City · Texas
Shepherd, Texas
Shepherd, city, in San Jacinto County, Texas. Shepherd had 1,942 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 7.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,105 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,189 (±567). GEOID 4867424.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,942
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,105 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,189 ±567
Median household income
$53,750
±$15,866 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$157,300
±$58,996 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$667
±$606 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Shepherd and what county is it in?
Shepherd is a city in San Jacinto County, Texas. It covers 6.1 square miles of land, 345 residents per square mile in 2020.
Shepherd is in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 10 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Shepherd, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,942 people lived in Shepherd on July 1, 2025, down 7.3% since 2020, while Texas grew 8.8%. The 2020 Census counted 2,105 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,189 (±567).
| Measure | Shepherd | San Jacinto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,189 ±567 | 28,441 | −1,013 |
| Households | 802 ±200 | 10,881 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.66 ±0.31 | 2.60 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,078 ±234 | 15,011 | no clear change |
Shepherd's population since 2000
From 2,029 in 2000 to 1,942 in 2025: down 4.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Shepherd as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Shepherd?
The median resident of Shepherd is 39.9 years old; 22.8% are under 18 and 19.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 64.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 16.5%.
| Measure | Shepherd | San Jacinto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 ±6.0 | 44.0 | +9.6 |
| Under 18 years | 22.8% ±6.3 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.4% ±6.1 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Male | 47.9% ±4.5 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16.5% ±9.4 pts | 19.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 64.6% ±10.8 pts | 68.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.2% ±6.9 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±2.5 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.0% ±5.5 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 14.5% ±8.0 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±4.1 pts | 9.9% | – |
| With a disability | 29.2% ±6.7 pts | 23.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 24.5% ±6.5 pts | 17.7% | −13.2 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.2% ±6.8 pts | 82.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.4% ±4.0 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.4% ±3.6 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 77.8% ±9.8 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±3.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Shepherd earn?
Half of Shepherd's 802 households earn less than $53,750 a year (±$15,866), against $65,364 in San Jacinto County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $54,183 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shepherd | San Jacinto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,750 ±$15,866 | $65,364 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,475 ±$10,426 | $82,266 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,425 ±$4,521 | $30,859 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.7% ±7.7 pts | 18.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 29.0% ±17.0 pts | 26.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 37.3% ±10.1 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.3% ±3.7 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.8% ±7.4 pts | 85.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Shepherd?
Owners occupy 65.6% of Shepherd's occupied homes and renters 34.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,300 by its owner (±$58,996).
| Measure | Shepherd | San Jacinto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $157,300 ±$58,996 | $209,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $667 ±$606 | $1,060 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.1% ±17.2 pts | 24.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,653 ±$343 | $1,677 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.6% ±11.1 pts | 84.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.4% ±11.1 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Housing units | 1,078 ±234 | 15,011 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.1 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.7% ±12.0 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 55.0% ±10.3 pts | 70.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 25.7% ±8.6 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.4% ±3.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.6% ±4.9 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.0% ±2.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.7% ±6.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Shepherd building?
Builders took permits for 12 new housing units in Shepherd in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 6.2 per 1,000 residents against 6.6 across Texas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Shepherd work and get to work?
69.2% of Shepherd's workers drive alone and 9.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 36.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 13.4%.
| Measure | Shepherd | San Jacinto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 50.5% ±7.6 pts | 52.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 13.4% ±5.9 pts | 6.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 69.2% ±9.8 pts | 78.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.8% ±9.9 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.3% ±0.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.5% ±5.0 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 36.1 min ±8.8 | 40.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Shepherd?
1 census tract lies mostly in Shepherd, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2001.04San Jacinto County | 3,306 | $59,286 |
| Tract 2001.03San Jacinto County | 3,033 | $92,245 |
| Tract 2001.05San Jacinto County | 3,953 | $68,092 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Shepherd) · Census block assignment files
How does Shepherd compare with other places in Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Shepherd is the 7,798th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 624th-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Shepherd ranks 693rd of 933 places in Texas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 624th | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 765th | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 896th | 979 |
| Median household income | 693rd | 933 |
| Per capita income | 724th | 978 |
| Median home value | 634th | 950 |
| Poverty rate | 329th | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 860th | 877 |
| Median age | 300th | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 644th | 973 |
| Work from home | 372nd | 557 |
| Travel time to work | 84th | 976 |
Shepherd's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Shepherd with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Shepherd?
15 of the 57 figures for Shepherd on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Shepherd are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Shepherd.