The Town FilesShell Valley, North Dakota
Community in Rolette County · population 1,146 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $90,800
- Household income
- $46,786
- Jan low / Jul high
- -5° / 79°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 27.0
Shell Valley is a community of 1,146 people in Rolette County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $90,800, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better for young professionals than 83% of North Dakota towns, more of a college town than 73% of North Dakota towns, more vibrant than 71% of North Dakota towns.
How Shell Valley ranks
Percentile among North Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shell Valley is worth $90,800, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $46,786, which is more affordable than 82% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $428 a month. 59.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shell Valley | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $90,800 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $428 | $775 |
| Median household income | $46,786 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 59.9% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shell Valley
| People | Shell Valley | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.0 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.3% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 34.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.5% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 87.3% |
Weather in Shell Valley
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows -5.1°F. About 20.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 209 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shell Valley since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on July 7, 2008 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 1, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 21, 2007.
Severe weather in Rolette County since 1996
Rolette County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3477: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Flood | DR-4323: Flooding |
| May 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4118: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Rolette County
Rolette County had 4,591 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,347 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Shell Valley itself the ACS puts it at 9.8%.
Towns near Shell Valley
- Belcourt, ND4.4 mi · 1,510 people · home —
- Green Acres, ND6.6 mi · 605 people · home —
- East Dunseith, ND9.6 mi · 500 people · home $143,800
- Rolla, ND10.2 mi · 1,223 people · home $151,500
- Dunseith, ND10.7 mi · 632 people · home —
- Bottineau, ND28.0 mi · 2,194 people · home $165,000
Shell Valley questions
Is Shell Valley, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shell Valley scores better for retirees than 7% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 19%. 6.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.0).
How much does a house cost in Shell Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Shell Valley is valued at $90,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,786, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $428 a month.
What is the weather like in Shell Valley?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows -5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.1 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Shell Valley get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shell Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on July 7, 2008. The typical North Dakota town has had 11.
- 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)