Shelby County, Iowa
Located in Iowa, Shelby County has a population of 11,778 residents and a median age of 44.3 years, making it the #2,369 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 7.6%. The median home value is $164,000, and the median household income is $72,738, which is 3% below the national median.
Demographics
Shelby County has a population of 11,778, making it the #2,369 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.3 years, which is 13.9% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Shelby County is $72,738, ranking #996 out of 3,222 counties — 3.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 7.6% and unemployment stands at 3.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Shelby County is $164,000 (-41.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $783/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Shelby County, 24.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 28.6% below the national average, ranking #1,359 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Shelby County is 78.3 years. 15.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.6% of adults in Shelby County smoke , 35.0% are obese , and 24.9% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 14.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 12.3 per 100,000.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Trend
Families & Children
10.1% of children in Shelby County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 11.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Shelby County is 76.7%. The mean commute time is 20.9 min, which is 24.2% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Shelby County voted Republican with a margin of 43.0%. The vote was 27.9% Dem / 70.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Shelby County, Iowa
Shelby County, Iowa has a total population of 11,778, making it the 2,369th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Shelby County is 44.3 years, which is 13.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Shelby County is $72,738, which ranks #996 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 7.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.2%.
The median home value in Shelby County is $164,000, 41.8% below the national median. Renters in Shelby County pay a median gross rent of $783 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Shelby County, 24.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 97.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 20.9 min.
Shelby County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
All data for Shelby County, Iowa comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.