Shelby is home to 100,991 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The foreign-born share is 3%. The typical home is worth $200,000, having more than doubled since 2000. Median rent is $914 a month. Median household income is $58,534, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $58,534, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 41%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Shelby
What changed most since 1990
White share78.1% → 70.6%(−7.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Poverty rate11.0% → 16.6%(+5.6 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Hispanic share0.3% → 4.7%(+4.4 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Among the 38 metro and micro areas based in North Carolina
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)20%(1,145)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24%(1,371)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.5%(1,971)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.6%(265)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(25)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 5,720 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
Over time
Shelby, decade by decade
Shelby population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
84,714
$63,544
$126,964
11.1%
43.4
2000
96,287
$64,273
$141,360
13.3%
47.0
2010
98,078
$54,965
$148,604
15.7%
50.7
2020
99,519
$52,738
$157,565
19.5%
57.5
2024
100,991
$58,534
$200,000
22.0%
58.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
