The cities of Shenandoah and Oak Ridge North have seen their populations continue to grow over the past five years, in line with the ongoing trend of expansion in Montgomery County and The Woodlands nearby, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey five-year estimates.
Growth was more pronounced in Shenandoah, where the population grew from less than 2,300 in 2013 to more than 2,800 in 2018—a 23% jump. Oak Ridge North’s growth occurred at a slower pace, rising around 1.5% from an estimated 3,089 people in 2013 to 3,136 in 2018.
Growth in both cities included a rise in senior residents, although Oak Ridge North’s median age dropped slightly since 2013, while Shenandoah’s rose nearly 20%. Between 2013-18, Oak Ridge North saw close to a 28% jump in residents age 65 and older, while Shenandoah's senior population saw a 120% increase over the same time period.
Educational attainment remained high in both cities between 2013-18 as well, with the percentage of adult Oak Ridge North high school graduates and Shenandoah residents with bachelor’s degrees holding steady. However, Oak Ridge North experienced a nearly 28% drop in its adult population with bachelor’s degrees—falling from nearly 44% to 31.5% of residents—and Shenandoah’s high school-educated population dropped from 96.7% to 90.5% of residents. Those totals still remained higher than the 83% of Texans age 25 and over with high school diplomas and the 29% with bachelor’s degrees. Area home values steadily rose since 2013, with the median occupied housing unit value eclipsing $200,000 in each city by 2018. The median household income fluctuated in both Oak Ridge North and Shenandoah over the same period, although Oak Ridge North saw a 4.65% decrease while Shenandoah experienced a nearly one-quarter increase.
Both cities’ median household incomes remained above Montgomery County’s $77,416 and Texas’ $59,570 estimates in 2018. Home values were closer to Montgomery County’s estimated $223,900 median in 2018 while remaining well above the $161,700 statewide median.
