Shelby is a city located in Cleveland County North Carolina. Shelby has a 2024 population of 22,027. Shelby is currently growing at a rate of 0.08% annually and its population has increased by 0.31% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 21,958 in 2020.
The average household income in Shelby is $69,975 with a poverty rate of 18.2%. The median age in Shelby is 41.2 years: 38.8 years for males, and 44.3 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Shelby was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 12,092 | 55.3% |
| Black or African American | 7,088 | 32.41% |
| Two or more races | 2,075 | 9.49% |
| Other race | 253 | 1.16% |
| Asian | 179 | 0.82% |
| Native American | 114 | 0.52% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 67 | 0.31% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 9,178 | 2.34 | 59.1 | 40.9 |
| Non Family | 3,825 | 1.07 | 51.3 | 48.7 |
| Married | 3,203 | 2.85 | 79.5 | 20.5 |
| Female | 1,539 | 3.88 | 37.8 | 62.2 |
| Male | 611 | 3.69 | 55.2 | 44.8 |
3.17
Average Family Size
2.34
Average Household Size
59.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,052 | 6.95% |
| Associates Degree | 2,158 | 14.27% |
| Bachelors Degree | 2,374 | 15.69% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,642 | 10.86% |
| High School Graduate | 4,620 | 30.54% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 610 | 4.03% |
| Some College | 2,670 | 17.65% |
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
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 9,258 | 8,491 | 3,131 |
| Black | 4,498 | 3,921 | 647 |
| 2+ Races | 643 | 575 | 124 |
| Hispanic | 570 | 292 | 91 |
| Other Race | 202 | 147 | 59 |
| Asian | 139 | 105 | 55 |
| Native American | 81 | 58 | 0 |
| Islander | 67 | 67 | 0 |
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 39.57%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $45,327 | $60,777 | $43,178 |
| Graduate Degree | $60,284 | $75,625 | $57,616 |
| High School Graduate | $36,705 | $39,107 | $31,806 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $26,157 | $31,959 | $0 |
| Overall | $42,323 | $49,111 | $38,684 |
| Some College | $42,358 | $46,463 | $36,998 |
$42,323
Average Earnings
$49,111
Average Male
$38,684
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.9% of Shelby residents speak only English, while 5.1% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.81% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 6,954 | 2,287 | 32.89% |
| White | 11,369 | 1,146 | 10.08% |
| Multiple | 2,057 | 237 | 11.52% |
| Hispanic | 1,014 | 210 | 20.71% |
| Other | 232 | 74 | 31.9% |
| Asian | 179 | 53 | 29.61% |
| Native | 114 | 23 | 20.18% |
18.2%
Overall Poverty Rate
17.12%
Male Poverty Rate
19.13%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Shelby is Black, with 32.89% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Shelby is White, with 10.08% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.41%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.46%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.13%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 42.4% |
| High School | 15.55% |
| Some College | 12.42% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 7.89% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 21.66% |
| Female Employed | 10.44% |
| Male Employed | 5.8% |
| Male Unemployed | 2.67% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $67,008 | $87,776 |
| Households | $50,705 | $69,975 |
| Married Families | $91,090 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $31,261 | $43,009 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
41.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.2%
Male Marriage Rate
39.5%
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 Over 65.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,714
Number of Veterans
1,374
Male Veterans
340
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 663 |
| First Gulf War | 368 |
| Second Gulf War | 183 |
| Korea | 62 |
| World War II | 34 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 503 |
| 75+ | 430 |
| 35 to 54 | 401 |
| 55 to 64 | 347 |
| 18 to 34 | 33 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,293 | 12.69% |
| Black | 346 | 7.12% |
| 2+ Races | 65 | 5.68% |
| Other Race | 10 | 4.74% |
| Hispanic | 10 | 1.54% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
17.73%
Veteran Poverty Rate
41.72%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
56%
Labor Force Participation
53.9%
Employment Rate
3.6%
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
68.63%
Born in Shelby
97.11%
Native Born
2.89%
Foreign Born
0.97%
Non Citizen
1.92%
Naturalized
97.11% of Shelby residents were born in the United States, with 68.63% having been born in North Carolina. 0.97% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 22,113 | 17 | 0.08% |
| 2028 | 22,096 | 17 | 0.08% |
| 2027 | 22,079 | 18 | 0.08% |
| 2026 | 22,061 | 17 | 0.08% |
| 2025 | 22,044 | 17 | 0.08% |
| 2024 | 22,027 | 17 | 0.08% |
| 2023 | 22,010 | 148 | 0.68% |
| 2022 | 21,862 | -42 | -0.19% |
| 2021 | 21,904 | -54 | -0.25% |
| 2020 | 21,958 | 1,943 | 9.71% |
| 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 | 0 | 0% |
| 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 | -18,986 | -85.86% |