Townapedia
Shelby County Courthouse in Illinois
Shelby County Courthouse in Illinois · Nyttend, Public domain
Shelbyville Carnegie Library
Shelbyville Carnegie Library · Nyttend, Public domain
Shelbyville Chautauqua Auditorium
Shelbyville Chautauqua Auditorium · Nyttend, Public domain
USACE Shelbyville Dam and Lake
USACE Shelbyville Dam and Lake · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified..., Public domain
Horace M. Tallman House
Horace M. Tallman House · Nyttend, Public domain
ISS017-E-19433 - View of Missouri
ISS017-E-19433 - View of Missouri · Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B...., Public domain

Shelbyville, Illinois

Shelbyville is a city of 4,351 people in Shelby County, Illinois, founded in 1827.

Loading the weather...
Population4,351 +0.9% since 2019
Elevation623 ft 190 m
Founded1827
Land area4.2 sq mi
ZIP code62565
Nearest airportColes County Memorial Airport (MTO) 28 mi

Why visit Shelbyville

Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 5 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Boarman's Roxy Theatre, Shelbyville Historic District and Chautauqua Auditorium.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 19°F.

About Shelbyville

Shelbyville is a city in and the county seat of Shelby County, Illinois, United States, along the Kaskaskia River. As of the 2020 census, the population was at 4,674. HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital, located in town, is the county's only hospital. Shelbyville is also home to Chautauqua Auditorium.

From the Wikipedia article Shelbyville, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Boarman's Roxy Theatre

Cinema and theater · 0.4 mi

149 East Main Street, Shelbyville

Open in Google Maps

Museums and landmarks5

Shelbyville Historic District

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Historic district in Illinois, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Chautauqua Auditorium

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi

Historic icosagonal (20-sided) wooden chautauqua meeting hall located at Forest Park and North East 9th Street, Shelbyville, Illinois,...

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Horace M. Tallman House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Historic house in Illinois, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Car Museum

Museum

Open in Google Maps

Shelby County Historical Society

Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi

Open in Google Maps

Parks, trails and playgrounds6

Dam East Recreation Area

Park · 1.0 mi

Open in Google Maps

Forest Park

Park · 1.1 mi

Open in Google Maps

Shelby County Fairgrounds

Park · 0.6 mi

Open in Google Maps

Shelbyville Dam East Access Area

Park · 1.4 mi

Open in Google Maps

Shelbyville Dam West Access Area

Park · 1.1 mi

Open in Google Maps

Spillway Access Area

Park · 1.1 mi

Open in Google Maps

Advertisement

Restaurants and cafes5

Joe's Pizza

Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi

Open in Google Maps

Monical's Pizza

Restaurant · Pizza · 0.9 mi

Open in Google Maps

Subway

Fast food · Sandwich · 0.5 mi

1218 West Main Street, Shelbyville

Mo-Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:30

Open in Google Maps · +1 217-774-5500

Taco Bell

Fast food · Tex-Mex · 0.4 mi

1000 West Main Street, Shelbyville

08:00-01:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 217-774-3431

McDonald's

Fast food · Burger · 0.4 mi

Open in Google Maps

History

Shelbyville was founded in 1827 and named in honor of Isaac Shelby, hero of the Revolutionary War and Governor of Kentucky. The history of Shelbyville begins with Barnett Bone, a Tennessean who, in 1835, built a log cabin along the Kaskaskia River. His cabin eventually became the county courthouse. The first businesses were blacksmith shops, a general store and stage coach stop, and a grist mill.

Shelbyville is the home of Josephine Garis Cochran who invented one of the first mechanical dishwashers ever built in 1886. It was exhibited at the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition, where it won "the highest award."

From the History section of Shelbyville, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay2

Churches and places of worship9

Advertisement

Shopping1

Schools, colleges and libraries7

Healthcare2

Advertisement

Map of Shelbyville

38 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 2.6 in of rainFebruary: 2.1 in of rainMarch: 2.7 in of rainApril: 4.3 in of rainMay: 4.7 in of rainJune: 4.7 in of rainJuly: 4.1 in of rainAugust: 3.4 in of rainSeptember: 3.1 in of rainOctober: 3.6 in of rainNovember: 3.7 in of rainDecember: 2.6 in of rainJanuary: 36°FFebruary: 41°FMarch: 52°FApril: 64°FMay: 74°FJune: 82°FJuly: 86°FAugust: 85°FSeptember: 80°FOctober: 67°FNovember: 52°FDecember: 41°FJanuary: 19°FFebruary: 23°FMarch: 32°FApril: 43°FMay: 54°FJune: 63°FJuly: 67°FAugust: 65°FSeptember: 57°FOctober: 45°FNovember: 34°FDecember: 25°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRain
Jan36°F19°F2.6 in
Feb41°F23°F2.1 in
Mar52°F32°F2.7 in
Apr64°F43°F4.3 in
May74°F54°F4.7 in
Jun82°F63°F4.7 in
Jul86°F67°F4.1 in
Aug85°F65°F3.4 in
Sep80°F57°F3.1 in
Oct67°F45°F3.6 in
Nov52°F34°F3.7 in
Dec41°F25°F2.6 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Shelbyville Dam (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$52,470median household income
$116,400median home value
$767median monthly rent
39.9median age
13.3%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
59.1%of homes are owner-occupied
10.3 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1822%18 to 3418%35 to 6438%65 and over22%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Shelby County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for tornados.

  • 2021-12-13: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
  • 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
  • 2007-02-09: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Coles County Memorial Airport (MTO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 28 miles away.

  • Pana 16 mi west, about 25 min by car
  • Neoga 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
  • Mattoon 24 mi east, about 38 min by car
  • Effingham 24 mi southeast, about 39 min by car
  • Altamont 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
  • Mount Zion 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
  • Arthur 27 mi northeast, about 44 min by car
  • St. Elmo 27 mi south, about 43 min by car
  • Taylorville 30 mi west, about 48 min by car
  • Decatur 32 mi north, about 51 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

Loading what members have shared...

Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.