Shelby County, Alabama
Among the top 18% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
- top 4% for broadband access
- top 5% for airport distance
- bottom 9% for monthly rent
Shelby County is a county in Alabama with about 224,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and property tax rate. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and monthly rent.
Official websiteshelbycountyalabama.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
79%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.6 in4.1 in
muggy 91%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$91k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$56kbetter than 10% of US counties
Home Value$277k85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 9% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 19% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.46%better than 90% of US counties
Income Tax5.04%better than 42% of US counties
State 5.00% + Local 0.04%
Sales Tax9.29%better than 10% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.52%better than 48% of US counties
Unemployment3.1%better than 81% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)44°F77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation58.4 in93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.8 inbetter than 78% of US counties
Sunny Days260 daysbetter than 76% of US counties
Summer Humidity71°Fbetter than 16% of US counties
Comfortable Days83 daysbetter than 60% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk90.3better than 10% of US counties
Air Quality40 AQIbetter than 65% of US counties
School Quality41.9better than 20% of US counties
Violent Crime477/100kbetter than 72% of US counties
Property Crime936/100kbetter than 49% of US counties
Community
Population223,91690th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.036th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3763rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9517th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4153rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)75.9%42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)13.0%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.9%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.0%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.2%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 18% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 63% of US counties
Airport Distance20 mibetter than 96% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.7%better than 96% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.18better than 25% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 83% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Shelby County an affordable place to live?
- Shelby County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $56k, better than 10% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Shelby County?
- The median home value in Shelby County is $277k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Shelby County?
- Median household income in Shelby County is $91k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Shelby County?
- Median gross rent in Shelby County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Shelby County safe?
- Shelby County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 477/100k (better than 72%). Property crime is 936/100k.
- What is the weather like in Shelby County?
- Shelby County averages 81°F in July and 44°F in January, with 58.4 in of annual precipitation and about 260 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Shelby County?
- Public-school quality in Shelby County is below average, scoring better than 20% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Shelby County?
- The average one-way commute in Shelby County is 30 min.
Other counties in Alabama
Explore Alabama
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)