United States › North Carolina › Shelby CITY · 2000 CENSUS
Shelby North Carolina · 19,477 residents · 22.4 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 19,477 people, Shelby is a city in North Carolina. Growth has run 33% since 1990, or 4,808 more people. The median age is 38.9, about 4 years above the US median. Households here earn about 25% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Owners hold 58% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $79,600, having risen by half since 1990.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.9
US median: 35.2
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01
Population & growth from 36.0 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 16K 18K 21K 23K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Shelby Age distribution, 2000
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $29,345
+12%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $19,829 in 1990
US average: $42,589
from $11,889 in 1990
US average: $21,522
from 19.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
$79,600
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $52,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
$462
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $343 in 1990
US average: $602
from 52.8% in 1990
41.8% rent
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 1990
White, non-Hispanic 56.7%(8,317)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(92)
2000
White, non-Hispanic 56.4%(10,985)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(304)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 15.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
from 61.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
from 5.7% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.6 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07
Work & employment No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community No data for the years selected.
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.9%(1,854)
Women 15+
Never married 21.9%(1,881)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
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
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SHELBY VS
Gaffney
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SHELBY VS
Gastonia
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SHELBY VS
Lincolnton
Income $46,320 +58%
Home value $248,700 +212%
Population 12,465 −47%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Shelby, North Carolina? Shelby, North Carolina has about 19,477 residents according to the 2000 Census.
What is the median household income in Shelby, North Carolina? The typical household in Shelby, North Carolina earns about $29,345 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 $79,600, and the typical rent is about $462 a month.
How educated are people in Shelby, North Carolina? About 18.0% 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 17.8% 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 4,808 residents, a change of about 33 percent over that period.
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