Shelby County, IA

County

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2023 Population

11,757

0.17% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

45.1

0.879% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

8.53%

2.87% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$67,690

3.71% 1-year decline

2023 Median Property Value

$156,200

2.16% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

5,825

2.33% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Shelby County, IA had a population of 11.8k people with a median age of 45.1 and a median household income of $67,690. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Shelby County, IA grew from 11,737 to 11,757, a 0.17% increase and its median household income declined from $70,295 to $67,690, a −3.71% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (92.1%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (2.54%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (1.47%), White (Hispanic) (1.13%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.8%).

None of the households in Shelby County, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.1% of the residents in Shelby County, IA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Shelby County, IA was $156,200, and the homeownership rate was 75.8%.

Most people in Shelby County, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Shelby County, IA was 2 cars per household.

Shelby County, IA borders Audubon County, IA, Carroll County, IA, Cass County, IA, Crawford County, IA, Harrison County, IA, and Pottawattamie County, IA.

United States Iowa

Population & Diversity

Shelby County, IA is home to a population of 11.8k people, from which 99.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 1.24% of Shelby County, IA residents were born outside of the country (146 people).

In 2023, there were 36.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (10.8k people) in Shelby County, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 299 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 173 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.1%

2023 Citizenship

98.7%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.1% of Shelby County, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Shelby County, IA was 98.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Shelby County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
10.8k ± 105
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
299 ± 85
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
173 ± 77

3.74%

Hispanic Population

440 people

3.74% of the people in Shelby County, IA are hispanic (440 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Shelby County, IA as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

1.24%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

146 people

1.87%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

219 people

As of 2023, 1.24% of Shelby County, IA residents (146 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Shelby County, IA was 1.87%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Shelby County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
200 ± 62
Gulf War (2001-)
143 ± 70
Gulf War (1990s)
103 ± 47

Shelby County, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.4 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Shelby County, IA employs 5.83k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Shelby County, IA were Health Care & Social Assistance (910 people), Manufacturing (696 people), and Retail Trade (694 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($120,625), Wholesale Trade ($73,500), and Construction ($69,375).

Employment

Occupations

5.83k

2023 Value

± 461

−2.33%

1 Year decline

± 11%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Shelby County, IA declined at a rate of −2.33%, from 5.96k employees to 5.83k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shelby County, IA, are Management Occupations (830 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (627 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (600 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Shelby County, IA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

5.83k

2023 Value

± 461

−2.33%

1 Year decline

± 11%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Shelby County, IA declined at a rate of −2.33%, from 5.96k employees to 5.83k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shelby County, IA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (910 people), Manufacturing (696 people), and Retail Trade (694 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Shelby County, IA, though some of these residents may live in Shelby County, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$56,165

Median earning men ± $4,590

$37,778

Median earning women ± $2,726

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($80,125), Construction ($77,222), and Information ($73,125).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($68,056), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($54,904), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($53,750).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Y-Axis

1.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.57M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 1.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Iowa.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

30
Other Services (except Public Administration)
28
Finance and Insurance
27
Transportation and Warehousing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$67.6k
Transportation and Warehousing
$47.3k
Manufacturing
$34.9k
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Shelby County, IA. Showing the available data for Iowa.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (55.7%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (42.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.789%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Iowa

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Chuck Grassley

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 1981

Joni Ernst

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

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Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Measure

In 2023, 0.708% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.723% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (748k), Some college (554k), and Bachelors Degree (481k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Shelby County, IA was $156,200 in 2023, which is 0.515 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $152,900 to $156,200, a 2.16% increase. The homeownership rate in Shelby County, IA is 75.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Shelby County, IA have an average commute time of 18.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Shelby County, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Shelby County, IA is $67,690. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Shelby County, IA was Census Tract 9601, Shelby County, IA with a value of $77,371, followed by Census Tract 9603, Shelby County, IA and Census Tract 9602, Shelby County, IA, with respective values of $76,300 and $68,750.

In 2024, 8.39% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, IA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.21%.

Housing

Property

$156,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$10,283

$3,776

Median Property Taxes

±$309

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Shelby County, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Shelby County, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

75.8%

Homeownership

2023

62%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 75.8% of the housing units in Shelby County, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 76%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Shelby County, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9601, Shelby County, IA
Census Tract 9603, Shelby County, IA
Census Tract 9602, Shelby County, IA

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Shelby County, IA was Census Tract 9601, Shelby County, IA with a value of $77,371, followed by Census Tract 9603, Shelby County, IA and Census Tract 9602, Shelby County, IA, with respective values of $76,300 and $68,750.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Shelby County, IA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$67,690

Median Household Income

± $10,295

4.98k

Number of Households

± 367

In 2023, the median household income of the 4.98k households in Shelby County, IA declined from $67,690 from the previous year's value of $70,295.

The following chart displays the households in Shelby County, IA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Shelby County, IA is from Shelby County, IA.

N/A Wage GINI in N/A

In N/A, the income inequality in N/A was N/A according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a N/A N/A from N/A to N/A, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat N/A even. The GINI for N/A was N/A than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed N/A evenly in N/A in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Shelby County, IA across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (77.3%)
Worked At Home (11.5%)
Walked (5.31%)

In 2023, 77.3% of workers in Shelby County, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.5%) and those who walked to work (5.31%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Shelby County, IA have a shorter commute time (18.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.2% of the workforce in Shelby County, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Shelby County, IA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Shelby County, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Shelby County, IA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 8.39% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, IA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.21%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.53% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shelby County, IA (984 out of 11.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Shelby County, IA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 9.6% of the children was living in poverty in Shelby County, IA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2018, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 14.3 in Shelby County, IA. From 2014 to 2018, the indicator grew 0.0992 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

96.8% of the population of Shelby County, IA has health coverage, with 44.3% on employee plans, 15.2% on Medicaid, 17.8% on Medicare, 18.1% on non-group plans, and 1.33% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, IA see 1,962 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.99% increase from the previous year (1,905 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1664 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 776 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,962 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Shelby County, IA

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, IA see an average of 1,962 patients per year. This represents a 2.99% increase from the previous year (1,905 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Shelby County, IA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.1% under 18 years, 15% between 18 and 34 years, 37.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.23%

Uninsured

44.3%

Employer Coverage

15.2%

Medicaid

17.8%

Medicare

18.1%

Non-Group

1.33%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shelby County, IA declined by 27.2% from 4.43% to 3.23%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Shelby County, IA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.