2012 · Roesler's Bossie Mootel · Wikimedia Commons
Shelby’s story
Shelby in pictures
4 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 2 places on the National Register.
ShelbyWI
A town of 4,724. Nearly 12.3% of it is conserved land.
Population
4,724
+1.9% since 2010
Median home value
$301K
Census ACS
Household income
$110K
median
Median age
51.9
years
Jobs based here
712
A commuter town
What makes Shelby stand out
The 2 things Shelby does most differently from other towns.
Get outside
19 miles of trails in Shelby
12.3% of the town is conserved land, across 11 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Shelby’s report card
Now in Shelby
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Shelby is #345 of 366 in WI for “Lowest depression”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Shelby’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Shelby. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
12.3% of Shelby is conserved land
19 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves.
#95for trails in WI
12.3%
conserved · 2,230 of 18,140 acres
19 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
#34
most conserved land in WI
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. ORA Community Trail Farm | 8.8 mi | 275 |
| 2. Goose Island County Park | 3.1 mi | 383 |
| 3. Town of Shelby | 2.5 mi | 86 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Shelby beats the Wisconsin average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
4 better24 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Shelby | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.7% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults with high blood pressure | 29.3% | 33.3% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 8.7% | 6.7% |
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
3.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
52nd
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Shelby
Most working residents leave Shelby for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are La Crosse (57%), Onalaska (9%) and West Salem (2%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
2%work in town
Where working residents work
In Shelby2%
La Crosse57%
Onalaska9%
West Salem2%
Madison2%
5 mi
median commute distance
712
jobs based in Shelby
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
17
paid flood claims since 1978
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Shelby has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–29°
Spring36–57°
Summer60–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Shelby for work
Where Shelby’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
712jobs based in Shelby
2%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Shelby on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Shelby
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Shelby is a town in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the La Crosse, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,804 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Shelby is located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 4,804
- Area
- 29 sq mi
- Elevation
- 692 ft
- Area code
- 608
Shelby’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Shelby.
La CrosseHokahBergenGreenfieldHamburgMedaryBrownsvilleShelby