United States › North Carolina › Shelby CITY · 2020 ACS
Shelby North Carolina · 21,918 residents · 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Shelby is home to 21,918 people in North Carolina. Owners hold 49% of the housing stock. Households here earn about 30% less than in North Carolina as a whole. The typical home is worth $132,900, having risen by half since 2000. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. Households take in $39,398 at the median, 41% less than the US figure.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 16K 18K 21K 23K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Shelby Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $39,398
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,345 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $18,708 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 17.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Public administration 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Education & health services 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
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$132,900
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$684
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $462 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 58.2% in 2000
50.9% rent
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 56.4%(10,985)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(304)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 51%(11,169)
Hispanic / Latino 5.1%(1,122)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 18.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 73.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 6.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 83.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 56.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 39.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 1.1%(18)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.6%(230)
Share of the 1,579 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
Places similar to Shelby Head to head
Compare Shelby to nearby cities SHELBY VS
Kings Mountain
Income $49,564 +26%
Home value $204,100 +54%
Population 12,117 −48%
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SHELBY VS
Gaffney
Income $41,089 +4%
Home value $137,700 +4%
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SHELBY VS
Gastonia
Income $64,059 +63%
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SHELBY VS
Lincolnton
Income $46,320 +18%
Home value $248,700 +87%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Shelby, North Carolina? Shelby, North Carolina has about 21,918 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Shelby, North Carolina? The typical household in Shelby, North Carolina earns about $39,398 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 $132,900, and the typical rent is about $684 a month.
How educated are people in Shelby, North Carolina? About 26.8% 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 20.2% 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 7,249 residents, a change of about 49 percent over that period.
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