The Town FilesShelby, Iowa
City in Shelby County · population 727 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $162,500
- Household income
- $63,654
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 36.1
Shelby is a city of 727 people in Shelby County, Iowa. The median home is worth $162,500, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for families than 80% of Iowa towns, hipper than 74% of Iowa towns.
How Shelby ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelby is worth $162,500, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $63,654, which is more affordable than 30% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $840 a month. 62.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelby | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,500 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $840 | $820 |
| Median household income | $63,654 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 62.8% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Shelby
| People | Shelby | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 88.5% |
Weather in Shelby
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 10.3°F. About 34.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.9 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelby since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 26, 1976 about 3.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 25, 2024.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 5,460 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,072 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Shelby itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Towns near Shelby
- Minden, IA5.4 mi · 600 people · home $170,500
- Avoca, IA6.0 mi · 1,683 people · home $173,800
- Neola, IA9.5 mi · 918 people · home $205,100
- Harlan, IA11.8 mi · 4,893 people · home $152,500
- Walnut, IA11.9 mi · 747 people · home $115,900
- Oakland, IA13.7 mi · 1,524 people · home $160,200
- Underwood, IA14.8 mi · 954 people · home $253,500
- Carson, IA18.7 mi · 766 people · home $181,400
Shelby questions
Is Shelby, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelby scores better for retirees than 61% of Iowa towns and quieter than 68%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Shelby?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelby is valued at $162,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,654, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $840 a month.
What is the weather like in Shelby?
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 10.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.3 inches of precipitation a year and 28.9 inches of snow.
Does Shelby get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelby since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 26, 1976. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- 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)