Smack dab in the middle of Tennessee and with the Duck River running through it, Shelbyville is a small historic town and the Walking Horse Capital of the World. Home to 25,000, this rural city is surrounded by natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities about 60 miles south of Nashville. “Driving a back road in this area is just gorgeous. People ride a lot of Harleys and take their vintage cars out for cruises,” says Tad Craig, real estate broker and auctioneer at Craig & Wheeler Realty and Auction. “You pass beautiful horse farms, pastures and waterfalls on the side of the road. It's just a really, really pretty area.” With the small-town feel comes a booming agricultural and manufacturing industry and highly rated schools.
An old hydroelectric plant and the dam are the main features of Fisherman's Park.
Shelbyville is known for their Tennessee Walking Horses.
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Housing market and major industries
The median home sale price is $320,000, lower than the national figure. Architectural styles include New Traditional and ranch-style homes. Homes downtown tend to cost less than residences on the outskirts, which usually have more acreage and higher square footage.
Agriculture and manufacturing are the dominant industries, with Tyson Foods, Musgrave Pencil Company, Rubbermaid and Marelli, a Nissan subsidiary that supplies its three Tennessee auto plants, as major employers. The training and breeding of Tennessee Walking Horses is also a large part of the local economy.
You can find several new traditional homes being built in Shelbyville, TN.
There are mostly ranch style homes in Shelbyville, TN.
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Fishing, floating and boating on the Duck River
Shelbyville maintains eight city parks along with the Shelbyville Recreation Center, inside of which residents can exercise, take classes and more. Outdoors, the center sprawls with 84 acres of playgrounds and sports fields. As Shelbyville is located along the Duck River, many of its parks offer fishing, floating and boating. “We have one of the top five most biologically diverse rivers in the world,” says Craig. “The Duck River has over 570 species of aquatic wildlife.” Threaded by 16 trails, locals can also take scenic treks — on foot or horseback — through the countryside.
Cooper Steel Arena hosts horse shows, monster truck shows, rodeos and circuses.
Cooper Steel Arena host rodeos and barrel racing in Shelbyville, TN.
HV Griffin Park has a large playground, skate park and pavilion.
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The Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration
Every August, Shelbyville holds the Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Dating back to 1939, this event is a 10-day equestrian show. “It made our town famous. People come from all over the world to show horses and have fun. It’s a festival-like atmosphere,” says Craig. “Anybody that you can imagine that’s into horses has come to check it out.”
A stop on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail
Most restaurants are clustered along the historic streets of downtown or lining U.S. Route 231. Shops and grocery stores are scattered throughout the city. “We’re known for whiskey,” says Craig. He relays that the city has become an unofficial stop on The Tennessee Whiskey Trail after the founding of Uncle Nearest, a local whiskey brand that opened for business eight years ago.
Nearest Green Distillery commemorates the godfather of Tennessee Whiskey, Nearest Green.
Popes Cafe offers breakfast and lunch in Downtown Shelbyville.
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The Bedford County School District
The Bedford County School District scores a B-minus on Niche. The district operates nine elementary schools, six middle schools and three high schools. Thomas Magnet School is a high-ranking institute, earning an A-minus on the site. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Shelbyville offers 19 programs granting degrees and certifications.
Cascade High School is a public 9-12 high school servicing Bedford Co.
Tennessee College of Applied Technology is located in Shelbyville, TN.
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Getting around Shelbyville
U.S. Route 231 and U.S. Route 41A intersect at the heart of Shelbyville, providing a direct route to Nashville. Though Shelbyville does not have a fixed-route public transportation service, Bedford County provides transportation for seniors and those with disabilities. The Shelbyville Municipal Airport is located 4 miles outside the city but is not served by air carriers. Right across from the airport is the Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital. For a broader range of destinations and airlines, the Nashville International Airport is 57 miles north.
U.S. Route 231 runs through Shelbyville connecting it to neighboring cities.
Every August, Shelbyville holds the Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.
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Environment and Crime
“We have hot summers, wonderful springs, beautiful falls and cold winters,” says Craig. “It's not the Deep South, so it's not too crazy as far as mugginess, and it's not New Orleans heat.” Subject to occasional extreme weather, Shelbyville has a higher risk of tornado damage than the Tennessee and U.S. average, though only one low-end EF2 tornado occurred within the last 20 years.
According to FBI data, the rates of reported violent crime and property crime in Shelbyville are lower than the Tennessee average and higher than the national average, though rates of property crime have been declining since 2023.
Written By
Stephanie Davison
Photography Contributed By
Nathan Pedigo
Video By
Jason Jacot
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Cindy Barnes,
an experienced agent in this area.
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