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Living in
Shelbyville.
About
Life in Shelbyville
Living in Shelbyville means settling into a solid Midwestern town of about 20,000 people where the cost of living won't drain your savings—median home values sit around $174,700 and rent averages $995 a month, making it genuinely affordable compared to sprawling suburbs closer to Indianapolis. The job market is stable with unemployment at 3.3%, and you're only about 26 miles and a 21-minute commute from Indianapolis if you need bigger employment opportunities, though that Indianapolis metro proximity also means the area has grown about 4.8% in recent years as people seek that exact combination of affordability and access. The community skews toward families and middle-aged residents (median age 37.5), with about 30% of households including children, so you'll find established neighborhoods and school systems rather than constant turnover.
Shelbyville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.5%
Foreign-Born
6.2%
Broadband Internet
88.8%
of households
Population Growth
+5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Shelbyville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Shelbyville, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (46.4%), and 6.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.0%
of residents
65 and Older
16.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.2%
of households
Married Couples
37.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.26
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 6% below IN average
Rent, home values, and income in Shelbyville
In Shelbyville, rent runs 6% below the IN average, and home values are 20% below the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,353
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $225,039 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below IN average
Unemployment in Shelbyville and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Shelby County, which includes Shelbyville, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the IN average.
Unemployment rate
Shelbyville: Shelby County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Shelby County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Shelbyville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN metro area
Commute20.7 min avg
How Shelbyville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Shelbyville, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 mi
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Medium hub5.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 26% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Shelbyville runs 26% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
242.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,031.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Shelbyville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
43.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Shelby County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Shelby County, which includes Shelbyville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $87,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $57,000 |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $120,000 |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $375,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $125,000 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $62,000 |
| 2019 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $79,700 |
| 2018 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Shelby County, county-wide
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Shelby County, which includes Shelbyville, is typically good — 328 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
328
per year
Moderate Days
30
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Shelby County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Shelbyville has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.0"
Annual Snowfall
14.6"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
115
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 20°F | 3.32" |
| Feb | 40°F | 22°F | 2.68" |
| Mar | 51°F | 31°F | 3.30" |
| Apr | 64°F | 41°F | 4.68" |
| May | 74°F | 53°F | 4.70" |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 4.86" |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 4.16" |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 3.20" |
| Sep | 79°F | 55°F | 3.17" |
| Oct | 66°F | 43°F | 3.13" |
| Nov | 52°F | 33°F | 3.44" |
| Dec | 41°F | 25°F | 3.39" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Shelbyville
Shelbyville has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Major Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Shelbyville
Shelbyville's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Shelbyville (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 900 students · in-state tuition $40,010 · 62% graduate · median earnings $61,877 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: William Howard Taft National Historic Site, 74 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Shelbyville
Shelbyville has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being William Howard Taft National Historic Site (74 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
William Howard Taft National Historic Site
National Historic Site
74 mi awayDayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
National Historical Park
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Shelbyville
Shelby County Public Library
57 West Broadway, Shelbyville
Genealogy And History House
33 West Broadway Street, Shelbyville
Cities Near Shelbyville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Shelbyville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Shelbyville FAQ
Is Shelbyville, Indiana affordable?⌄
Shelbyville's median rent is $995/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,602/year. Median home value is $174,700.
Is Shelbyville, Indiana safe?⌄
Shelbyville's violent crime rate was 243 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1032 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Shelbyville, Indiana?⌄
Shelby County, which includes Shelbyville, has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Shelbyville, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in Shelbyville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $995/month and median household income is $55,602/year. The median home value is $174,700. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Shelbyville, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in Shelbyville is 21 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from