The Town FilesShelton, Nebraska
Village in Buffalo County · population 1,034 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $142,100
- Household income
- $81,278
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 50
- Median age
- 34.4
Shelton is a village of 1,034 people in Buffalo County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $142,100, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Nebraska towns.
How Shelton ranks
Percentile among Nebraska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nebraska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelton is worth $142,100, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $81,278, which is more affordable than 87% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $1,114 a month. 78.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelton | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,100 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $1,114 | $818 |
| Median household income | $81,278 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.9% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Shelton
| People | Shelton | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.7% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 87.8% |
Weather in Shelton
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 13.8°F. About 25.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.4 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
50 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelton since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 8, 1965 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 15, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 91 times; the largest was 6.00 inches on June 12, 1990.
Severe weather in Buffalo County since 1996
Buffalo County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4928: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4641: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3483: Covid-19 |
| March 21, 2019 | Flood | DR-4420: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Buffalo County
Buffalo County had 28,148 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,993 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Shelton itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Shelton
2 public schools with 281 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHELTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 171 | 12.2 |
| SHELTON HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 110 | 12.2 |
Towns near Shelton
- Gibbon, NE6.5 mi · 1,878 people · home $173,800
- Wood River, NE7.1 mi · 1,172 people · home $151,200
- Kenesaw, NE11.6 mi · 919 people · home $177,600
- Alda, NE15.0 mi · 647 people · home $106,500
- Cairo, NE17.0 mi · 822 people · home $193,000
- Juniata, NE17.5 mi · 748 people · home $143,300
- Glenwood, NE18.5 mi · 503 people · home $337,900
- Doniphan, NE18.7 mi · 809 people · home $211,100
Shelton questions
Is Shelton, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelton scores better for retirees than 31% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 44%. 12.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.4).
How much does a house cost in Shelton?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelton is valued at $142,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,278, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $1,114 a month.
What is the weather like in Shelton?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 13.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.6 inches of precipitation a year and 24.4 inches of snow.
Does Shelton get tornadoes?
50 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 8, 1965. The typical Nebraska 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)