.05 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.6%(925)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.2%(809)
Hispanic / Latino 3.2%(28)
from 2 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 2 more ancestry groups with data from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 69.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 22%(20)
Share of the 91 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Shellsburg, Iowa? Shellsburg, Iowa has about 868 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Shellsburg, Iowa? The typical household in Shellsburg, Iowa earns about $70,179 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Shellsburg, Iowa expensive? In Shellsburg, Iowa, the median home is worth about $175,800, and the typical rent is about $967 a month.
How educated are people in Shellsburg, Iowa? About 12.6% of adults age 25 and over in Shellsburg, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Shellsburg, Iowa? About 2.7% of people in Shellsburg, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Shellsburg, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Shellsburg, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 97 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.
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