The Town FilesShelbyville, Kentucky
City in Shelby County · population 17,282 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $257,100
- Household income
- $75,610
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 34.8
Shelbyville is a city of 17,282 people in Shelby County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $257,100, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for cycling than 83% of Kentucky towns, more walkable than 82% of Kentucky towns, more vibrant than 77% of Kentucky towns.
How Shelbyville ranks
Percentile among Kentucky towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kentucky towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelbyville is worth $257,100, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $75,610, which is more affordable than 31% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $1,033 a month. 56.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelbyville | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $257,100 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $1,033 | $837 |
| Median household income | $75,610 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 56.1% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Shelbyville
| People | Shelbyville | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.7% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.5% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 88.6% |
Weather in Shelbyville
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 20.3°F. About 49.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.4 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelbyville since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 6, 2008 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 2, 1980.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| April 10, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4702: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2021 | Tornado | DR-4630: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 16,556 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,073 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Shelbyville itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Shelbyville
13 public schools with 6,144 students, about 17.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Layne Collins High School | 9-12 | 1,208 | 18.9 |
| Shelby County High School | 9-12 | 998 | 20.0 |
| Marnel C. Moorman School | K-8 | 781 | 17.0 |
| Shelby County East Middle School | 6-8 | 556 | 19.2 |
| Shelby County West Middle School | 6-8 | 552 | 15.8 |
| Wright Elementary | K-5 | 503 | 16.8 |
| Painted Stone Elementary | K-5 | 465 | 15.5 |
| Clear Creek Elementary | K-5 | 426 | 13.7 |
| Southside Elementary | K-5 | 417 | 16.0 |
| Northside Early Childhood Center | PK-PK | 206 | 34.3 |
| Ascension Academy | 7-12 | 32 | 5.3 |
| Shelby County Summer School | K-12 | — | — |
Towns near Shelbyville
- Simpsonville, KY6.2 mi · 2,990 people · home $270,800
- Eminence, KY11.3 mi · 2,705 people · home $192,600
- La Grange, KY15.3 mi · 10,067 people · home $283,200
- Middletown, KY15.8 mi · 9,706 people · home $336,000
- Crestwood, KY16.3 mi · 6,183 people · home $338,200
- Anchorage, KY17.1 mi · 2,500 people · home $854,200
- Buckner, KY17.4 mi · 5,785 people · home $425,400
- Douglass Hills, KY17.5 mi · 5,456 people · home $346,300
Shelbyville questions
Is Shelbyville, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelbyville scores better for retirees than 23% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 20%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Shelbyville?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelbyville is valued at $257,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,610, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,033 a month.
What is the weather like in Shelbyville?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 20.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.8 inches of precipitation a year and 9.4 inches of snow.
Does Shelbyville get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelbyville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on February 6, 2008. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.
- 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)