Shelby, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Shelby, NC Summary

Cost of living in Shelby research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Shelby is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Shelby is 89, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Shelby is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Shelby ranks as the #23 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Shelby ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Shelby is $208,171.

  • The median income in Shelby is $50,705.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
89
Shelby's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Shelby, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Shelby has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Shelby has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Shelby ranks as #23 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Shelby ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Shelby, check out:

23 out of 157
In North Carolina
1,060 out of 6,489
In America

Shelby Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Shelby. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Shelby is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Shelby is 96.

  • The Health index in Shelby is 98.

  • The Housing index in Shelby is 74.

  • The Transportation index in Shelby is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Shelby is 93.

Living Expense Shelby North Carolina National Average
Overall 89 92 100
Services 98 100 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 98 106 100
Housing 74 86 100
Transportation 98 93 100
Utilities 93 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Shelby Cost of Living Vs. NC

Shelby, NC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Shelby is $208,171.

  • The Median Rent in Shelby is $899.

  • The Median Income in Shelby is $50,705.

  • The Home Value To Income in Shelby is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Shelby is 0.21x.

Statistic Shelby North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $208,171 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $899 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $50,705 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.1x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.21x
$208,171
Median Home Value
$899
Median Rent
$50,705
Median Income

Shelby, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Shelby Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Shelby North Carolina
Shampoo $1.38 $1.28
Movie $12.15 $12.13
Bowling $16.41 $18
Haircut $25.1 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.93 $45.56

Detailed Shelby Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Shelby North Carolina
Ground Beef $5.46 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $5.5 $4.93
Pizza $10.64 $12.09
Beer $10.46 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Shelby Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Shelby North Carolina
Optometrist $108.14 $125.68
Doctor $131.8 $135.78
Dentist $103.51 $113.29

Detailed Shelby Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Shelby North Carolina
Gasoline $3.16 $3.46
Tire Balancing $67.1 $59.92

Detailed Shelby Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Shelby North Carolina
All Electricity $171.72 $193.99
Phone $191.25 $192.25

Shelby SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
5
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Shelby

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Shelby. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Charlotte, NC has a cost of living index of 110, 1.2x Shelby.

  • Huntersville, NC has a cost of living index of 119, 1.3x Shelby.

  • Cornelius, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.4x Shelby.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Shelby
Charlotte, NC 886,283 110 1.2x
Huntersville, NC 62,458 119 1.3x
Cornelius, NC 32,009 122 1.4x
Matthews, NC 29,959 113 1.3x
Davidson, NC 14,852 133 1.5x
Weddington, NC 13,468 148 1.7x
Tega Cay, SC 13,267 129 1.4x
Lake Norman of Catawba, NC 9,308 121 1.4x
Black Mountain, NC 8,462 109 1.2x
Marvin, NC 6,542 180 2.0x

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