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COUNTY

Shelby County

Indiana · 45,882 residents (2025 est.) · 411.136 sq mi
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The short version

Shelby County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $72,190. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $212,400. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% 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

Total population
45,265
+4%since 2000
from 43,445 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
110 / sq mi
+3%since 2009
from 107 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.5
+15%since 2000
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:45,882 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
40K41K43K44K46K1990201020202024Shelby County
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(2,654)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.2%(3,266)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.5%(2,470)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.8%(2,628)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(2,499)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.6%(5,715)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412%(5,437)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.5%(5,674)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.3%(6,481)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.1%(5,038)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.3%(2,413)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(990)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$72,190
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,649 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,701
+81%since 2000
from $20,324 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
48.0%
+17.6 ptssince 2009
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
13.0%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 7.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.427
−2%since 2010
from 0.436 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade22.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Information7.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$212,400
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $99,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$987
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $528 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
72.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 73.4% in 2000
27.5% rent
Vacancy rate
6.2%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.4%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 21.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.0%
+4.8 ptssince 2009
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+24%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
42
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Shelby County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.7%(42,006)
Black0.7%(325)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(497)
Asian0.6%(252)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic89.8%(40,646)
Black1.4%(626)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(2,549)
Asian1%(455)
Other2.2%(989)
Diversity Score
24
+73%since 2009
from 14 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
33
+2%since 2020
from 32 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.9%(1,769)
Puerto Rican0.5%(231)
Salvadoran0.2%(98)
Cuban0.2%(87)
Guatemalan0.1%(49)
Panamanian0.1%(47)
Argentine0.1%(39)
Honduran0%(19)
Peruvian0%(19)
Asian origin
Japanese0.6%(256)
Filipino0.2%(87)
Chinese0.2%(80)
Vietnamese0.1%(32)
Ancestry
German18.6%(8,437)
American12.4%(5,611)
English10.5%(4,770)
Irish8.5%(3,862)
Italian2%(921)
Scottish1.5%(688)
French1.1%(512)
Polish1%(475)
Dutch0.8%(346)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(268)
Welsh0.4%(171)
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data
Greek0.4%(159)
Romanian0.3%(153)
British0.2%(113)
Portuguese0.2%(75)
Swedish0.2%(75)
West Indian0.2%(72)
Jamaican0.2%(72)
Nigerian0.1%(63)
Hungarian0.1%(62)
Russian0.1%(53)
Slovene0.1%(50)
Norwegian0.1%(39)
Czech0.1%(32)
Arab0.1%(25)
Lithuanian0.1%(24)
Canadian0%(21)
Belgian0%(18)
Lebanese0%(14)
Finnish0%(14)
Austrian0%(12)
Swiss0%(10)
Slovak0%(8)
Danish0%(4)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.9%
+9.2 ptssince 2000
from 12.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.9%
+11.0 ptssince 2000
from 79.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.9 min
+53%since 2000
from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.3%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 82.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.4%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.0%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
63.4%
−4.8 ptssince 2011
from 68.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
10.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.8%
−23.2 ptssince 2009
from 58.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Female
50.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Foreign born
3.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.9%
−42.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.9%
+3.9 ptssince 2012
from 12.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.6%
−79.6 ptssince 2013
from 85.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.1%
+18.0 ptssince 2017
from 71.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.5%
−1.5 ptssince 2016
from 95.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2016
from 3.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.2%(5,143)
Married55.5%(10,122)
Widowed3.5%(638)
Divorced12.8%(2,340)
Women 15+
Never married20.5%(3,811)
Married55.2%(10,290)
Widowed9.1%(1,688)
Divorced15.3%(2,843)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 48,095
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Pop 42,905
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Head to head

Compare Shelby County to nearby counties

SHELBY COUNTY VS
Johnson County
Income$90,454+25%
Home value$284,600+34%
Population174,262+280%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY COUNTY VS
Rush County
Income$66,473−8%
Home value$166,800−21%
Population16,767−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY COUNTY VS
Hancock County
Income$93,186+29%
Home value$274,800+29%
Population90,969+98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY COUNTY VS
Decatur County
Income$69,783−3%
Home value$199,100−6%
Population26,576−42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Shelby County, Indiana?

Shelby County, Indiana has about 45,265 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Shelby County, Indiana?

The typical household in Shelby County, Indiana earns about $72,190 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Shelby County, Indiana expensive?

In Shelby County, Indiana, the median home is worth about $212,400, and the typical rent is about $987 a month.

How educated are people in Shelby County, Indiana?

About 21.9% of adults age 25 and over in Shelby County, Indiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Shelby County, Indiana?

About 13.0% of people in Shelby County, Indiana live below the federal poverty line.

Has Shelby County, Indiana grown since 1990?

Yes, Shelby County, Indiana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,958 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

10 census tracts
Census Tract 7107Census Tract 7102Census Tract 7105Census Tract 7103Census Tract 7108Census Tract 7109Census Tract 7106.02Census Tract 7101Census Tract 7104Census Tract 7106.01
9 ZIP codes
ZIP 46176ZIP 46124ZIP 46126ZIP 46130ZIP 46161ZIP 46182ZIP 47234ZIP 46110ZIP 46144
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →