City profile · North Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Shell Valley, ND

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Shell Valley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,112
Residents
$43,281
Median income
$55,200
Median home
$954
Median rent (state)

Shell Valley - the verdict

Nationally, Shell Valley sits in the 11th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

11th
percentile, household income
1st
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Shell Valley, ND

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,112 residents in Shell Valley, a small town within North Dakota. Median household income here is $43,281 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 33.1%. Shell Valley's housing stock carries a median value of $55,200, and the median resident age is 27.5 years. Educational attainment runs 22.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 39.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in North Dakota run below the national norm: the state registers 89.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $954 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Dakota's average monthly utility costs around $200 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 52.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

1,112 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Dakota

Median Household Income

$43,281 /yr

Poverty 33.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Dakota average

How does Shell Valley compare to other US cities?

Here's how Shell Valley stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 11% higher than other cities
Home value 1% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Shell Valley against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Dakota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Dakota-relative analysis

Poverty Rate is Shell Valley's strongest outlier among North Dakota cities

Among the 246 North Dakota cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Shell Valley ranks #11 - the 96th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Shell Valley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#210 of 227
7th percentile in North Dakota
Median Gross Rent
#94 of 246
59th percentile in North Dakota
Median Home Value
#212 of 226
6th percentile in North Dakota
Poverty Rate
#11 of 246
96th percentile in North Dakota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#107 of 246
55th percentile in North Dakota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Dakota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

11thIncome percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Shell Valley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$55,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 99% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Shell Valley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Shell Valley, ND Shell Valley, ND's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Shell Valley, ND-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Shell Valley, ND median $43,281/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Shell Valley, ND's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Shell Valley, ND. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 33.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 39.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,112
Median Income
$43,281
Median Home Value
$55,200
Median Age
27.5
Poverty Rate
33.1%
Labor force participation
39.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.5%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.8%
Carpool
29.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
2.9%

Based on 273 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Shell Valley sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$954/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
52.9 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Dakota

Crosby
1,116 people
Thompson
1,092 people
Hettinger
1,141 people
Rolla
1,164 people
Burlington
1,169 people
Kenmare
1,027 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Shell Valley's 1,112 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

St. David, AZ
1,112 people
Clay, KY
1,112 people
Trappe, MD
1,112 people
Newfield, NY
1,112 people
Woodall, OK
1,112 people
Machias, WA
1,112 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Shell Valley's $43,281 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lorimor, IA
$43,281 median income
Motley, MN
$43,281 median income
Ringwood, OK
$43,281 median income
Mossyrock, WA
$43,281 median income
Wytheville, VA
$43,283 median income
Parkdale, MI
$43,276 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Shell Valley, ND Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Shell Valley, ND - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 99.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 0.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 99.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Shell Valley compares to nearby North Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Shell Valley (this city) 1,112 $43,281
Crosby 1,116 $80,000
Thompson 1,092 $110,909
Hettinger 1,141 $50,750
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ND OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Shell Valley, ND?

What is the population of Shell Valley, ND? +

1,112 people live in Shell Valley, ND according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Shell Valley, ND? +

Shell Valley households earn a median of $43,281 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Shell Valley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Shell Valley; the closest available measure is the North Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 89.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Dakota vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Shell Valley, ND? +

Homes in Shell Valley carry a median value of $55,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.