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COUNTY

Shelby County

Kentucky · 51,243 residents (2025 est.) · 379.79 sq mi
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The short version

Shelby County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $82,604. Population has grown 47% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $304,800. It ranks in the top 5% of US counties for household income. Households here earn about 30% more than the Kentucky median.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% 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

Total population
49,096
+47%since 2000
from 33,337 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
129 / sq mi
+22%since 2009
from 106 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.9
+14%since 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:51,243 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
22K30K37K44K52K1990201020202024Shelby County
202449K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(2,825)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(2,941)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(3,172)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.9%(2,889)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(3,017)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.3%(6,048)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(6,271)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5414%(6,852)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414%(6,897)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.2%(4,992)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.2%(2,556)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(636)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$82,604
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,534 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$39,890
+98%since 2000
from $20,195 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
57.4%
+21.0 ptssince 2009
from 36.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
9.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2000
from 9.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.437
+1%since 2010
from 0.434 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade16.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services7.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration6.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical5%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services1.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$304,800
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $122,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,033
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $495 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
73.9%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 72.8% in 2000
26.1% rent
Vacancy rate
5.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.4%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
34.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 35.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.7
+20%since 2009
from 3.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
64
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-Hispanic84.9%(28,293)
Black8.8%(2,923)
Hispanic / Latino4.5%(1,505)
Asian0.4%(133)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77.6%(38,121)
Black3.7%(1,817)
Hispanic / Latino11%(5,399)
Asian0.9%(463)
Other6.7%(3,296)
Diversity Score
47
+17%since 2009
from 41 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
−4%since 2020
from 30 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
Mexican5.2%(2,565)
Central American2.5%(1,213)
Guatemalan1.8%(885)
Puerto Rican1.2%(575)
Cuban1.1%(535)
Honduran0.3%(162)
Venezuelan0.3%(137)
Salvadoran0.3%(130)
Spaniard0.1%(70)
Nicaraguan0.1%(36)
Uruguayan0%(16)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Peruvian0%(14)
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(158)
Korean0.2%(85)
Asian Indian0.2%(84)
Filipino0.2%(81)
Uzbek0.1%(58)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.2%(110)
Ancestry
German16.2%(7,941)
English15.9%(7,826)
Irish15%(7,353)
American9.1%(4,454)
Scottish2.9%(1,404)
Scotch-Irish2.3%(1,116)
Italian1.8%(899)
French1.7%(837)
Polish1.4%(702)
Dutch1.3%(638)
Swedish0.7%(346)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
British0.5%(267)
Welsh0.5%(225)
West Indian0.4%(218)
Russian0.4%(195)
Jamaican0.4%(190)
Swiss0.4%(188)
Norwegian0.3%(164)
Austrian0.3%(147)
Arab0.3%(143)
Portuguese0.2%(95)
Danish0.2%(87)
Hungarian0.1%(63)
Lithuanian0.1%(63)
Czech0.1%(55)
Greek0.1%(52)
Syrian0.1%(36)
Ukrainian0.1%(26)
Canadian0%(21)
Egyptian0%(20)
Lebanese0%(16)
Bulgarian0%(15)
Armenian0%(10)
Romanian0%(10)
Belgian0%(7)
Slovak0%(6)
Slovene0%(3)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.8%
+14.2 ptssince 2000
from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.8%
+10.7 ptssince 2000
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.6%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.2 min
+59%since 2000
from 17.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 76.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.9%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.6%
+7.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.2%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.7%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 66.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.6%
−23.7 ptssince 2009
from 61.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Female
50.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Foreign born
6.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.0%
−42.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2012
from 13.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.5%
−79.7 ptssince 2013
from 85.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.6%
+15.6 ptssince 2017
from 76.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
90.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 90.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
8.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 7.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.1%(5,462)
Married60.4%(11,721)
Widowed2.5%(488)
Divorced8.9%(1,733)
Women 15+
Never married22.5%(4,679)
Married56.4%(11,696)
Widowed7.9%(1,640)
Divorced13.2%(2,739)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Shelby County

Ogle County
Pop 51,399
Boone County
Pop 53,568
Bingham County
Pop 51,153
Tuolumne County
Pop 53,160
Places similar to Shelby County
Head to head

Compare Shelby County to nearby counties

SHELBY COUNTY VS
Spencer County
Income$102,618+24%
Home value$330,000+8%
Population20,998−59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY COUNTY VS
Henry County
Income$63,347−23%
Home value$197,900−35%
Population16,447−68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY COUNTY VS
Oldham County
Income$122,497+48%
Home value$393,100+29%
Population70,986+39%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHELBY COUNTY VS
Franklin County
Income$65,298−21%
Home value$216,600−29%
Population52,649+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Shelby County, Kentucky?

Shelby County, Kentucky has about 49,096 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Shelby County, Kentucky earns about $82,604 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Shelby County, Kentucky expensive?

In Shelby County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $304,800, and the typical rent is about $1,033 a month.

How educated are people in Shelby County, Kentucky?

About 32.8% of adults age 25 and over in Shelby County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Shelby County, Kentucky?

About 9.7% of people in Shelby County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Shelby County, Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Shelby County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 24,272 residents, a change of about 98 percent over that period.

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12 census tracts
Census Tract 403.01Census Tract 402.02Census Tract 404.04Census Tract 401.02Census Tract 404.02Census Tract 404.03Census Tract 405.03Census Tract 401.01Census Tract 403.02Census Tract 405.04Census Tract 402.01Census Tract 405.01
5 ZIP codes
ZIP 40065ZIP 40067ZIP 40076ZIP 40003ZIP 40022
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →