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Shelby, NC
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
22,100
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
39.3
years ∙ half population younger than 39.3, half older
Diversity Index
60.5%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
2.3%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Shelby is a city within Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC35.290405° N, 81.545645° W
DMS35° 17′ 25.46″ N, 81° 32′ 44.32″ W
Population Density & area
986.6/sq mi
(381.7/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
46.4%
male
Male
46.4%
Female
53.6%
males per 100 females
Shelby
86.7
Cleveland County
93.4
North Carolina
95.6
Nativity
2.3%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Shelby
2.3%
Cleveland County
3.1%
North Carolina
9.1%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
39.3
years ∙ half population younger than 39.3, half older
Dependency ratio
78.3
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Shelby
78.3
Cleveland County
69.8
North Carolina
63.8
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 23.2% | 22.3% | 21.8% |
| Working age (18-64) | 56.1% | 58.9% | 61% |
| Senior (65+) | 20.7% | 18.8% | 17.2% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 78.3 | 69.8 | 63.8 |
| Child dependency ratio | 41.4 | 37.9 | 35.6 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 36.9 | 31.9 | 28.2 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
60.5%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Shelby
60.5%
Cleveland County
46.4%
North Carolina
58.4%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Shelby population
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.8% | 4.7% | 11.3% |
| Mexican | 2.2% | 3.1% | 5.6% |
| Puerto Rican | 0.5% | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Cuban | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 1.8% | 1% | 4.1% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 95.2% | 95.3% | 88.7% |
| One race | 86.7% | 90% | 84.6% |
| White | 53.7% | 70.6% | 60% |
| Black or African American | 31.2% | 17.9% | 20% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 0.9% | 3.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 8.5% | 5.3% | 4.1% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
57.3%
family
Family
57.3%
Non family
42.7%
% family households
Shelby
57.3%
Cleveland County
67.9%
North Carolina
64.3%
Average household size
2.26
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Shelby population
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 9,533 | 38,850 | 4,282,345 |
| Average houshold size | 2.26 | 2.55 | 2.44 |
| Family households | 5,461 | 26,395 | 2,753,022 |
| Average family size | 3.08 | 3.11 | 3.03 |
| Married couple family | 3,244 | 18,303 | 2,021,951 |
| Other families | 2,217 | 8,092 | 731,071 |
| Male householder | 525 | 2,120 | 195,051 |
| Female householder | 1,692 | 5,972 | 536,020 |
| Non-family households | 4,072 | 12,455 | 1,529,323 |
| One-person households | 3,848 | 10,992 | 1,258,822 |
| Male householder | 1,157 | 4,510 | 544,050 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 445 | 1,709 | 160,332 |
| Female householder | 2,691 | 6,482 | 714,772 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 1,381 | 3,427 | 342,051 |
| Other living arrangements | 224 | 1,463 | 270,501 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
10,758
housing units
Shelby
10,758
Cleveland County
44,304
North Carolina
4,895,668
Occupancy status
88.6%
occupied
Occupied
88.6%
Vacant
11.4%
vacancy rate
Shelby
11.4%
Cleveland County
12.3%
North Carolina
12.5%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
71.9%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1971
Half of houses were built before 1971, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.4 | 5.7 | 5.6 |
| 1–3 rooms | 11.3% | 6.7% | 11.4% |
| 4–6 rooms | 57.4% | 59.4% | 54.9% |
| 7+ rooms | 31.4% | 33.9% | 33.6% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.9% |
| 1 bedroom | 10.6% | 5% | 7.1% |
| 2 bedrooms | 28.5% | 26.1% | 23.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | 43.5% | 51.9% | 46.2% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 16.2% | 16.1% | 21% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1971 | 1980 | 1992 |
| Total housing units | 10,758 | 44,304 | 4,895,668 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
59.9%
owners
Renter-occupied
40.1%
Owner-occupied
59.9%
homeownership rate
Shelby
59.9%
Cleveland County
70.9%
North Carolina
66.6%
Average household size
2.37
Owner-occupied
2.1
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Shelby
2.37
Cleveland County
2.59
North Carolina
2.54
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 9,533 | 38,850 | 4,282,345 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 26.4% | 19.9% | 26.2% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 36.6% | 32.9% | 39.2% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 18.8% | 18.9% | 16.2% |
| 1999 or earlier | 18.2% | 28.2% | 18.5% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 99.8% | 97.9% | 97.8% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 0.1% | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| 1.51 or more | 0% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 6.3% | 5% | 5.3% |
| 1 vehicle | 44% | 29.2% | 31.4% |
| 2 vehicles | 32.7% | 33.4% | 38% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 17% | 32.4% | 25.2% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 32% | 21.8% | 30.5% |
| Electricity | 66.3% | 74.4% | 65.5% |
| Solar | 0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0.8% | 1.9% | 2% |
| All other fuels | 0.4% | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| No fuel used | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| No telephone service available | 0.2% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$197,200
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
34.6%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $197,200 | $200,000 | $288,900 |
| Under $100,000 | 14.7% | 21.9% | 12.7% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 36.7% | 28.2% | 18.9% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 26.4% | 25.9% | 20.5% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 13.6% | 16.6% | 28.3% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 7% | 6.4% | 16.3% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 1.6% | 1% | 3.3% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 59.5% | 50.7% | 61.3% |
| Without a mortgage | 40.5% | 49.3% | 38.7% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $1,358 | $1,257 | $1,631 |
| Without a mortgage | $462 | $412 | $490 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $945 | $914 | $1,228 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
26.6%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Shelby
26.6%
Cleveland County
22%
North Carolina
35.7%
Adults without a high school diploma
9.5%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Shelby
9.5%
Cleveland County
11.6%
North Carolina
9.9%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
4,994
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
23%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 4,994 | 22,534 | 2,530,102 |
| Nursery / preschool | 5.8% | 5% | 5.3% |
| K–12 | 77% | 72.4% | 67.4% |
| Kindergarten | 3.5% | 5.6% | 4.9% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 23.6% | 24.1% | 20% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 21% | 20.3% | 21% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 28.9% | 22.5% | 21.5% |
| College or graduate school | 17.2% | 22.7% | 27.3% |
| College, undergraduate | 13.1% | 19.2% | 21.7% |
| Graduate, professional school | 4.1% | 3.5% | 5.6% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 23% | 33.6% | 39.3% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 90.2% | 85% | 82.3% |
| Private school | 9.8% | 15% | 17.7% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
15,120
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 15,120 | 69,701 | 7,380,330 |
| Less than 9th grade | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 5.9% | 8.1% | 6% |
| High school diploma or GED | 31.2% | 33.2% | 24.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 18.3% | 20% | 19.6% |
| Associate's degree | 14.4% | 13.3% | 10.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 22% | 35.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.8% | 13.9% | 22.2% |
| Graduate or professional | 10.8% | 8% | 13.5% |
| High School or higher | 90.5% | 88.4% | 90.1% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$43,446
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
6.9%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Shelby | Cleveland County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $43,446 | $41,893 | $49,275 |
| Less than high school graduate | $— | $37,997 | $31,234 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $36,458 | $35,121 | $37,346 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $43,834 | $40,416 | $43,525 |
| Bachelor's degree | $44,860 | $52,925 | $64,395 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $62,181 | $60,131 | $80,986 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 46.9% | 29.9% | 26.6% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 17.4% | 16.2% | 15.2% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 13% | 11.9% | 10% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.9% | 6.1% | 4.2% |
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
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