United States › Montana › Shelby CITY
Shelby Montana · 3,313 residents (2025 est.) · 5.78 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Shelby is home to 3,216 people in Montana. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. Getting to work takes 14 minutes on average. People stay put here: 76% were in the same home a year ago. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $232,700, having more than tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 105%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,216 in 2000
3,313 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 547 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 3K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Shelby Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $58,413
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,219 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,071 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.444 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 9.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.8%
Education & health services 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
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$232,700
+105%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $62,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$893
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $359 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 68.2% in 2000
39.0% rent
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.16 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 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 91.8%(2,952)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(40)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 81.6%(2,625)
Hispanic / Latino 4.6%(148)
from 18 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
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 14.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 69.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 2.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 50.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 79.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 77.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 49.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 6.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.6% 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) 56.9%(174)
Share of the 306 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 Shelby, Montana? Shelby, Montana has about 3,216 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Shelby, Montana? The typical household in Shelby, Montana earns about $58,413 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Shelby, Montana expensive? In Shelby, Montana, the median home is worth about $232,700, and the typical rent is about $893 a month.
How educated are people in Shelby, Montana? About 19.5% of adults age 25 and over in Shelby, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Shelby, Montana? About 13.8% of people in Shelby, Montana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Shelby, Montana grown since 1990? Yes, Shelby, Montana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 453 residents, a change of about 16 percent over that period.
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