City · Iowa
Shelby, Iowa
Shelby, city, mostly in Shelby County (98.5% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Shelby had 727 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 727 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 752 (±178). GEOID 1972300.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
727
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 727 · ACS 2020-2024: 752 ±178
Median household income
$63,654
±$14,212 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$162,500
±$28,075 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$840
±$61 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Shelby and what county is it in?
Shelby is a city mostly in Shelby County (98.5% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. It covers 2.1 square miles of land, 352 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 716 | 98.5% |
| Pottawattamie County | 11 | 1.5% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Shelby, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 727 people lived in Shelby on July 1, 2025, down 0.1% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 727 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 752 (±178).
| Measure | Shelby | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 752 ±178 | 11,778 | no clear change |
| Households | 352 ±75 | 4,882 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.13 ±0.28 | 2.37 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 408 ±76 | 5,441 | no clear change |
Shelby's population since 2000
From 696 in 2000 to 727 in 2025: up 4.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Shelby as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Shelby?
The median resident of Shelby is 36.1 years old; 19.9% are under 18 and 16.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 12.9%.
| Measure | Shelby | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 ±6.1 | 44.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.9% ±6.8 pts | 22.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.5% ±7.1 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Male | 50.8% ±5.1 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.9% ±8.1 pts | 4.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.3% ±8.2 pts | 91.3% | −13.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±1.9 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.6% ±2.1 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.9% ±6.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.8% ±3.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 12.9% ±4.9 pts | 10.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.2% ±4.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.9% ±6.0 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 10.7% ±3.8 pts | 24.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.6% ±2.6 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.8% ±8.4 pts | 91.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.4% ±4.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Shelby earn?
Half of Shelby's 352 households earn less than $63,654 a year (±$14,212), against $72,738 in Shelby County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $57,898 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shelby | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,654 ±$14,212 | $72,738 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $78,953 ±$15,779 | $97,055 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,393 ±$6,525 | $40,510 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.2% ±4.8 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.3% ±5.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.0% ±8.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.8% ±4.4 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.4% ±7.3 pts | 88.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Shelby?
Owners occupy 62.8% of Shelby's occupied homes and renters 37.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $162,500 by its owner (±$28,075). The median renter pays $840 a month including utilities, and 42.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Shelby | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $162,500 ±$28,075 | $164,000 | +$35,862 |
| Median gross rent | $840 ±$61 | $783 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.9% ±20.0 pts | 39.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,247 ±$111 | $1,326 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.8% ±11.0 pts | 77.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.2% ±11.0 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Housing units | 408 ±76 | 5,441 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.1% ±9.1 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.2% ±8.4 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.2% ±1.8 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 53.9% ±10.6 pts | 46.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.8% ±7.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Shelby building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Shelby in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 4.1 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Shelby work and get to work?
79.5% of Shelby's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.5 minutes.
| Measure | Shelby | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.3% ±8.4 pts | 62.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% ±5.1 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.5% ±9.1 pts | 75.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.6% ±3.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 7.6% ±6.7 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±4.3 pts | 12.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.5 min ±4.9 | 18.5 min | +8.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Shelby?
No census tract lies mostly in Shelby; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602Shelby County | 3,012 | $77,257 |
| Tract 215.02Pottawattamie County | 3,320 | $73,097 |
| Tract 215.01Pottawattamie County | 2,391 | $81,667 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Shelby) · Census block assignment files
How does Shelby compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Shelby is the 11,659th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 355th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Shelby is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 355th | 939 |
Shelby's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Shelby with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Shelby?
20 of the 57 figures for Shelby on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Shelby are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Shelby.