Jobs, pay and daily life in Shelby, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Shelby is a city in North Carolina with 22,100 residents. The median household earns $48,376 a year and the median rent is $945 a month, which is 23.4% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (1,358,370 jobs), about 20 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Shelby compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Shelby is #45 by population, #86 for household income (#1 = highest), #18 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #68 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Cleveland County, is #28 of 100 counties for average pay ($53,753).
Shelby has 22,100 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 22 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 989 people per square mile. The median age is 39.3, about the same as the state median (39.3 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $945 a month (rent plus utilities), 23% below the state median ($945 against $1,228). Over a year that is 23.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $197,200, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($48,376). 60.0% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (60.0% against 66.6%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, metropolitan area has 1,358,370 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,990 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,990 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (146,340 jobs, median $47,210); transportation and material moving (142,580 jobs, median $40,550); sales and related (139,760 jobs, median $40,880). The area is most specialised in computer and mathematical (1.4 times) and business and financial operations (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($133,220) and computer and mathematical ($120,930). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cleveland County was 3.7%. 55.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cleveland County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.1% walk, 9.6% work from home. 12.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 11% below the state average (12.3% against 13.9%).
26.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 25% below the state share (26.6% against 35.6%). 2.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 75% below the state share (2.3% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 17.6%, 35% above the state rate (17.6% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.3°C). About 1,132 mm (45 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (113 mm) and Feb the driest (75 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Kings Mountain (12 miles, similar rent); Gaffney (16 miles, rent 6% lower); Gastonia (20 miles, rent 27% higher); Lincolnton (21 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Shelby; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideCleveland CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 40,540 | 1.57 | $38,850 | $32,770 | $49,020 | -3% |
| Retail Salespersons | 35,150 | 1.03 | $33,580 | $24,080 | $46,730 | -5% |
| Cashiers | 27,350 | 1.01 | $29,610 | $23,600 | $36,040 | -10% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 27,050 | 0.80 | $28,880 | $22,850 | $37,010 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 27,010 | 0.91 | $90,620 | $69,680 | $110,020 | -7% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 26,120 | 1.15 | $44,980 | $31,500 | $62,640 | +0% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 23,250 | 0.94 | $37,440 | $30,090 | $47,490 | +0% |
| Software Developers | 20,820 | 1.41 | $135,920 | $93,690 | $172,360 | -0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 19,990 | 1.01 | $36,430 | $18,100 | $74,440 | +3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 18,700 | 1.04 | $56,120 | $44,240 | $77,490 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 18,380 | 0.60 | $112,730 | $55,750 | $274,620 | +7% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 16,820 | 1.33 | $92,910 | $59,200 | $167,330 | +11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 16,390 | 0.76 | $44,010 | $28,410 | $62,990 | -2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 15,910 | 1.47 | $72,500 | $40,000 | $149,460 | +1% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 15,830 | 2.83 | $27,690 | $22,430 | $35,720 | -10% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 14,430 | 1.17 | $37,030 | $29,210 | $45,980 | -1% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 13,980 | 1.27 | $61,850 | $37,590 | $143,990 | -12% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 13,760 | 0.71 | $35,600 | $27,630 | $43,680 | -3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 13,580 | 1.07 | $39,430 | $33,730 | $49,050 | -7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 13,520 | 0.36 | $33,680 | $26,920 | $41,560 | -6% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 740 | 0.41 | $329,030 | $114,100 | $599,990 | +54% |
| Physicians, All Other | 2,400 | 0.80 | $327,040 | $74,580 | $452,850 | +23% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 910 | 2.00 | $277,550 | $222,510 | $334,180 | +17% |
| Dentists, General | 1,140 | 1.05 | $189,220 | $103,490 | $312,000 | +11% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 8,120 | 1.39 | $176,840 | $119,750 | $305,560 | +1% |
| Financial Managers | 9,290 | 1.26 | $172,760 | $111,000 | $329,110 | +4% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,830 | 0.95 | $169,960 | $125,020 | $256,460 | -1% |
| Marketing Managers | 3,830 | 1.11 | $166,200 | $94,240 | $268,360 | -0% |
| Sales Managers | 5,930 | 1.06 | $162,000 | $76,540 | $311,420 | +9% |
| Human Resources Managers | 2,310 | 1.20 | $158,930 | $99,310 | $292,290 | +6% |
| Lawyers | 5,380 | 0.82 | $157,180 | $61,830 | $371,170 | -2% |
| Managers, All Other | 6,640 | 1.22 | $156,020 | $84,080 | $272,240 | +10% |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 2,090 | 2.31 | $151,540 | $97,700 | $206,700 | -35% |
| Pharmacists | 2,530 | 0.90 | $150,580 | $91,770 | $173,930 | +7% |
| Purchasing Managers | 870 | 1.18 | $144,270 | $98,160 | $228,510 | -3% |
| Database Architects | 1,560 | 2.66 | $138,870 | $88,510 | $180,650 | -0% |
| Software Developers | 20,820 | 1.41 | $135,920 | $93,690 | $172,360 | -0% |
| Computer Network Architects | 2,350 | 1.50 | $134,410 | $95,280 | $173,800 | +0% |
| Financial Risk Specialists | 1,880 | 3.37 | $133,530 | $82,840 | $214,540 | +14% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,680 | 1.19 | $133,140 | $99,610 | $169,220 | -2% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, about 20 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,990 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.4% |
| Retail trade | 17.6% |
| Manufacturing | 15.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.5% |
| Other services | 7.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.2% |
| Public administration | 4.1% |
| Construction | 3.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
| Information | 0.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Shelby lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County | 100,991 | $6,025 million | $59,662 | 36,696 | 2,287 | $53,753 | +0.9% | 3.7% | 44,212 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7,075 | 25.2% | $68,441 | 2.35 |
| Retail trade | 4,208 | 15.0% | $35,806 | 1.15 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,317 | 11.8% | $45,149 | 0.63 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,863 | 10.2% | $19,894 | 0.86 |
| Construction | 2,388 | 8.5% | $68,515 | 1.24 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,180 | 7.8% | $49,479 | 1.40 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,810 | 6.4% | $40,557 | 0.84 |
| Educational services | 1,021 | 3.6% | $38,264 | 1.35 |
| Professional and technical services | 727 | 2.6% | $75,619 | 0.28 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 688 | 2.4% | $37,384 | 1.12 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 619 | 2.2% | $39,944 | 0.56 |
| Information | 429 | 1.5% | $100,694 | 0.62 |
| Finance and insurance | 414 | 1.5% | $68,678 | 0.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 318 | 1.1% | $54,717 | 0.56 |
| Management of companies | 64 | 0.2% | $124,395 | 0.10 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 9.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,376 |
| Income per person | $31,112 |
| Median gross rent per month | $945 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.4% |
| Median home value | $197,200 |
| Homeowners | 60.0% |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 97.3 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $49,990 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.6% |
| Born abroad | 2.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 55.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.3 | 38 | 76 |
| Feb | 5.2 | 41 | 75 |
| Mar | 9.5 | 49 | 91 |
| Apr | 14.9 | 59 | 92 |
| May | 19.9 | 68 | 103 |
| Jun | 24.5 | 76 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 113 |
| Aug | 25.8 | 78 | 111 |
| Sep | 22.2 | 72 | 97 |
| Oct | 15.8 | 60 | 83 |
| Nov | 9.4 | 49 | 86 |
| Dec | 5.3 | 42 | 99 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kings Mountain | NC | 12 mi | 12,039 | $49,564 | $959 |
| Gaffney | SC | 16 mi | 12,596 | $41,089 | $887 |
| Gastonia | NC | 20 mi | 82,884 | $64,059 | $1,204 |
| Lincolnton | NC | 21 mi | 11,783 | $46,320 | $965 |
| York | SC | 27 mi | 8,969 | $56,176 | $896 |
| Belmont | NC | 29 mi | 15,546 | $94,883 | $1,365 |
| Boiling Springs | SC | 30 mi | 12,936 | $72,068 | $1,266 |
| Lake Wylie | SC | 30 mi | 16,006 | $112,097 | $1,710 |
| Mount Holly | NC | 30 mi | 18,208 | $79,385 | $1,256 |
| Valley Falls | SC | 31 mi | 8,239 | $55,661 | $1,021 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
22,100 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$945 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.4% of the median household income.
$48,376 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Cleveland County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.