Small-town living in rural North Carolina west of Charlotte
More than 40 miles away from Charlotte, Shelby is a small city of about 20,000 residents in North Carolina’s rural Piedmont region. Its roots are rustic and industrial. Shelby sprang up in the mid-1840s as a railroad community, grew into a textile mill town and later diversified into other manufacturing and agriculture industries. Today, top employers include Wal-Mart Associates Inc., Hanesbrands and Atrium Health Care, affiliated with the 241-bed hospital on the city’s north side. “It’s a quaint, small town, but it has lots of fun things to do,” says Re/Max Select Realtor Stephanie Williams, a decades-long Shelby local. “We have lots of good restaurants, two theaters, a museum, and we’re a really active town in terms of events,” she says, adding that its community spirit appeals to homebuyers searching for a more close-knit, but still lively alternative to Charlotte.
The Earl Scruggs Center is a prominent part of the Uptown Shelby Historic District.
The Don Gibson Theater, this Art Deco gem has been beautifully restored and now serves as an intimate concert hall with a seating capacity of 400.
Shelby has a deep past and continues to have textile mills operating just outside of uptown.
Locals enjoy shopping, dining or even just an afternoon stroll in Uptown Shelby.
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A cool, but steady housing market
The median price for single-family homes in Shelby is below the state median, at $265,000 compared to $366,900. It’s also below the national median of $407,200. Homes are on the market for an average of 64 days before going under contract, several weeks longer than the national average of 44. “There are certain areas that are marketed better, where homes sell faster,” Williams says. She observes that houses in neighborhoods on Shelby’s west side, like The Columns and Country Club Woods, near the Cleveland Country Club, tend to be among the most expensive and fastest selling in town. Homes on Moss Lake, a little farther west, are also on the upper end of the price spectrum and quick to go under contract. “The average home is $225,000 or thereabouts right now, but in the country club and Moss Lake areas, prices are anywhere from $400,000 to $1 million,” she says.
The main building of the Cleveland Country Club showcases more of the history of Shelby.
Homes in Shelby are generally priced at lower than the national average.
Shelby home owners on Lake Moss enjoy private docks and lake access.
Moss Lake is a popular destination for fishing and other recreation for Shelby residents.
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Keeter Stadium is home to the American Legion World Series
According to the Trust for Public Land, 37% of Shelby residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. The city maintains the public Royster Golf Course and three public parks, including the 150-acre Shelby City Park. It’s the largest park in town, and features an aquatics center, sports fields, a restored mini rotary train and a historic Herchell Spillman carousel. The annual Foothills Merry-Go-Round Festival, with food vendors, amusement rides, carnival activities and more, takes place there every April. “It’s a real asset to the community,” Williams says, observing that it's part of what makes Shelby so family-friendly. “It’s a lovely place to take the kids.” On Shelby’s south side, Keeter Stadium hosts American Legion’s World Series annually. The teen baseball league’s final tournament of the season is accompanied by an end-of-season festival. “It’s called the American Legion World Series Festival, but we call it the American Legion Ball Weekend,” Williams says. The days-long festival draws crows to the Court Square Lawn in central Shelby for food vendors, carnival shows and amusement rides every August.
Shelby is home to the annual American Legion World Series held at the Keeter Stadium.
Shelby residents can enjoy a round of golf at the Royster Memorial Golf Course.
Shelby City Park is a massive park offering a variety of amenities and activities.
The Bobby Bell Pavilion holds the year round weekly farmer's market in Shelby.
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Uptown Shelby dining and entertainment
The Uptown Shelby Social District is the walkable, historic city center, full of locally owned restaurants, small businesses and venues. At the heart of the district, the former Cleveland County Courthouse is now the Earl Scruggs Center, dedicated to the musical history of the American South. It’s named for five-string banjo player Earl Scruggs, a Cleveland County native who rose to international fame for his unique three-finger playing style. “They do all kinds of events, like a banjo camp, fundraisers with country and pop stars, lectures, the works,” Williams says. Uptown Shelby is also home to two historic theaters that put on musical and theatrical performances: The Rogers Theater and the Don Gibson Theatre. Foothills Farmers’ Market holds a year-round Saturday market at the Bobby Bell Pavilion on the northwest side of the district. Williams says chain restaurants and national retailers like Walmart and Lowe’s Home Improvement are concentrated in the commercial corridor that follows U.S. Route 74 on the south side of town.
Uptown Shelby is a great area for locals and visitors to support small local business.
Pleasant City Wood Fired Grille is a popular spot for Shelby locals to gather with friends.
Shelby has worked hard to continue updating and maintaining the beauty of the historic area.
The historic Rogers Theater still brings a crowd for shows in Shelby.
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Cleveland County Public Schools, Cleveland Community College and Garner-Webb University
Cleveland County Public Schools earns a B-plus from Niche, and serves over 14,000 students with an average student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. The district does not offer school choice/open enrollment, but the Cleveland Innovation Virtual Academy, North Shelby School and Turning Point Academy all offer application-based, specialized education programs. All five CCPS high schools, including Shelby High, provide dual enrollment and career/technical education courses in partnership with Cleveland Community College. Garner-Webb University, about 9 miles southwest of Shelby, is a private Christian University with over 80 majors and minors. The community college and Garner-Webb are major employers in Cleveland County.
Shelby students will be educated within the Cleveland County School District.
Gardner-Webb University is a private liberal arts college just outside of Shelby.
Cleveland Community College is another great option for continuing education in Shelby.
Shelby students can continue their educations at nearby Gardner-Webb University.
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Limited public transportation options
Cleveland County Transit provides free bus service to the region. Its line through Shelby is a 33-stop deviated fixed-route system, meaning riders can arrange pick-up at locations up to ¾ of a mile off the regular route. U.S. Route 74 runs through the south side of town, heading east toward Charlotte, about 46 miles away. Depending on traffic, commuting into the bigger city typically takes about an hour on Route 74 and Interstate 85. The Charlotte Douglas International Airport is only about 40 miles from Shelby, a drive that usually takes 50 minutes.
Cleveland County’s violent crime rate is lower than the state’s
Crime statistics for Shelby are not readily available. According to data in the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s 2023 Crime in North Carolina annual report, Cleveland County’s violent crime rate was lower than the state’s, while the county’s property crime rate was higher. Cleveland County’s violent crime rate increased by more than 6% between 2022 and 2023. The county’s property crime rate declined by slightly more than 1% over the same year.
Written By
Megan Quintin
Photography Contributed By
Justin Stapp
Video By
Luke Mancari
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Shelby, NC sell after 78 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Shelby, NC over the last 12 months is $250,000, down 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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