City · Kentucky
Shively, Kentucky
Shively, city, in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Shively had 15,895 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 15,636 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 15,638 (±48). GEOID 2170284.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
15,895
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 15,636 · ACS 2020-2024: 15,638 ±48
Median household income
$50,221
±$4,288 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $63,726
Median home value
$154,700
±$6,586 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $205,600
Median gross rent
$899
±$88 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $967
Where is Shively and what county is it in?
Shively is a city in Jefferson County, Kentucky. It covers 4.6 square miles of land, 3,420 residents per square mile in 2020.
Shively is in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 12 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Shively, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 15,895 people lived in Shively on July 1, 2025, up 1.6% since 2020, slower than Kentucky (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 15,636 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 15,638 (±48).
| Measure | Shively | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 15,638 ±48 | 783,022 | −88 |
| Households | 6,786 ±447 | 331,554 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.27 ±0.15 | 2.32 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 7,160 ±439 | 359,710 | no clear change |
Shively's population since 2000
From 15,157 in 2000 to 15,895 in 2025: up 4.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Shively 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 Shively?
The median resident of Shively is 47.5 years old; 19.0% are under 18 and 23.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 58.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 34.6%.
| Measure | Shively | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 ±3.2 | 38.4 | +6.7 |
| Under 18 years | 19.0% ±3.1 pts | 22.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.1% ±2.8 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Male | 48.8% ±2.9 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.7% ±2.0 pts | 8.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 34.6% ±5.4 pts | 62.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 58.2% ±5.0 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 3.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.3 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.8% ±1.9 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.1% ±2.6 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.0% ±2.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 26.3% ±4.3 pts | 14.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.5% ±1.9 pts | 5.7% | −3.3 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.6% ±3.1 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.9% ±3.1 pts | 37.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.9% ±1.2 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.8% ±2.4 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 Shively earn?
Half of Shively's 6,786 households earn less than $50,221 a year (±$4,288), against $69,866 in Jefferson County and $63,726 in Kentucky. In 2015-2019 it was $48,056 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shively | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,221 ±$4,288 | $69,866 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,169 ±$10,163 | $97,866 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,765 ±$4,632 | $42,087 | +$5,427 |
| People below the poverty line | 14.7% ±3.9 pts | 14.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.1% ±8.4 pts | 19.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.2% ±5.0 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.1% ±3.9 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.3% ±4.5 pts | 90.9% | – |
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 Shively?
Owners occupy 61.8% of Shively's occupied homes and renters 38.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $154,700 by its owner (±$6,586). The median renter pays $899 a month including utilities, and 40.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Shively | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $154,700 ±$6,586 | $248,400 | +$23,016 |
| Median gross rent | $899 ±$88 | $1,149 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.8% ±9.8 pts | 38.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,155 ±$69 | $1,593 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 61.8% ±5.7 pts | 62.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.2% ±5.7 pts | 37.9% | – |
| Housing units | 7,160 ±439 | 359,710 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6% ±3.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.7% ±5.1 pts | 64.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.5% ±1.3 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5% ±1.2 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.9% ±2.6 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.0% ±3.4 pts | 8.7% | – |
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 Shively work and get to work?
74.8% of Shively's workers drive alone and 14.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.9%.
| Measure | Shively | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.2% ±4.8 pts | 65.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% ±2.7 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 74.8% ±4.8 pts | 72.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.9% ±2.4 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 4.0% ±2.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.3% ±4.6 pts | 14.2% | +10.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.7 min ±2.2 | 22.2 min | +3.9 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 Shively?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Shively, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $40,990 (Tract 125.01) to $67,429 (Tract 126.06).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 126.05Jefferson County | 3,657 | $50,775 |
| Tract 126.03Jefferson County | 3,388 | $50,982 |
| Tract 126.06Jefferson County | 3,845 | $67,429 |
| Tract 126.04Jefferson County | 6,523 | $58,222 |
| Tract 125.01Jefferson County | 2,253 | $40,990 |
| Tract 128.02Jefferson County | 2,788 | $42,227 |
| Tract 128.01Jefferson County | 2,433 | $34,380 |
| Tract 125.03Jefferson County | 3,523 | $63,149 |
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 Shively) · Census block assignment files
How does Shively compare with other places in Kentucky?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Shively is the 2,316th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 29th-most populous of 418 in Kentucky.
Shively ranks 139th of 230 places in Kentucky with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 29th | 418 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 103rd | 204 |
| Residents per square mile | 18th | 232 |
| Median household income | 139th | 230 |
| Per capita income | 99th | 232 |
| Median home value | 136th | 225 |
| Median gross rent | 95th | 217 |
| Poverty rate | 140th | 203 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 178th | 223 |
| Median age | 26th | 232 |
| Owner-occupied share | 98th | 229 |
| Work from home | 45th | 130 |
| Travel time to work | 53rd | 232 |
Shively's figures with every place in Kentucky (CSV)
Every place in Kentucky, sortable · Compare Shively 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 Shively?
14 of the 57 figures for Shively 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 Shively 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 Shively.