Dodd Ford Bridge · National Register of Historic Places
Shelby Township’s story
Shelby Township in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Shelby TownshipMN
A town of 239.
4 bordering townsMap →
Dodd Ford Bridge · Photo: Jerry Mathiason · Public domain
Population
239
2025 Census estimate · −2.8% since 2020
Median home value
$310K
Census ACS
Household income
$102K
median
Median age
38.2
years
Jobs based here
110
Balanced
Is Shelby Township a good place to live?
Shelby Township’s median rent is $688 a month, below both Minnesota’s towns ($1,196 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Dodd Ford Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places. Shelby Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
239 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Pleasant Mound TownshipSterling TownshipVernon Center TownshipWinnebago City TownshipShelby Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Shelby Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Shelby Township, and how to reach them.
PowerBENCO Electric Cooperative16.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAmboy water system10 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Shelby Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBlue Earth County ElectionsBlue Earth County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes56010, 5609056010 95% · 56090 5%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Shelby Township.
Climate
In Shelby Township, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Shelby Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 7° and about 46 inches of snow falls in a winter.
46″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring35–56°
Summer60–81°
Fall38–58°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Shelby Township
Most working residents leave Shelby Township for work: only 5% work in town. Jobs based in Shelby Township grew to 110 in 2023, 43 more than in 2013. At $102,000, Shelby Township’s median household income is above both the Minnesota town median ($90,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000).
5%work in town
| Shelby Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.3% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Shelby Township5%
Mankato26%
North Mankato11%
Mapleton5%
Lake Crystal4%
22 mi
median commute distance
110
jobs based in Shelby Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More children than Minnesota overall
Children under 18 are 29% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 33% of residents (38% statewide). Shelby Township has lost 2.8% of its people since 2020, down to 239 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 36% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 39% across Minnesota.
38.2median age · MN 38.8
| Shelby Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 33% | 29% |
Shelby TownshipMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma1%
High school25%
Some college21%
Associate’s17%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
43% women, 57% men
About 130 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6 points). Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Shelby Township | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.1% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.3% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.6% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.1% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.2% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.2% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.8% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.6% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.1% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.1% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.1% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 17.2% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.2% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.3% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
Health
How healthy Shelby Township is
Shelby Township beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 29% of Shelby Township adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Shelby Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 10% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better23 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Shelby Township | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.5% | 76.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.7% | 5.9% |
Madelia Health
16.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Shelby Township
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesDrought
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shelby Township
16pages on Shelby Township
The big questions
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Shelby Township; the nearest are
Minnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato20.1 mi$9,572 in-state tuitionSouth Central CollegeCommunity college · Public · North Mankato21 mi$6,146 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Shelby Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Questions about Shelby Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Shelby Township, MN a good place to live?
Shelby Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.