United States › North Carolina › Shelby CITY
Shelby North Carolina · 23,309 residents (2025 est.) · 22.4 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 22,100 people, Shelby is a city in North Carolina. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 33%. 2% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $197,200, having more than doubled since 2000. About 27% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households take in $48,376 at the median, 41% less than the US figure.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 19,477 in 2000
23,309 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 950 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 16K 18K 21K 23K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Shelby Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $48,376
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,345 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,708 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.474 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.7%
Public administration 2.8%
Education & health services 1.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$197,200
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$945
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $462 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 58.2% in 2000
40.1% rent
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 28.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 48.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.2 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 56.4%(10,985)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(304)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 53.7%(11,872)
Hispanic / Latino 4.8%(1,062)
from 64 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
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 18.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 56.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 39.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 37.8%(3,162)
Women 15+
Never married 34.6%(3,363)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.2% 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) 16.9%(271)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.2%(307)
Share of the 1,603 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Shelby Head to head
Compare Shelby to nearby cities SHELBY VS
Kings Mountain
Income $49,564 +2%
Home value $204,100 +3%
Population 12,117 −48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY VS
Gaffney
Income $41,089 −15%
Home value $137,700 −30%
Population 12,583 −46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY VS
Gastonia
Income $64,059 +32%
Home value $277,600 +41%
Population 87,067 +274%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY VS
Lincolnton
Income $46,320 −4%
Home value $248,700 +26%
Population 12,465 −47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Shelby, North Carolina? Shelby, North Carolina has about 22,100 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Shelby, North Carolina? The typical household in Shelby, North Carolina earns about $48,376 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Shelby, North Carolina expensive? In Shelby, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $197,200, and the typical rent is about $945 a month.
How educated are people in Shelby, North Carolina? About 26.6% of adults age 25 and over in Shelby, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Shelby, North Carolina? About 17.6% of people in Shelby, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Shelby, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Shelby, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 7,431 residents, a change of about 51 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 