Shelby County is a county in Kentucky, United States, part of the Louisville metropolitan area. It had a population of 48,065 at the 2020 census and covers 386 square miles (1,000 km2), of which 380 square miles (980 km2) is land, centred near 38°13′N 85°11′W.
Shelbyville is the county seat, and its postal code is 40065. The county has two incorporated cities and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities and crossroads settlements. Shelby County observes Eastern Time.
Towns & Villages in Shelby County
Shelby County’s settlement pattern is one county-seat city, one smaller incorporated city, and a wide scatter of unincorporated hamlets that grew up around 19th-century mills, churches, and rail sidings. Only Shelbyville and Simpsonville are incorporated; everything else below is an unincorporated community (Unincorp.) with no independent municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelbyville | City · seat | 17,282 | 40065 |
| Simpsonville | City | 2,990 | 40067 |
| Pleasureville | City | — | 40057 |
| Bagdad | Unincorp. | — | 40003 |
| Chestnut Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Christiansburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Christiansburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clay Village | Unincorp. | — | 40068 |
| Conner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Consolation | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cropper | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Defoe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elmburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Figgs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Finchville | Unincorp. | — | 40139 |
| Graefenburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harrisonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hatton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hemp Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hooper | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jacksonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Joyes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Junte | Unincorp. | — | — |
| L S Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lincoln Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Middletown Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Montclair | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mulberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Olive Branch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peytona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Raymond Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Southville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Todds Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Veachland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Veech | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Veechdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waddy | Unincorp. | — | 40076 |
Pleasureville sits mostly across the line in Henry County, with a small share of its city limits reaching into northern Shelby County — its post office and ZIP code serve both sides. Veech, Veechdale, and Veachland are three distinct, closely spaced hamlets along Guist Creek rather than variant spellings of one place, and Christiansburg and Old Christiansburg likewise mark the original crossroads and its later relocation along US 60.
ZIP Codes
- 40065 — Shelbyville post office
- 40067 — Simpsonville post office
- 40068 — Clay Village post office
- 40076 — Waddy post office
- 40139 — Finchville post office
- 40003 — Bagdad post office (shared with Anderson County)
- 40057 — Pleasureville post office (shared with Henry County)
The county’s smaller crossroads communities, including Christiansburg, Cropper, Graefenburg, and Harrisonville, are addressed under one of these seven post offices rather than carrying a ZIP code of their own.
Geography
Shelby County sits on the rolling Outer Bluegrass plateau east of Louisville, drained by Guist Creek, Brashears Creek, and Little Benson Creek toward the Kentucky and Salt rivers. Jeptha Knob, a distinctive circular hill rising to 1,188 feet near the Henry County line, is a cryptoexplosion structure and one of the highest points between Louisville and Frankfort. Guist Creek Lake, a 300-plus-acre reservoir with a public marina, is the county’s main recreational water body.
Shelby County borders Henry County to the north, Franklin County to the east, Anderson County to the southeast, Spencer County to the southwest, Jefferson County to the west, and Oldham County to the northwest.
Demographics
Shelby County had 48,065 residents at the 2020 census. Shelbyville, the county seat, is by far the largest community at 17,282, followed by Simpsonville at 2,990; the remainder of the population lives in unincorporated areas. The county’s median household income runs above the Kentucky median of $61,118, reflecting its position within commuting range of Louisville. Population density on the county’s 380 square miles of land works out to roughly 127 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Shelby County’s economy mixes Bluegrass agriculture with a fast-growing manufacturing base. Jeptha Creed Distillery and the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey distillery both operate large bourbon-production facilities near Shelbyville, part of Kentucky’s official Bourbon Trail network. Canadian Solar’s subsidiary announced a battery-manufacturing plant in Shelbyville in November 2024, projected to bring more than 1,500 jobs. Shelbyville is also known as the “American Saddlebred Capital of the World,” and the county’s horse farms host the annual Shelbyville Horse Show each summer, alongside the long-running Shelbyville Dogwood Festival arts-and-crafts event each spring.
History
Shelby County was formed in 1792, the year Kentucky became a state, from land taken out of Jefferson County. It was named for Isaac Shelby, Kentucky’s first governor and a Revolutionary War officer who later commanded troops at the Battle of King’s Mountain. The county’s motto, “Good Land, Good Living, Good People,” reflects its long identity as prime central-Kentucky farmland. The Saddlebred horse industry that still defines Shelbyville today traces back to 19th-century breeding farms established in the decades after the county’s founding.
Getting There
Interstate 64 crosses the county east–west, with US 60, US 421, KY 53, and KY 55 providing the main north–south and secondary routes.
- Louisville — 30 miles west
- Frankfort — 25 miles east
- Lexington — 45 miles east
- La Grange (Oldham County) — 18 miles northwest
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, about 30 miles west via I-64, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Shelby County, Kentucky?
It is in north-central Kentucky, between Louisville and Frankfort, centred near 38°13′N 85°11′W.
What is the population of Shelby County?
48,065, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Shelby County?
386 square miles (1,000 km2) total, of which 380 square miles (980 km2) is land.
What is the county seat of Shelby County?
Shelbyville is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Shelby County?
Two incorporated cities, Shelbyville and Simpsonville, plus about two dozen unincorporated communities such as Bagdad, Finchville, and Waddy.
What ZIP codes are in Shelby County?
Shelbyville uses 40065, Simpsonville 40067, Clay Village 40068, Waddy 40076, Finchville 40139, Bagdad 40003, and Pleasureville 40057.
What is Shelby County known for?
Shelbyville’s American Saddlebred horse farms, its bourbon distilleries, and its growing manufacturing sector along the I-64 corridor east of Louisville.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.