Shelby County, Indiana Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Shelby County is located in Indiana with a total population of 45,265. It is the 33rd most populous county out of 92 in Indiana. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Shelby County is 41.5 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 38.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Shelby County is $72,190. This is about the same as the state median of $71,957. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.0%. This is 6% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.3%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $212,400. Housing costs are 3% lower than the state median of $218,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Shelby County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 70.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Shelby County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.6%. The Black or African American population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 9.1%. The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

21.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 29.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.9%.

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 Indiana 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.