The Town FilesShelbyville, Indiana
City in Shelby County · population 20,067 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,700
- Household income
- $55,602
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 36.3
Shelbyville is a city of 20,067 people in Shelby County, Indiana. The median home is worth $174,700, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 89% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 88% of Indiana towns.
How Shelbyville ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelbyville is worth $174,700, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $55,602, which is more affordable than 19% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $995 a month. 55.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelbyville | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,700 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $995 | $888 |
| Median household income | $55,602 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 55.2% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Shelbyville
| People | Shelbyville | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Shelbyville
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 44.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelbyville since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 17 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 25, 1961 about 2.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 20 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 2, 1980.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1766: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 18,915 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,974 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Shelbyville itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Shelbyville
11 public schools with 4,802 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelbyville Sr High School | 9-12 | 1,093 | 17.6 |
| Shelbyville Middle School | 6-8 | 881 | 18.0 |
| William F Loper Elementary School | K-5 | 640 | 15.6 |
| Thomas A Hendricks Elementary Sch | K-5 | 556 | 15.0 |
| Coulston Elementary School | K-5 | 434 | 12.8 |
| Southwestern Elementary School | PK-6 | 382 | 15.3 |
| Golden Bear Preschool | PK-K | 328 | 23.4 |
| Southwestern High School | 7-12 | 280 | 12.2 |
| Excel Center - Shelbyville (charter) | 9-12 | 157 | 22.4 |
| Especially Kidz Health & Rehab Cnt | PK-12 | 51 | 51.0 |
| Blue River Career Programs | 6-12 | — | — |
Towns near Shelbyville
- New Palestine, IN14.1 mi · 2,744 people · home $357,500
- Franklin, IN15.0 mi · 25,313 people · home $231,500
- Whiteland, IN15.9 mi · 4,599 people · home $232,100
- Edinburgh, IN16.7 mi · 4,435 people · home $154,500
- Greenfield, IN17.0 mi · 23,488 people · home $216,400
- New Whiteland, IN17.2 mi · 5,550 people · home $211,800
- Greenwood, IN17.9 mi · 63,830 people · home $276,100
- Rushville, IN18.3 mi · 6,208 people · home $127,300
Shelbyville questions
Is Shelbyville, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelbyville scores better for retirees than 39% of Indiana towns and quieter than 11%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).
How much does a house cost in Shelbyville?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelbyville is valued at $174,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,602, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $995 a month.
What is the weather like in Shelbyville?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.0 inches of precipitation a year and 14.6 inches of snow.
Does Shelbyville get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelbyville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 25, 1961. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- 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)