Population 8,526 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Shepherdstown
Household size in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.73 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.82 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.86 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.77 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Shepherdstown sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the Washington area overall, where it has 2.77 people. Household size has dropped from 2.75 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8 | 37.0 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 37.6 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.8 | 38.5 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 39.2 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.9 | +2.2 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Shepherdstown are younger than 39.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.8, mirroring the country. Of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people, only five are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 11.3% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 11.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 10.4% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | −0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Shepherdstown (10.4%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The Washington area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Shepherdstown
Renters in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 34.0% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.2% | 36.6% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.1% | 36.8% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 36.3% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.9 pts | +2.3 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.1% of households in Shepherdstown rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 32.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 7.9 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 8.7% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 7.3% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 6.6% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 5.9% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Shepherdstown than nationally: 7.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Shepherdstown has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five West Virginia cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1977 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1982 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Shepherdstown is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1989, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $991 | $1,470 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,050 | $1,583 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,110 | $1,907 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,209 | $2,236 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$219 | +$766 | +$327 | +$606 |
The median renter in Shepherdstown pays $1,209 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $219 a month since 2006–10, up 22%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Shepherdstown
Bachelor's degrees in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9% | 46.6% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.1% | 48.2% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.7% | 51.0% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.0% | 53.9% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +7.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Shepherdstown: 52.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 3.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only two of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 89.4% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.5% | 90.2% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.5% | 90.8% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 91.2% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +1.7 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Shepherdstown: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Shepherdstown
| Period | Shepherdstown | Washington area | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 5.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 6.9% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 4.7% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 4.8% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Shepherdstown runs below the national rate: 4.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Shepherdstown compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherdstown | 2.59 | 39.6 | 10.4% | 15.1% | 7.0% | 1989 | $1,209 | 52.0% | 94.3% | 4.2% |
| Sharpsburg | 2.44 | 48.9 | 9.2% | 11.2% | 9.6% | 1979 | $1,196 | 26.0% | 93.3% | 9.1% |
| Shenandoah Junction | 2.71 | 41.4 | 14.9% | 14.3% | 6.9% | 1989 | $1,126 | 36.1% | 94.7% | 0.9% |
| Keedysville | 2.82 | 42.1 | 14.7% | 8.0% | 4.4% | 1991 | $1,440 | 31.9% | 94.5% | 4.5% |
| Bakersville | 3.00 | 36.4 | 4.8% | 16.2% | 8.4% | 1986 | $1,235 | 28.4% | 97.2% | 1.6% |
| Dargan | 2.77 | 36.2 | 28.3% | 27.0% | 15.4% | 1975 | $1,659 | 24.9% | 88.1% | 0.0% |
| Martinsburg | 2.49 | 39.8 | 15.9% | 32.7% | 6.0% | 1991 | $1,246 | 25.3% | 89.9% | 5.0% |
| Burtner | 2.84 | 43.3 | 6.1% | 11.1% | 3.6% | 1988 | $1,292 | 30.2% | 92.2% | 1.7% |
| Fairplay | 2.84 | 41.2 | 3.6% | 14.3% | 7.6% | 1985 | $1,190 | 25.5% | 92.6% | 1.0% |
| Kearneysville | 2.84 | 42.5 | 10.5% | 19.0% | 6.2% | 1987 | $1,515 | 27.7% | 89.2% | 2.9% |
| Eakles Mill | 3.06 | 38.7 | 12.2% | 3.7% | 2.4% | 1996 | $1,455 | 39.5% | 98.5% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Gages Lake, IL · Wilmington Manor, DE · Winnsboro, SC · Winters, CA · Southgate, FL · South Lebanon, OH · South Kensington, MD · Aberdeen, MS · Somers, NY · Germantown, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Shepherdstown. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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