Population 4,364 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Shelby
Household size in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Shelby average 2.59 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has climbed from 2.48 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.8 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.7 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.5 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Shelby skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Shelby: 4.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Shelby
Renters in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.4% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Shelby is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 53.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.3% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 35.7% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 25.3% of the housing in Shelby, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Shelby is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $524 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $611 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $575 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $784 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$260 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Shelby pays $784 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 17.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Shelby
Bachelor's degrees in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.9% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Shelby than nationally: 26.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.2% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.6% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.7% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.5% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Shelby have finished high school as nationally: 88.5%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Birmingham area (90.5%).
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Shelby
| Period | Shelby | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Shelby is close to the national rate: 5.6% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the Birmingham area as a whole (4.4%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Shelby compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 2.59 | 50.5 | 4.6% | 17.7% | 25.3% | 1988 | $784 | 26.8% | 88.5% | 5.6% |
| Talladega Springs | 2.69 | 46.6 | 4.0% | 29.8% | 8.7% | 1992 | $856 | 25.8% | 93.0% | 1.9% |
| South Calera | 2.99 | 34.4 | 5.9% | 11.7% | 8.5% | 2003 | $1,486 | 35.0% | 93.8% | 1.9% |
| Unity | 2.42 | 47.3 | 11.5% | 7.2% | 34.1% | 1973 | $669 | 8.3% | 76.9% | 0.0% |
| Calera | 2.71 | 34.7 | 12.5% | 20.9% | 7.1% | 2002 | $1,553 | 32.9% | 90.5% | 2.0% |
| Collins Chapel | 2.83 | 39.1 | 3.6% | 14.0% | 8.6% | 1995 | $927 | 20.1% | 82.5% | 2.9% |
| Weogufka | 2.53 | 47.7 | 10.3% | 9.7% | 24.0% | 1984 | $686 | 7.9% | 81.8% | 3.1% |
| Dargin | 3.08 | 33.3 | 11.0% | 22.7% | 17.7% | 1994 | $1,035 | 28.7% | 81.4% | 4.4% |
| Jemison | 2.74 | 35.9 | 8.2% | 23.2% | 12.1% | 1988 | $883 | 13.5% | 85.3% | 3.7% |
| Minooka | 3.41 | 32.3 | 24.4% | 24.7% | 5.4% | 1997 | $870 | 10.9% | 66.5% | 0.8% |
| Oak Grove | 2.33 | 47.0 | 19.6% | 14.7% | 10.2% | 1984 | $844 | 11.3% | 89.4% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Greensboro, AL · Guilford, IN · Groton, NY · Gregory, MI · Greenwood Lake, NY · Greenwood, LA · Greenwich, OH · Greenville, IN · Greentown, IN · Greensburg, LA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Shelby. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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