The Town FilesShelton, Washington
City in Mason County · population 10,371 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $345,700
- Household income
- $69,598
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 32.5
Shelton is a city of 10,371 people in Mason County, Washington. The median home is worth $345,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of Washington towns, more walkable than 81% of Washington towns, more seaside character than 79% of Washington towns.
How Shelton ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shelton is worth $345,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $69,598, which is more affordable than 61% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,365 a month. 62.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shelton | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $345,700 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,365 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $69,598 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 62.0% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Shelton
| People | Shelton | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 28.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Shelton
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 33.7°F. About 67.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.2 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Shelton since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 18, 2019 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 18, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on October 22, 1985.
Severe weather in Mason County since 1996
Mason County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 5, 2023 | Fire | FM-5468: Mcewan Fire |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Mason County
Mason County had 14,840 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,899 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Shelton itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Shelton
15 public schools with 5,816 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelton High School | 9-12 | 1,493 | 19.4 |
| Mountain View Elementary | PK-4 | 647 | 14.1 |
| Olympic Middle School | 5-6 | 595 | 18.0 |
| Oakland Bay Junior High School | 7-8 | 550 | 17.2 |
| Bordeaux Elementary School | K-4 | 514 | 14.3 |
| Pioneer Elementary School | PK-5 | 492 | 13.3 |
| Evergreen Elementary School | PK-4 | 438 | 13.7 |
| Hood Canal Elementary School | PK-8 | 334 | 13.9 |
| Pioneer Middle School | 6-8 | 252 | 11.5 |
| Southside Elementary | K-7 | 211 | 15.1 |
| Choice Middle and High School | 7-12 | 177 | 29.5 |
| Cedar High School | 9-12 | 85 | 12.1 |
Towns near Shelton
- Longbranch, WA16.2 mi · 4,141 people · home $396,000
- Olympia, WA16.4 mi · 55,605 people · home $486,200
- Key Center, WA18.3 mi · 3,863 people · home $613,200
- Tumwater, WA18.7 mi · 25,350 people · home $472,200
- Lacey, WA19.4 mi · 53,526 people · home $457,100
- Belfair, WA19.5 mi · 4,279 people · home $380,400
- Tanglewilde, WA19.6 mi · 6,265 people · home $444,900
- Elma, WA20.7 mi · 3,438 people · home $409,600
Shelton questions
Is Shelton, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shelton scores better for retirees than 10% of Washington towns and quieter than 23%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.5).
How much does a house cost in Shelton?
The median owner-occupied home in Shelton is valued at $345,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,598, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,365 a month.
What is the weather like in Shelton?
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 33.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 67.9 inches of precipitation a year and 3.2 inches of snow.
Does Shelton get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Shelton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 18, 2019. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- 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)