The Town FilesShepherd, Michigan
Village in Isabella County · population 1,469 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $157,000
- Household income
- $70,156
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 32.9
Shepherd is a village of 1,469 people in Isabella County, Michigan. The median home is worth $157,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Michigan towns, easier by car than 90% of Michigan towns, better transit than 83% of Michigan towns.
How Shepherd ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shepherd is worth $157,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $70,156, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $789 a month. 66.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shepherd | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,000 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $789 | $955 |
| Median household income | $70,156 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 66.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Shepherd
| People | Shepherd | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.0% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 88.8% |
Weather in Shepherd
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shepherd since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 14, 1974 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 4, 2006.
Severe weather in Isabella County since 1996
Isabella County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| August 2, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4326: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3160: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Isabella County
Isabella County had 26,640 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,992 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Shepherd itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.
Public schools in Shepherd
5 public schools with 1,772 students, about 18.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherd Elementary School | PK-5 | 560 | 16.5 |
| Shepherd High School | 9-12 | 529 | 23.0 |
| Shepherd Middle School | 6-8 | 387 | 18.4 |
| Winn Elementary School | K-5 | 222 | 17.1 |
| Flextech High School Shepherd (charter) | 8-12 | 74 | 12.3 |
Towns near Shepherd
- Coe, MI1.9 mi · 3,032 people · home $161,000
- Lincoln, MI4.7 mi · 2,069 people · home $182,700
- Chippewa, MI4.9 mi · 4,446 people · home $156,800
- Mount Pleasant, MI6.6 mi · 21,688 people · home $173,100
- Pine River, MI6.6 mi · 2,348 people · home $156,200
- Union, MI7.2 mi · 11,699 people · home $163,800
- Jasper, MI7.5 mi · 1,060 people · home $161,700
- Seville, MI8.4 mi · 2,132 people · home $136,100
Shepherd questions
Is Shepherd, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shepherd scores better for retirees than 43% of Michigan towns and quieter than 28%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.9).
How much does a house cost in Shepherd?
The median owner-occupied home in Shepherd is valued at $157,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,156, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $789 a month.
What is the weather like in Shepherd?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 39.3 inches of snow.
Does Shepherd get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shepherd since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 14, 1974. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)