Shelby County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Shelby County, Texas has a population of 24,155, the 104th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $49,776 and the median home value is $101,500. The poverty rate is 20.6%.

Shelby County Quick Facts

Population 24,155

Median Household Income $49,77690% MOE ±$6,129

Median Home Value $101,50090% MOE ±$16,744

Poverty Rate 20.6%90% MOE ±3.5 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.1%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Median Age 39.3 years90% MOE ±1.6 years

Homeownership Rate 74.0%90% MOE ±3.3 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 15.1%90% MOE ±2.3 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 82.3%

Cities/Places 6

Population 24,155 104th of 254

Median Income $49,776 37% lower than state

Poverty Rate 20.6%

Unemployment 4.1%

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	25,349	24,155	-4.7%
Median household income	$52,332	$49,776	No clear change (-4.9%)
Median home value¹	$96,118	$101,500	No clear change (+5.6%)
Median gross rent	$694	$781	No clear change (+12.5%)

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

$49,776

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Shelby

$101,500

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 24.5%

$25K-$50K 25.8%

$50K-$100K 28.5%

$100K+ 21.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.9%

$10K-$15K

6.1%

$15K-$20K

5.7%

$20K-$25K

4.9%

$25K-$30K

4.2%

$30K-$35K

5.2%

$35K-$40K

5.7%

$40K-$45K

5.7%

$45K-$50K

5.0%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

9.6%

$75K-$100K

11.5%

$100K-$125K

7.0%

$125K-$150K

3.8%

$150K-$200K

5.7%

$200K+

4.7%

Employment

4.1% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

56.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.0%

Renter 26.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $781/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

26.0%

18-34

19.7%

35-54

23.3%

55-74

23.7%

75+

7.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Shelby County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Center	5,271	$48,293	26.1%	$83,300
Tenaha	1,239	$27,813	43.1%	$91,500
Timpson	1,063	$31,250	36.6%	$82,000
Joaquin	869	$35,625	25.9%	$52,000
Huxley	322	$44,028	18.6%	$88,600
Shelbyville	188	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Texas 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 Texas with a total population of 24,155. It is the 104th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Shelby County is 39.3 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Shelby County is $49,776. This is 37% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 38% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.6%. This is 49% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $101,500. Housing costs are 64% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Shelby County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Shelby County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 59.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 19.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (59.7% vs 39.1%). The Asian population (0.0%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

15.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% lower than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.3%.

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 Texas 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, Texas?

Shelby County has a population of 24,155, making it the 104th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Shelby County?

The median household income in Shelby County is $49,776 with a poverty rate of 20.6%.

How many cities are in Shelby County, Texas?

Shelby County contains 6 Census-designated places.