| | Helena, AL | Shelby, AL | United States |
| Population | 20,680 | 847 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 51.1% | 38.7% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 49.0% | 61.3% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 47.6 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 16,921 | 1,467 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 10,296 | 1,009 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 3,918 | 885 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 97.9% | 48.4% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 420.0% | 69.2% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 1,014.8 | 45.2 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 20.4 | 18.8 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.3 | 0.3 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Helena, AL | Shelby, AL | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 6.4% | 4.7% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 6.3% | 3.2% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 8.4% | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 5.6% | 5.4% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 2.3% | 0.0% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 3.1% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 14.0% | 11.6% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 14.8% | 7.9% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 14.5% | 12.0% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 5.8% | 5.3% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 5.1% | 10.6% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 10.8% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 2.2% | 8.7% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 0.8% | 8.1% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Helena, AL | Shelby, AL | United States |
| White | 72.8% | 96.1% | 59.4% |
| Black | 17.1% | 2.4% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 1.3% | 0.0% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.0% | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Other | 1.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 5.0% | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 2.7% | 0.0% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Helena, AL | Shelby, AL | United States |
| Married Population | 58.9% | 63.2% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 58.6% | 63.2% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 0.3% | 0.0% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 41.1% | 36.8% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 27.2% | 26.1% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 10.9% | 6.6% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 3.0% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.75 | 2.64 | 2.60 |
| Households | 7,520 | 321 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 5,485 | 237 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 43.0% | 38.4% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 41.3% | 56.5% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 2,035 | 84 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 9.7% | 0.0% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 6.0% | 5.1% | 10.8% |