Moving to Shepherdstown: Pros, Cons & What to Know

Moving to Shepherdstown means moving to a real, genuinely distinct WV college town, chartered in 1762 and shaped today by Shepherd University's dominant presence.

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A real, accurately disclosed founding claim

Shepherdstown was chartered December 23, 1762 -- the same date as Romney -- sharing WV's 'oldest incorporated town' distinction rather than holding it alone (base record).

Shepherd University shapes the town

Shepherd University, located directly in Shepherdstown, is the town's dominant economic and demographic anchor, with total enrollment around 3,339 students per figures reviewed this pass (base record).

A genuinely favorable crime figure

NeighborhoodScout cites violent-crime victim odds of 1-in-10,000 in Shepherdstown -- among the lowest in the country (base record).

A real, disclosed wide housing-price spread

Shepherdstown's housing figures range widely across sources ($425,933 to $700,000-cited figures) -- this record anchors on Zillow's $425,933 average value while disclosing the full spread (base record).

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.