Shelby Township was set off by an act of the Michigan Territorial Legislature on April 12, 1827, and a civil government was organized the following May. It originally included the area that is now Sterling Heights, which was set off March 17, 1835, as the township of Jefferson, renamed to Sterling on March 6, 1838. Utica, located on the southern edge of the township, originally incorporated as a village on March 9, 1838, although that corporation was dissolved soon afterwards. The village was incorporated for a second time on May 10, 1877.

The village of Disco (42°41′02″N 83°02′04″W / 42.68389°N 83.03444°W / 42.68389; -83.03444 (Disco)) was located at what is now the junction of 24 Mile Road and Van Dyke Road. and was platted in 1849. The community never incorporated, although the local high school, the Disco Academy, gained some local recognition and a post office named Disco operated from May 5, 1854, until July 31, 1906. Only a few homes and a namesake on old county road maps remain of this now forgotten historic place. See also: “The Lost Village of Disco” on the Shelby Township Historical Society website.

Shelby Township is in western Macomb County and is bordered to the west by the cities of Rochester and Rochester Hills in Oakland County. The cities of Utica and Sterling Heights border the township to the south. Mount Clemens, the Macomb county seat, is 11 miles (18 km) to the southeast, and downtown Detroit is 24 miles (39 km) to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91 km), of which 34.4 square miles (89 km) are land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km), or 2.31%, are water. The township is drained by the Clinton River, a tributary of Lake St. Clair.

There are no incorporated villages and four unincorporated communities:

• Preston Corners is located at the corner of 25 Mile and Schoenherr roads at 42°41′58″N 82°59′45″W / 42.69944°N 82.99583°W / 42.69944; -82.99583 (Preston Corners). Ira and Deborah Preston bought 400 acres (1.6 km) of land from the United States government in 1826 and settled on it the following year, later building a sawmill and a picket fence factory.
• Shelby is located at Shelby and 25 Mile Roads (42°41′51″N 83°04′10″W / 42.69750°N 83.06944°W / 42.69750; -83.06944).
• Shelby Village is located where Auburn and Ryan roads intersect. Housing was built in this area in the 1940s.
• Yates is on the boundary with Rochester and Rochester Hills, Oakland County (42°40′25″N 83°05′45″W / 42.67361°N 83.09583°W / 42.67361; -83.09583 ; Elevation: 669 ft./204 m.).

As of the census of 2010, there were 73,804 people, 28,299 households, and 17,923 families living in the township. The racial makeup of the township was 89.4% White, 3.1% African American, 3.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

The U.S. Census Bureau defined Shelby Charter Township as a census-designated place (CDP) in the 2000 Census so that the community would appear on the list of places (like cities and villages) as well on the list of county subdivisions (like other townships). The final statistics for the township and the CDP were identical. As of the census of 2000, there were 65,159 people, 24,486 households, and 17,923 families living in the township. The population density was 1,878.7 inhabitants per square mile (725.4/km). There were 25,265 housing units at an average density of 728.5 per square mile (281.3/km). The racial makeup of the township was 94.95% White, 0.85% African American, 0.24% Native American, 2.11% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.71% of the population.

There were 24,486 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the township the population dispersal was 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $65,291, and the median income for a family was $76,312. Males had a median income of $59,380 versus $33,844 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,131. About 2.7% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Shelby Charter Township has a Supervisor-Board style township government with elected supervisor, clerk, treasurer and four trustees. The Township operates the Shelby Township Library as well as Cherry Creek Golf Course.

The majority of residents are zoned into Utica Community Schools, which serves parts of the communities of Sterling Heights, Macomb Township, Washington Township, and Ray Township, as well as most of Shelby Charter Township, and all of Utica. However, a small number of residents are zoned into Romeo Community Schools.