Shelby County, Indiana
Located in Indiana, Shelby County has a population of 45,265 residents and a median age of 41.5 years, making it the #1,097 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.0%. The median home value is $212,400, and the median household income is $72,190, which is 4% below the national median.
Demographics
Shelby County has a population of 45,265, making it the #1,097 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.5 years, which is 6.7% 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 $72,190, ranking #1,033 out of 3,222 counties — 3.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.0% and unemployment stands at 3.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Shelby County is $212,400 (-24.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $987/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Shelby County, 21.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 34.9% below the national average, ranking #1,670 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Shelby County is 75.6 years. 20.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.9% of adults in Shelby County smoke , 39.7% are obese , and 18.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 39.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 19.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.9 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.9% of children in Shelby County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.2 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 19.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Shelby County is 59.4%. The mean commute time is 26.4 min, which is 4.2% 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 48.0%. The vote was 25.1% Dem / 73.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Shelby County, Indiana
Shelby County, Indiana has a total population of 45,265, making it the 1,097th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Shelby County is 41.5 years, which is 6.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Shelby County is $72,190, which ranks #1,033 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.0%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.6%.
The median home value in Shelby County is $212,400, 24.7% below the national median. Renters in Shelby County pay a median gross rent of $987 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Shelby County, 21.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 34.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.4 min.
Shelby County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 89.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
All data for Shelby County, Indiana 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.