Town · Indiana
Shirley, Indiana
Shirley, town, mostly in Hancock County (74.6% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Henry County, Indiana. Shirley had 851 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 819 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,022 (±234). GEOID 1869516.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
851
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 819 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,022 ±234
Median household income
$67,083
±$29,296 (90% margin)
Indiana: $71,957
Median home value
$113,100
±$27,061 (90% margin)
Indiana: $218,200
Median gross rent
$615
±$228 (90% margin)
Indiana: $1,062
Where is Shirley and what county is it in?
Shirley is a town mostly in Hancock County (74.6% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Henry County, Indiana. It covers 0.4 square miles of land, 2,269 residents per square mile in 2020.
Shirley is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Shirley lies mostly within Brown Township (Hancock County) and reaches into Greensboro Township, towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | 611 | 74.6% |
| Henry County | 208 | 25.4% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Shirley, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 851 people lived in Shirley on July 1, 2025, up 3.4% since 2020, faster than Indiana (+2.8%). The 2020 Census counted 819 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,022 (±234).
| Measure | Shirley | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,022 ±234 | 84,037 | no clear change |
| Households | 382 ±75 | 33,474 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.68 ±0.35 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 409 ±75 | 34,370 | no clear change |
Shirley's population since 2000
From 806 in 2000 to 851 in 2025: up 5.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Shirley 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 Shirley?
The median resident of Shirley is 35.3 years old; 30.1% are under 18 and 13.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.6%.
| Measure | Shirley | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 ±6.6 | 40.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.1% ±8.7 pts | 23.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.6% ±5.8 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Male | 47.9% ±7.3 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.6% ±3.9 pts | 3.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.3% ±4.0 pts | 88.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.3 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.2% ±6.6 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 22.0% ±9.5 pts | 13.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.8% ±6.3 pts | 5.5% | +7.4 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1% ±3.7 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.1% ±3.4 pts | 34.9% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.5% ±1.5 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.6% ±4.5 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
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 Shirley earn?
Half of Shirley's 382 households earn less than $67,083 a year (±$29,296), against $93,186 in Hancock County and $71,957 in Indiana. In 2015-2019 it was $67,737 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shirley | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,083 ±$29,296 | $93,186 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $77,110 ±$10,758 | $118,107 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,707 ±$3,533 | $47,372 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.4% ±4.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.3% ±7.7 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.1% ±5.2 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.1% ±3.2 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.5% ±4.3 pts | 93.6% | – |
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 Shirley?
Owners occupy 83.5% of Shirley's occupied homes and renters 16.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $113,100 by its owner (±$27,061). The median renter pays $615 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Shirley | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $113,100 ±$27,061 | $274,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $615 ±$228 | $1,203 | −$302 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 19.0% ±14.0 pts | 29.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,114 ±$50 | $1,538 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.5% ±6.3 pts | 79.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.5% ±6.3 pts | 20.5% | – |
| Housing units | 409 ±75 | 34,370 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±40.1 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.6% ±5.8 pts | 84.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.9% ±3.1 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 42.8% ±13.0 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.3% ±5.7 pts | 3.0% | – |
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 do people in Shirley work and get to work?
89.6% of Shirley's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 29.9 minutes.
| Measure | Shirley | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.6% ±10.3 pts | 68.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% ±3.7 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 89.6% ±5.4 pts | 74.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.0% ±3.8 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.5% ±3.6 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.9 min ±6.0 | 27.7 min | no clear change |
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 Shirley?
No census tract lies mostly in Shirley; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4101Hancock County | 4,095 | $82,174 |
| Tract 9757Henry County | 4,188 | $65,846 |
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 Shirley) · Census block assignment files
How does Shirley compare with other places in Indiana?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Shirley is the 10,961st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 333rd-most populous of 566 in Indiana.
Shirley 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 | 333rd | 566 |
Shirley's figures with every place in Indiana (CSV)
Every place in Indiana, sortable · Compare Shirley 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 Shirley?
25 of the 57 figures for Shirley 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 Shirley 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 Shirley.