The Town FilesShelley, Idaho
City in Bingham County · population 4,785 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $295,200
- Household income
- $77,563
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 30.8
Shelley is a city of 4,785 people in Bingham County, Idaho. The median home is worth $295,200, close to the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of Idaho towns, better transit than 82% of Idaho towns, more walkable than 76% of Idaho towns.
How Shelley ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelley is worth $295,200, close to the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $77,563, which is more affordable than 77% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $1,265 a month. 74.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelley | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $295,200 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $1,265 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $77,563 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 74.7% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Shelley
| People | Shelley | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.8 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.1% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 34.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 91.2% |
Weather in Shelley
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 12.1°F. About 10.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.2 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelley since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 7, 1978 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 28, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 13, 2001.
Severe weather in Bingham County since 1996
Bingham County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4310: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244: Hurricane Katrina |
| September 1, 2000 | Fire | DR-1341: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Bingham County
Bingham County had 16,096 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,602 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Shelley itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in Shelley
7 public schools with 2,559 students, about 21.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHELLEY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 785 | 22.4 |
| DONALD J HOBBS MIDDLE SCHOOL | 7-8 | 409 | 18.6 |
| HAZEL STUART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 5-6 | 403 | 22.4 |
| RIVERVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 3-4 | 371 | 19.5 |
| SUNRISE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 1-2 | 340 | 20.0 |
| DEAN GOODSELL ELEMENTARY | PK-K | 212 | 35.3 |
| SHELLEY WORK BASED ACADEMY | 9-12 | 39 | 9.8 |
Towns near Shelley
- Idaho Falls, ID8.8 mi · 64,818 people · home $335,500
- Ammon, ID10.5 mi · 17,694 people · home $381,800
- Lincoln, ID12.3 mi · 4,556 people · home $377,500
- Iona, ID14.1 mi · 2,717 people · home $420,300
- Blackfoot, ID17.0 mi · 12,346 people · home $262,500
- Rigby, ID22.9 mi · 5,038 people · home $336,200
Shelley questions
Is Shelley, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelley scores better for retirees than 9% of Idaho towns and quieter than 24%. 11.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.8).
How much does a house cost in Shelley?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelley is valued at $295,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,563, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,265 a month.
What is the weather like in Shelley?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 12.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.1 inches of precipitation a year and 40.2 inches of snow.
Does Shelley get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 7, 1978. The typical Idaho town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)