The Town FilesShelbyville, Illinois
City in Shelby County · population 4,674 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $116,400
- Household income
- $52,470
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 39.9
Shelbyville is a city of 4,674 people in Shelby County, Illinois. The median home is worth $116,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 87% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 80% of Illinois towns.
How Shelbyville ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelbyville is worth $116,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $52,470, which is more affordable than 50% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $767 a month. 59.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelbyville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $116,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $767 | $960 |
| Median household income | $52,470 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 59.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1950 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shelbyville
| People | Shelbyville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 12.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 10.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Shelbyville
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 41.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 114 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelbyville since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 21, 1977 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 64 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 20, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on February 28, 2017.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 4,848 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,311 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Shelbyville itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Shelbyville
5 public schools with 1,257 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moulton Elementary School | 4-8 | 448 | 14.0 |
| Main Street Elementary School | 1-3 | 375 | 15.6 |
| Shelbyville High School | 9-12 | 345 | 12.8 |
| Shelbyville Kindergarten Center | K-K | 89 | 14.8 |
| Shelbyville Bridges | 6-12 | — | — |
Towns near Shelbyville
- Pana, IL15.6 mi · 5,199 people · home $77,900
- Sullivan, IL16.3 mi · 4,413 people · home $102,500
- Mattoon, IL23.8 mi · 16,870 people · home $97,700
- Effingham, IL24.0 mi · 12,252 people · home $177,500
- Mount Zion, IL26.2 mi · 6,019 people · home $201,100
- Taylorville, IL29.1 mi · 10,506 people · home $104,100
Shelbyville questions
Is Shelbyville, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelbyville scores better for retirees than 73% of Illinois towns and quieter than 30%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Shelbyville?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelbyville is valued at $116,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,470, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $767 a month.
What is the weather like in Shelbyville?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.4 inches of precipitation a year and 14.2 inches of snow.
Does Shelbyville get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shelbyville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 21, 1977. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- 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)