Shelby, NE Demographics

Population 1,178 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Shelby, NE map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Shelby

Household size in Shelby

Household size, people per household
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–102.612.522.68
2010–142.392.532.73
2015–192.682.512.71
2020–242.792.512.65
Change+0.18−0.01−0.03
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The typical household in Shelby holds 2.79 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.61, 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

Median age, years
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–1038.537.437.7
2010–1444.237.938.6
2015–1943.138.339.6
2020–2439.538.340.1
Change+1.1+0.9+2.3
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Half of the people in Shelby are younger than 39.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1.

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

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–108.0%10.1%12.3%
2010–147.7%10.6%12.3%
2015–198.3%10.1%11.6%
2020–249.8%10.4%11.6%
Change+1.8 pts+0.3 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are a bit less common in Shelby than nationally: 9.8%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Nebraska.

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

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–1029.3%31.4%33.3%
2010–1428.5%33.5%35.6%
2015–1917.9%33.9%36.0%
2020–2418.3%33.5%34.8%
Change−11.0 pts+2.0 pts+1.5 pts
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Shelby is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 57.8% 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

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–1013.4%10.0%11.4%
2010–1410.9%9.1%11.4%
2015–1921.9%9.4%11.1%
2020–2415.1%7.8%9.6%
Change+1.7 pts−2.2 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Shelby: 15.1% of homes are empty, 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

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–10195819691974
2010–14196319701975
2015–19195919721977
2020–24196219751980
Change+4+6+6
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The housing in Shelby is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.

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

Rent, per month
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–10$587$730$965
2010–14$637$805$1,040
2015–19$647$911$1,213
2020–24$918$1,159$1,571
Change+$331+$429+$606
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Rent in Shelby runs $918 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 19.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.

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

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–1017.5%29.5%28.4%
2010–1416.8%30.4%29.6%
2015–1919.7%32.4%32.1%
2020–2417.6%34.9%35.6%
Change+0.2 pts+5.5 pts+7.2 pts
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Fewer adults in Shelby have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.6%, against 35.6% nationally.

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

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–1094.0%90.3%84.9%
2010–1494.9%90.6%86.1%
2015–1986.7%91.3%87.7%
2020–2496.7%91.8%89.3%
Change+2.7 pts+1.6 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion is high in Shelby: 96.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.

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

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodShelbyNebraskaU.S.
2006–104.3%5.1%8.1%
2010–142.9%5.5%9.4%
2015–1911.3%3.4%5.6%
2020–242.3%3.1%5.4%
Change−2.0 pts−2.1 pts−2.7 pts
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The job market in Shelby has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Shelby2.7939.59.8%18.3%15.1%1962$91817.6%96.7%2.3%
Rising City2.3344.70.8%6.6%11.2%1957$98722.9%96.3%4.4%
Osceola2.4942.36.4%25.6%7.1%1964$52525.5%93.4%1.9%
Surprise2.5744.13.6%12.9%14.1%1941$1,25419.2%96.4%3.7%
Stromsburg2.3144.85.2%23.3%11.6%1945$84821.7%91.8%0.4%
Gresham2.3844.510.9%13.0%11.9%1945$82618.1%92.6%1.6%
Duncan2.6441.12.2%8.1%12.0%1984$1,09923.5%96.7%0.5%
Swedehome2.3050.73.9%17.4%18.8%1954$62716.5%93.6%0.8%
Bellwood2.4943.87.6%10.9%19.4%1979$91314.2%86.8%2.3%
Garrison2.4546.12.3%11.9%13.5%1941$1,20120.0%96.3%3.5%
Ulysses2.5245.12.7%12.2%14.3%1938$1,28419.7%96.4%3.8%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Dublin, IN · Walhonding, OH · Faucett, MO · Fairfield, MT · Endeavor, WI · West Cape May, NJ · Weyerhaeuser, WI · Willseyville, NY · Dysart, PA · Van Horne, IA

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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