Shelby Population 2026

Shelby has a population of 20,189, making it the #2352 biggest city in 🇺🇸 United States, located in North Carolina. It is about 436× smaller than New York City, the country's biggest city.

Location of Shelby (capital Washington shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

20,189

Rank in United States

#2352

Coordinates

35.29°N, 81.54°W

~262 m elevation · America/New_York

Distance to capital (Washington)

565 km

351 miles, straight line

Other big cities in North Carolina

City	Population	Rank in United States
Charlotte	911,311	#15
Raleigh	482,295	#39
Greensboro	285,342	#71
Durham	257,636	#83
Winston-Salem	241,218	#90
Fayetteville	201,963	#119
Cary	159,769	#166
Wilmington	115,933	#255

Cities near Shelby

Gastonia74,543 people · ~32 km away
Hickory40,374 people · ~52 km away
Morganton16,692 people · ~52 km away
Spartanburg37,867 people · ~52 km away
Rock Hill71,548 people · ~62 km away
Charlotte911,311 people · ~63 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Shelby?

Shelby has a population of 20,189 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #2352 biggest city in United States.

What state is Shelby in?

Shelby is located in North Carolina, United States.

Is Shelby the capital of United States?

No, the capital of United States is Washington D.C., about 565 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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