Shelby city, North Carolina
CityPopulation: 21,868 (2023 estimate)
Located in North Carolina , North Carolina
Census Bureau data for Shelby city from the American Community Survey. "Cities" in Census data include incorporated places, towns, villages, and census-designated places (CDPs) — all places where the Census collects community-level estimates.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Shelby city
- What is the median household income in Shelby city?
- The median household income in Shelby city is $50,705 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Shelby city?
- The poverty rate in Shelby city is 15.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Shelby city?
- $185,400 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Shelby city?
- The median gross rent in Shelby city is $899 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Shelby city residents have a college degree?
- 26.6% of adults in Shelby city hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
21,868
Median Income
$50,705
Median Home Value
$185,400
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
3.6%
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$12,146 (+31.5%)
Home Value:
+$66,100 (+55.4%)
Poverty Rate:
-5.6 pp (-27.2%)
Bachelor's+:
+2.4 pp (+9.9%)
Unemployment:
-5.6 pp (-60.9%)
Demographics
Total Population
21,868
Median Age
41.0
Female
53.7%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
White (non-Hisp.) 52.7%
Black 32.4%
Asian 0.8%
Two or More 9.5%
Other 1.2%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Chinese
0.2%
Japanese
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
2.8%
Puerto Rican
0.3%
Cuban
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$50,705
±$6,471
-$19,199 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$72,533
Median Family Income
$67,008
Poverty Rate
15.0%
+5.6 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
25.3%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
23.0%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
24.4%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
8.4%
$10–15k
7.2%
$15–25k
10.2%
$25–35k
10.0%
$35–50k
13.7%
$50–75k
18.9%
$75–100k
9.3%
$100–150k
11.7%
$150–200k
4.8%
$200k+
6.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
10,804
Owner-Occupied
59.1%
Renter-Occupied
40.9%
Vacancy Rate
15.0%
Median Home Value
$185,400
-$74,000 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$899
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
31.4%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
38.0%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
5.5%
$50–100k
9.6%
$100–200k
20.3%
$200–300k
20.3%
$300–500k
14.2%
$500k–$1M
6.1%
$1M+
1.5%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
21.1%
$500–1k
42.3%
$1–1.5k
31.5%
$1.5–2k
4.6%
$3.5k+
0.5%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
8.3%
1 vehicle
41.8%
2 vehicles
34.5%
3+
15.4%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
69.2%
Single-fam. att.
2.3%
2–4 units
4.3%
5–19 units
7.8%
20+ units
4.5%
Mobile home
2.5%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
11.0%
1940–1969
8.1%
1970–1999
19.3%
2000–2009
9.7%
2010+
2.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
89.0%
Bachelor's or Higher
26.6%
-8.1 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
10.9%
Some College / Associate
17.7%
Less Than High School
4.0%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
56.0%
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
-1.2 pp vs. state
Work from Home
9.7%
Self-Employed
4.5%
Government Workers
12.8%
Private For-Profit
82.7%
Industry
Edu/Health
26.8%
Manufacturing
16.7%
Retail
16.1%
Prof. Services
6.6%
Construction
6.5%
Arts/Entmt.
6.1%
Transportation
5.0%
Public Admin
4.4%
Finance
3.1%
Wholesale
0.7%
Information
0.6%
Agriculture
0.1%
Occupation
Management
35.6%
Sales
21.8%
Production
20.6%
Food Prep
14.7%
Construction
7.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
21.7 min
Drove Alone
79.3%
Carpool
9.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Work from Home
9.7%
Walked
1.1%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
9,178
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
34.9%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
8.7%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
5.6%
5–9
6.7%
10–14
6.0%
15–19
7.5%
20–24
5.1%
25–34
12.0%
35–44
10.8%
45–54
12.0%
55–64
7.0%
65–74
5.9%
75–84
12.8%
85+
6.2%
Under 18: 23.6%
Working age (18–64): 76.4%
65 and over: 21.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
2.9%
Naturalized Citizen
66.3%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
2.2%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
52.8%
Asia
29.3%
Europe
15.5%
Africa
2.4%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
10.3%
With a Disability
19.5%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
92.2%
Uninsured
7.8%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
80.3%
Has a Computer
88.1%
Same House 1 Year Ago
88.5%
Moved from Abroad
0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023