City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Shelton, WA

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

10,619
Residents
$60,589
Median income
$296,100
Median home
$1,354
Median rent (state)

Shelton - the verdict

Nationally, Shelton sits in the 36th percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
51st
percentile, median rent
17th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Shelton, WA

Washington's Shelton is a small town, with 10,619 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Shelton households earn a median of $60,589 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.3%. Shelton's housing stock carries a median value of $296,100, and the median resident age is 31.6 years. 18.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 42 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 31% from five years earlier. Shelton's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2872.0 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,354 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 24.6 minutes, with 73.8% driving alone and 9.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 85.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

10,619 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$60,589 /yr

Poverty 16.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Shelton compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 51% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Washington alone, Shelton ranks #109 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Shelton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

36thIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Shelton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Shelton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Shelton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Shelton's home value compares nationally

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

$296,100 35th percentile more affordable than 35% 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%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Shelton $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 - Shelton, WA Shelton, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Shelton, WA-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 Shelton, WA median $60,589/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%
Shelton, WA'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 Shelton, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.5%

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

Population
10,619
Median Income
$60,589
Median Home Value
$296,100
Median Age
31.6
Poverty Rate
16.3%
Labor force participation
53.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2872.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
475.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2396.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,200 residents10,400 residents10,600 residents10,800 residents11,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,434 residents 10,921 residents ▲ +4.7%
Shelton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
42
housing units authorized
Single-Family
42
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 61
2020 71
2021 16
2022 12
2023 7
2024 42

Permit volume decreased 31% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.6 minutes
Drive Alone
73.8%
Carpool
13.0%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
9.2%
Other
0.7%

Based on 4,059 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington 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 Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Shelton sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,354/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Yelm
10,618 people
Mount Vista
10,635 people
Lake Morton-Berrydale
10,591 people
Sumner
10,674 people
Felida
10,695 people
Airway Heights
10,766 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Shelton's 10,619 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Waggaman, LA
10,617 people
Crestwood, IL
10,622 people
Santa Clara, OR
10,623 people
Pella, IA
10,624 people
Winterville, NC
10,624 people
Chalco, NE
10,625 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Shelton's $60,589 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bryant, SD
$60,592 median income
Redfield, SD
$60,586 median income
Little Rock, AR
$60,583 median income
Augusta, KS
$60,581 median income
Leavittsburg, OH
$60,598 median income
Saraland, AL
$60,577 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Shelton, WA 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 Shelton, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.1% 16.8% 10.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 27.6% White 69.1% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 1.0% American Indian 2.2% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 16.8% Two or more races 10.1% 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 Shelton compares to nearby Washington cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Shelton (this city) 10,619 $60,589
Yelm 10,618 $88,279
Mount Vista 10,635 $101,189
Lake Morton-Berrydale 10,591 $127,074
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Shelton, WA?

What is the population of Shelton, WA? +

Shelton, WA has a population of 10,619 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Shelton, WA? +

Shelton households earn a median of $60,589 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Shelton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Shelton; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Shelton, WA safe? +

Shelton has a total crime rate of 2872.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Shelton, WA? +

Shelton's median home value sits at $296,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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 Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.