Shelby County, Iowa
Among the top 7% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 51% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 79% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
- top 7% for amenities nearby
- top 9% for property crime
Shelby County is a county in Iowa with about 12,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, property crime, and commute time. It rates lower on property tax rate and income tax.
Official websiteshco.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
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warm
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v.cold
72%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in1.1 in
muggy 82%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$70k75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 71% of US counties
Home Value$153k46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$879better than 38% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 48% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.26%better than 24% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.04%better than 25% of US counties
Unemployment2.5%better than 89% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation34.6 in32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall30.2 inbetter than 28% of US counties
Sunny Days228 daysbetter than 39% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 46% of US counties
Comfortable Days69 daysbetter than 25% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk22.8better than 75% of US counties
School Quality44.0better than 24% of US counties
Violent Crime338/100kbetter than 81% of US counties
Property Crime127/100kbetter than 91% of US counties
Community
Population11,73726th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age45.580th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1114th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9514th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4153rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.8%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.9%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.3%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.0%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.0%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 91% of US counties
Walkability6.0/20better than 47% of US counties
Airport Distance41 mibetter than 86% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.4%better than 44% of US counties
Amenities Nearby15.34better than 93% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 37% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Shelby County an affordable place to live?
- Shelby County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 71% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Shelby County?
- The median home value in Shelby County is $153k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Shelby County?
- Median household income in Shelby County is $70k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Shelby County?
- Median gross rent in Shelby County is $879 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 338/100k (better than 81%). Property crime is 127/100k.
- What is the weather like in Shelby County?
- Shelby County averages 77°F in July and 23°F in January, with 34.6 in of annual precipitation and about 228 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Shelby County?
- Public-school quality in Shelby County is below average, scoring better than 24% 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 18 min.
Other counties in Iowa
Explore Iowa
Data sources
- 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)