Shelby, NC
Census place 3761200 · pop 22,100
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$48,376 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
41.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
85.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
17.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
30.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
17.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
11.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
59.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
26.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.83% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$197,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
71/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+10.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,202/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
Not measured for Shelby: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Shelby, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Shelby scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is median household income. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Shelby, NC expensive to live in?
- Shelby has a median home value of $197,200 and typical rent around $1,202/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Shelby, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is median household income ($48,376) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Shelby, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,202/mo) — 88/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.