Shelby County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Shelby County, Alabama has a population of 230,211, the 6th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $97,961 and the median home value is $326,100. The poverty rate is 7.2%.

Shelby County Quick Facts

Population 230,211

Median Household Income $97,96190% MOE ±$3,160

Median Home Value $326,10090% MOE ±$5,771

Poverty Rate 7.2%90% MOE ±0.7 pts

Unemployment Rate 2.9%90% MOE ±0.4 pts

Median Age 40.3 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 81.4%90% MOE ±1.0 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 46.8%90% MOE ±1.3 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 94.5%

Cities/Places 23

Population 230,211 6th of 67

Median Income $97,961 53% higher than state

Poverty Rate 7.2%

Unemployment 2.9%

How Shelby County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	213,432	230,211	+7.9%
Median household income	$95,748	$97,961	No clear change (+2.3%)
Median home value¹	$260,787	$326,100	+25.0%
Median gross rent	$1,289	$1,401	+8.7%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Shelby

$97,961

$63,999

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Shelby

$326,100

$209,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.4%

$25K-$50K 12.8%

$50K-$100K 28.6%

$100K+ 49.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.9%

$10K-$15K

1.9%

$15K-$20K

1.7%

$20K-$25K

1.8%

$25K-$30K

2.7%

$30K-$35K

2.6%

$35K-$40K

2.0%

$40K-$45K

2.5%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

6.2%

$60K-$75K

8.8%

$75K-$100K

13.6%

$100K-$125K

11.4%

$125K-$150K

9.3%

$150K-$200K

12.1%

$200K+

16.3%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

66.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.4%

Renter 18.6%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,401/mo 17.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.8%

18-34

20.5%

35-54

27.3%

55-74

22.8%

75+

6.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 53 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Shelby County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Alabaster	33,917	$91,357	7.1%	$261,700
Pelham	24,827	$101,094	6.7%	$299,800
Calera	17,714	$87,194	7.3%	$235,300
Chelsea	16,260	$115,337	2.7%	$360,000
Meadowbrook	9,117	$141,862	5.5%	$423,700
Brook Highland	8,146	$79,904	4.6%	$427,400
Montevallo	7,556	$56,626	17.7%	$220,700
Highland Lakes	5,866	$169,361	4.1%	$599,200
Columbiana	4,725	$80,546	9.8%	$259,500
Eagle Point	3,110	$151,842	3.2%	$493,800
Indian Springs Village	2,537	$136,836	3.4%	$555,800
Westover	2,298	$96,932	4.1%	$297,400
Vincent	2,050	$52,813	21.7%	$166,500
Wilsonville	1,879	$72,115	16.4%	$235,400
Harpersville	1,788	$75,018	8.2%	$211,300
Shoal Creek	1,328	$218,333	0.0%	$762,500
Vandiver	990	$49,783	17.9%	$104,600
Dunnavant	966	$75,323	20.5%	$193,100
Brantleyville	845	$47,917	11.4%	$33,000
Shelby	809	N/A	21.4%	$158,200
Sterrett	805	$65,756	15.8%	N/A
Wilton	804	$54,750	15.9%	$162,100
Pea Ridge	718	$63,889	10.2%	$98,000

Explore Alabama Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Shelby County is located in Alabama with a total population of 230,211. It is the 6th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 23 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Shelby County is 40.3 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Shelby County is $97,961. This is 53% higher than the state median of $63,999. It is also 21% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.2%. This is 54% lower than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $326,100. Housing costs are 55% higher than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 81.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Shelby County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 73.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 13.4%.

Education

46.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Shelby County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 65% higher than the state rate of 28.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.5%. Notably, 16.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Shelby County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Alabama and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Shelby County, Alabama?

Shelby County has a population of 230,211, making it the 6th most populous county in Alabama.

What is the median income in Shelby County?

The median household income in Shelby County is $97,961 with a poverty rate of 7.2%.

How many cities are in Shelby County, Alabama?

Shelby County contains 23 Census-designated places.