Shelby County, AL

County

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2024 Population

230,211

US Senator

Tommy Tuberville

Republican Party

US Senator

Katie Britt

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

40.3

0.75% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

7.18%

3.73% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$97,961

4.72% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$326,100

9.17% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

118,318

2.54% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Shelby County, AL 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.

97.1% of the residents in Shelby County, AL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Shelby County, AL are University of Montevallo (600 degrees awarded in 2024).

In 2024, the median property value in Shelby County, AL was $326,100, and the homeownership rate was 81.4%.

Most people in Shelby County, AL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Shelby County, AL was 2 cars per household.

Shelby County, AL borders Bibb County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Coosa County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, and Talladega County, AL.

United States Alabama Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Population & Diversity

Shelby County, AL is home to a population of 230k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.52% of Shelby County, AL residents were born outside of the country (12.7k people).

In 2024, there were 5.47 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (169k people) in Shelby County, AL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 30.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 6.05k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.1%

2024 Citizenship

97.1%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.1% of Shelby County, AL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Shelby County, AL was 97.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Shelby County, AL

White (Non-Hispanic)
169k ± 643
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
30.8k ± 600
Other (Hispanic)
6.05k ± 949

7.57%

Hispanic Population

17.4k people

7.57% of the people in Shelby County, AL are hispanic (17.4k people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Alabama.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
53,867 ± 5,668 people
Guatemala
18,373 ± 3,322 people
Korea
11,536 ± 2,634 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alabama was Mexico, the natal country of 53,867 Alabama residents, followed by Guatemala with 18,373 and Korea with 11,536.

Foreign-Born Population

5.52%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

12.7k people

5.56%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

12.6k people

As of 2024, 5.52% of Shelby County, AL residents (12.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Shelby County, AL was 5.56%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,557 ± 370
Gulf War (2001-)
2,923 ± 481
Gulf War (1990s)
1,728 ± 363

Shelby County, AL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.22 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Shelby County, AL.

Health

93.6% of the population of Shelby County, AL has health coverage, with 57.5% on employee plans, 7.55% on Medicaid, 13.4% on Medicare, 13.7% on non-group plans, and 1.32% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, AL see 1,297 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,297 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1967 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 756 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,297 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Shelby County, AL

Primary care physicians in Shelby County, AL see an average of 1,297 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,297 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.4% under 18 years, 19% between 18 and 34 years, 39.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

6.43%

Uninsured

57.5%

Employer Coverage

7.55%

Medicaid

13.4%

Medicare

13.7%

Non-Group

1.32%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shelby County, AL declined by 3.33% from 6.65% to 6.43%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.51 in Shelby County, AL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shelby County, AL.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 32.1% in Shelby County, AL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shelby County, AL.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 7.56% in Shelby County, AL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shelby County, AL.

Economy

The economy of Shelby County, AL employs 118k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Shelby County, AL were Health Care & Social Assistance (16,732 people), Retail Trade (12,879 people), and Educational Services (11,303 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($122,353), Utilities ($110,761), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($93,350).

Employment

Occupations

118k

2024 Value

± 2,881

2.54%

1 Year growth

± 3.38%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Shelby County, AL grew at a rate of 2.54%, from 115k employees to 118k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shelby County, AL, are Management Occupations (16,038 people), Sales & Related Occupations (13,819 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,611 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Shelby County, AL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Alabama (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

118k

2024 Value

± 2,881

2.54%

1 Year growth

± 3.38%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Shelby County, AL grew at a rate of 2.54%, from 115k employees to 118k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shelby County, AL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,732 people), Retail Trade (12,879 people), and Educational Services (11,303 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Shelby County, AL, though some of these residents may live in Shelby County, AL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$65,813

Median earning men ± $2,067

$46,779

Median earning women ± $2,033

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($100,204), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($88,581), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($86,153).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,992), Information ($59,535), and Public Administration ($56,579).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.1%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.13M people employed in Alabama. This represents a 2.1% 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 11.2%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

421
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
306
Construction
304
Retail Trade

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

$855k
Finance and Insurance
$516k
Wholesale Trade
$473k
Construction

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

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Alabama went to Donald J. Trump with 64.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.1%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.533%).

Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt are the senators currently representing the state of Alabama. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Alabama is currently represented by 7 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, AL. Showing the available data for Alabama.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.6%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.1%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.533%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Alabama went to Donald J. Trump with 64.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.1%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.533%).

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

Senator Elections

US Senators from Alabama

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

Tommy Tuberville

Senator from Alabama

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Katie Britt

Senator from Alabama

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt are the senators currently representing Alabama.

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 Alabama over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Shelby County, AL awarded 600 degrees. The student population of Shelby County, AL in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,197 male students and 1,891 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Shelby County, AL are White (421 and 72.2%), Black or African American (87 and 14.9%), Hispanic or Latino (38 and 6.52%), and Two or More Races (18 and 3.09%).

The largest universities in Shelby County, AL by number of degrees awarded are University of Montevallo (600 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Shelby County, AL are Elementary Education & Teaching (62 and 10.3%), General Business Administration & Management (50 and 8.33%), and School Counseling & Guidance Services (46 and 7.67%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $12,090 for in-state students and $25,110 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Shelby County, AL, the percentage of applicants admitted was 53.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 16.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 3,088 (38.8% men and 61.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 3,088 students enrolled in Shelby County, AL, 38.8% men and 61.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,720 records, of which 63.3% were women and 36.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
45 degrees awarded
General Art Studies
43 degrees awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
36 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Shelby County, AL was Elementary Education & Teaching with 45 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Shelby County, AL according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

University of Montevallo

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

600 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Montevallo with 600 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 183 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Shelby County, AL, which is 0.439 times less than the 417 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 421 degrees mean that there were 4.84 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 87 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($12,090) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,858) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,020) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Shelby County, AL was $326,100 in 2024, which is 0.98 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $298,700 to $326,100, a 9.17% increase. The homeownership rate in Shelby County, AL is 81.4%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Shelby County, AL have an average commute time of 29.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Shelby County, AL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, AL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.236%.

Housing

Property

$326,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$5,771

$70,672

Median Property Taxes

±$2,074

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, AL 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, AL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

81.4%

Homeownership

2024

67%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 81.4% of the housing units in Shelby County, AL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 81.3%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$97,961

Median Household Income

± $3,160

86.9k

Number of Households

± 2,377

In 2024, the median household income of the 86.9k households in Shelby County, AL grew to $97,961 from the previous year's value of $93,543.

The following chart displays the households in Shelby County, AL 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.454

2024 Wage GINI in Alabama

0.456

2023 Wage GINI in Alabama

In 2024, the income inequality in Alabama was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.411% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Alabama was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Alabama in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Alabama across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (74.8%)
Worked At Home (16.9%)
Carpooled (6.73%)

In 2024, 74.8% of workers in Shelby County, AL drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16.9%) and those who carpooled to work (6.73%).

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

29.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Shelby County, AL have a longer commute time (29.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.08% of the workforce in Shelby County, AL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Shelby County, AL 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, AL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Shelby County, AL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shelby County, AL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.236%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

7.18% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shelby County, AL (16.2k out of 226k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 75+ and then Males 6 - 11.

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

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 2025, 9.4% of the children was living in poverty in Shelby County, AL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.9%.

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

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

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

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 264 in Shelby County, AL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 106% per 100,000 population.

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