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Living in
Shelbyville.
About
Life in Shelbyville
Shelbyville is the seat of Bedford County in Middle Tennessee, best known as home of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. It's a young, growing manufacturing town: the median age is about 32, the population is up about 11% since 2020, and manufacturing employs about 23% of working residents. Housing is moderately priced, with a median home value of $244,000, about 27% below the national median, though Zillow's estimate has risen about 26% in five years as Nashville-area growth spreads.
Shelbyville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.7%
Foreign-Born
15.3%
Broadband Internet
86.2%
of households
Population Growth
+11.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics15.3% 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 (58.4%), and 23.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.4%
of residents
65 and Older
10.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.8%
of households
Married Couples
31.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.64
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 11% below TN average
Rent, home values, and income in Shelbyville
In Shelbyville, rent runs 11% below the TN average, and home values are 15% below the TN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,371
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $309,121 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TN
Unemployment in Shelbyville
Unemployment in Shelbyville is close to the TN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Shelbyville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.2 min avg
How Shelbyville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Shelbyville, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 46 mi
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Major hub12.5M 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 27% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Shelbyville runs 27% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
417.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,388.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Shelbyville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
69.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Bedford County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Bedford County, which includes Shelbyville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $751,000 |
| 2024 | 14 | Drought | $47,000 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $275,000 |
| 2022 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $33,000 |
| 2021 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $236,020 |
| 2019 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $291,400 |
| 2018 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $425,000 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Bedford County, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Maury County, TN (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 36 miles from Shelbyville) is typically good — 299 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
299
per year
Moderate Days
59
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Maury County, TN (36 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Shelbyville has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
52°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.4"
Annual Snowfall
1.1"
Hot Days/Year
49
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
76
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
128
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 29°F | 5.29" |
| Feb | 54°F | 32°F | 5.63" |
| Mar | 63°F | 39°F | 5.79" |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 4.99" |
| May | 80°F | 56°F | 5.05" |
| Jun | 86°F | 64°F | 5.03" |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 5.07" |
| Aug | 89°F | 67°F | 4.24" |
| Sep | 84°F | 60°F | 4.22" |
| Oct | 73°F | 48°F | 3.65" |
| Nov | 62°F | 37°F | 4.35" |
| Dec | 52°F | 32°F | 6.05" |
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
21.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Vanderbilt Tullahoma-harton Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Tullahoma
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.
Education14.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Shelbyville
Shelbyville's student/teacher ratio is 14.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 13.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Stones River National Battlefield, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Shelbyville
Shelbyville has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Stones River National Battlefield (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Stones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
26 mi awayRussell Cave National Monument
National Monument
51 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
76 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
89 mi awayPublic Libraries in Shelbyville
Shelbyville-Bedford County Public Library
220 S. Jefferson 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, Tennessee affordable?⌄
Shelbyville's median rent is $1,056/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,073/year. Median home value is $244,000.
Is Shelbyville, Tennessee safe?⌄
Shelbyville's violent crime rate was 417 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1389 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Shelbyville, Tennessee?⌄
Shelbyville has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Shelbyville, Tennessee?⌄
The cost of living in Shelbyville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,056/month and median household income is $55,073/year. The median home value is $244,000. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Shelbyville, Tennessee?⌄
The average commute in Shelbyville is 27 minutes, which is about 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