Shelby is a city located in Cleveland County, Gaston County, and Rutherford County North Carolina. Shelby has a 2024 population of 21,758. Shelby is currently declining at a rate of -0.22% annually and its population has decreased by -0.88% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 21,952 in 2020.
The average household income in Shelby is $64,457 with a poverty rate of 18.28%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Shelby is 43.4 years, 40 years for males, and 45.6 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Shelby was:
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Native American
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 9,223 | 2.32 | 60.5 | 39.5 |
| Non Family | 3,890 | 1.08 | 57.6 | 42.4 |
| Married | 3,109 | 2.77 | 80.7 | 19.3 |
| Female | 1,680 | 3.94 | 34 | 66 |
| Male | 544 | 3.67 | 47.6 | 52.4 |
3.13
Average Family Size
2.32
Average Household Size
60.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 33.33%.
All
Male
Female
$39,919
Average Earnings
$46,397
Average Male
$36,289
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.88% of Shelby residents speak only English, while 5.12% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.57% of the population.
rate
18.28%
Overall Poverty Rate
15.94%
Male Poverty Rate
20.25%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Shelby is Native, with 56.41% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Shelby is White, with 11.71% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.28%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.75%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.66%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
39.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
41.8%
Male Marriage Rate
38.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
11.88%
Veteran Poverty Rate
33%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
55.4%
Labor Force Participation
53.2%
Employment Rate
3.7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
68.21%
Born in Shelby
96.68%
Native Born
3.32%
Foreign Born
1.31%
Non Citizen
2.01%
Naturalized
96.68% of Shelby residents were born in the United States, with 68.21% having been born in North Carolina. 1.31% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 21,515 | -49 | -0.23% |
| 2028 | 21,564 | -48 | -0.22% |
| 2027 | 21,612 | -49 | -0.23% |
| 2026 | 21,661 | -48 | -0.22% |
| 2025 | 21,709 | -49 | -0.23% |
| 2024 | 21,758 | -48 | -0.22% |
| 2023 | 21,806 | -49 | -0.22% |
| 2022 | 21,855 | -39 | -0.18% |
| 2021 | 21,894 | -58 | -0.26% |
| 2020 | 21,952 | 1,937 | 9.68% |
| 2019 | 20,015 | -22 | -0.11% |
| 2018 | 20,037 | 5 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 20,032 | -12 | -0.06% |
| 2016 | 20,044 | 26 | 0.13% |
| 2015 | 20,018 | -90 | -0.45% |
| 2014 | 20,108 | -6 | -0.03% |
| 2013 | 20,114 | -89 | -0.44% |
| 2012 | 20,203 | 12 | 0.06% |
| 2011 | 20,191 | -123 | -0.61% |
| 2010 | 20,314 | 837 | 4.3% |
| 2000 | 19,477 | 4,808 | 32.78% |
| 1990 | 14,669 | -641 | -4.19% |
| 1980 | 15,310 | -1,018 | -6.23% |
| 1970 | 16,328 | -1,370 | -7.74% |
| 1960 | 17,698 | 2,190 | 14.12% |
| 1950 | 15,508 | 1,471 | 10.48% |
| 1940 | 14,037 | 3,248 | 30.1% |
| 1930 | 10,789 | 7,180 | 198.95% |
| 1920 | 3,609 | 482 | 15.41% |
| 1910 | 3,127 | 0 | 0% |