Shelby is a city in Cleveland County, North Carolina, home to about 22,100 people across 22 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 28150 and 28152.
Homes sold for a median of $158 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 0 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Shelby; also Polkville and Kingstown
Mostly Shelby; also Boiling Springs and Patterson Springs
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Shelby. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Shelby’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)35 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC41 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA478 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Shelby; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Shelby had 21,918 residents in the 2020 census, up 13% since 2000.
It’s the 45th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Cleveland County grew from 25,078 residents in 1900 to 99,519 in 2020.
Cleveland County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 91°F in summer, and winter lows average 27°F. About 50.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 4 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Shelby 2 Nw, NC weather station (2 miles away).
30,800 jobs at 2,028 businesses in Cleveland County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
693 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Shelby’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 78 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 119 |
| Dentists | 38 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 176 |
| Mental health providers | 184 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 70 |
| Optometrists | 6 |
| Chiropractors | 22 |
| Pharmacies | 24 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (11 nearby)
Grocery stores (9 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Cleveland County Schools, Pinnacle Classical Academy. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling Springs ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 558 | Public | 7.2 mi |
| Elizabeth ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 649 | Public | 3.3 mi |
| James Love ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 376 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Jefferson ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 439 | Public | 2.1 mi |
| North ShelbyShelby | Pre-K–12 | 76 | Special Education | 2.5 mi |
| Springmore ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 618 | Public | 6.8 mi |
| Township Three ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 540 | Public | 5.6 mi |
| Union ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 413 | Public | 7.5 mi |
| Washington ElementaryShelby | Pre-K–5 | 376 | Public | 7.6 mi |
| Cleveland InnovationShelby | K–12 | 187 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| Pinnacle Classical AcademyShelby | K–12 | 1,178 | Charter | 4.2 mi |
| Crest MiddleShelby | 6–8 | 810 | Public | 4.2 mi |
| Shelby MiddleShelby | 6–8 | 588 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Turning Point AcademyShelby | 6–12 | 142 | Alternative Education | 0.3 mi |
| Cleveland ECHSShelby | 9–13 | 225 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Crest HighShelby | 9–12 | 1,098 | Public | 3.8 mi |
| Shelby HighShelby | 9–12 | 792 | Public | 1.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Boiling Springs, Patterson Springs, Polkville, Kingstown, Lattimore and Light Oak.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.