The Town FilesShelby, Alabama
Community in Shelby County · population 940 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $158,200
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 58.2
Shelby is a community of 940 people in Shelby County, Alabama. The median home is worth $158,200, close to the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Alabama towns, better for retirees than 96% of Alabama towns, quieter than 88% of Alabama towns.
How Shelby ranks
Percentile among Alabama towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alabama towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelby is worth $158,200, close to the typical Alabama town ($161,250). 90.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelby | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $158,200 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | — | $834 |
| Median household income | — | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.7% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shelby
| People | Shelby | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.2 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.4% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Shelby
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 35.6°F. About 56.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 43 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelby since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 27, 1973 about 6.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 65 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 13, 1955.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| December 21, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4632: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 26, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4596: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 85,169 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,772 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Shelby itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Shelby
1 public school with 239 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby Elementary School | PK-5 | 239 | 17.1 |
Towns near Shelby
- Columbiana, AL6.1 mi · 4,462 people · home $259,500
- Fayetteville, AL9.3 mi · 1,422 people · home $298,500
- Calera, AL9.3 mi · 16,494 people · home $235,300
- Wilsonville, AL10.7 mi · 1,857 people · home $235,400
- Jemison, AL12.7 mi · 2,642 people · home $170,000
- Chelsea, AL14.3 mi · 14,982 people · home $360,000
- Montevallo, AL15.2 mi · 7,229 people · home $220,700
- Thorsby, AL15.3 mi · 2,064 people · home $188,300
Shelby questions
Is Shelby, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelby scores better for retirees than 96% of Alabama towns and quieter than 88%. 36.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.2).
How much does a house cost in Shelby?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelby is valued at $158,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Shelby?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 35.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.2 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Shelby get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelby since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 27, 1973. The typical Alabama town has had 30.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)