Shelby, VA Demographics

Population 195 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Shelby, VA map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Shelby

Household size in Shelby

Household size, people per household
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–102.262.632.68
2010–142.422.682.73
2015–192.162.682.71
2020–242.852.622.65
Change+0.59−0.01−0.03
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The typical household in Shelby holds 2.85 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.26 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

Median age, years
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–1050.238.237.7
2010–1441.539.038.6
2015–1948.340.039.6
2020–2442.740.340.1
Change−7.5+2.1+2.3
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The median resident of Shelby is 42.7 years old, a bit older than 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
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–103.6%11.1%12.3%
2010–147.2%11.0%12.3%
2015–195.0%10.5%11.6%
2020–2410.5%10.7%11.6%
Change+6.9 pts−0.4 pts−0.6 pts
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Single parents head about one in ten households in Shelby (10.5%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Virginia as a whole looks much the same.

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
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–1013.0%31.1%33.3%
2010–1418.8%33.3%35.6%
2015–1925.5%33.7%36.0%
2020–2421.2%32.7%34.8%
Change+8.2 pts+1.5 pts+1.5 pts
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Shelby is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 30.2% have no mortgage at all, below 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
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–1015.4%10.3%11.4%
2010–1436.2%10.2%11.4%
2015–1925.1%9.7%11.1%
2020–2421.8%8.7%9.6%
Change+6.4 pts−1.6 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Shelby: 21.8% 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
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–10197219781974
2010–14197319801975
2015–19197619811977
2020–24199119841980
Change+19+5+6
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Shelby has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1991, versus 1980 nationally.

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
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–10$619$1,143$965
2010–14$998$1,238$1,040
2015–19$827$1,436$1,213
2020–24$1,212$1,743$1,571
Change+$593+$600+$606
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A typical rental in Shelby costs $1,212 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 23.6% 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+
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–1026.9%35.2%28.4%
2010–1411.5%36.7%29.6%
2015–1926.0%39.3%32.1%
2020–2424.6%42.5%35.6%
Change−2.4 pts+7.3 pts+7.2 pts
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College degrees are relatively uncommon in Shelby: 24.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 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

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–1069.1%86.8%84.9%
2010–1475.7%88.3%86.1%
2015–1986.5%89.9%87.7%
2020–2492.3%91.6%89.3%
Change+23.2 pts+4.7 pts+4.3 pts
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About nine in ten adults in Shelby have finished high school (92.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Virginia.

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
PeriodShelbyVirginiaU.S.
2006–103.5%6.0%8.1%
2010–146.2%7.0%9.4%
2015–196.7%4.7%5.6%
2020–2411.1%4.3%5.4%
Change+7.5 pts−1.7 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Shelby runs well above the national rate: 11.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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
Shelby2.8542.710.5%21.2%21.8%1991$1,21224.6%92.3%11.1%
Madison2.4946.07.3%30.3%9.0%1978$1,19527.1%88.5%3.1%
Graves Mill2.8142.111.0%20.0%21.0%1989$1,21022.8%91.3%9.7%
Banco2.4347.86.8%33.2%14.2%1978$95727.6%85.5%7.7%
Wolftown2.8542.710.5%21.2%21.8%1991$1,21224.6%92.3%11.1%
Pratts2.4147.17.6%23.4%10.0%1979$1,14027.1%90.0%1.9%
Leon2.6345.110.5%15.1%13.8%1983$1,27222.7%87.7%6.2%
Haywood2.4245.38.8%27.5%14.1%1976$99722.8%84.5%5.3%
Brightwood2.5748.09.5%13.2%9.5%1982$1,16925.0%86.5%5.4%
Hood2.6145.110.6%28.5%12.6%1982$1,15625.6%89.2%5.7%
Syria2.2250.45.0%38.4%10.4%1972$82829.2%82.1%6.1%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Drury, MA · Trust, NC · Troy, WV · Troy, SD · Trout River, NY · Travis Bridge, AL · East Sutton, NH · East Danville, OH · Duke, MO · Dudleyville, IL

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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