Stephenville, Texas
15 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1890 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the Stephenville census division. It lies in ZIP code area 76401. It stands on Dry Branch. The Survey maps it on the Stephenville quadrangle. 20,897 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,273 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Stephenville
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 6 records
Berry Houselisted 1980
Erath County Courthouselisted 1977
Erath Memorial Archlisted 2018
First National Bank Buildinglisted 2015
Stephenville Downtown Historic Districtlisted 2018- Wyatt-Hickie Ranch Complexlisted 1985
Population over time
2 figuresStephenville grew from 17,123 to 20,897 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 17,123 | |
| 2020 | 20,897 | +3,774 (+22%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 15 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1890 USGS Stephenville quadrangle1:125000, 5 printings
- 1920 USGS Stephenville quadrangle1:125000
- 1954 USGS Abilene quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Abilene quadrangle1:250000
- 1961 USGS Stephenville quadrangle1:24000, 4 printings
- 1985 USGS Stephenville quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
363 since 2005Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 363 fires within 5 miles of Stephenville between 2005 and 2020, burning about 2,041 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 33 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 142 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 93 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 79 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 33 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 7 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 4 |
| Smoking | 2 |
| Natural | 2 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 2016 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS FIRE CR 417 |
| 8 September 2008 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 8 September 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 7 September 2015 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS FIRE HWY 377 N |
| 7 September 2008 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 5 September 2008 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 4 September 2008 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 28 September 2016 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS FIRE FM 847 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
60 of 130 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Stephenville in 130 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 63 hail, 42 thunderstorm wind, 20 flash flood, 4 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2016 | Tornado (EF1) | Stephenville | $500,000 | A tornado caused EF-1 damage to several businesses and homes in the city limits of Stephenville. The tornado began near a business on U.S. Highway 377 on the south side of town, damaging a metal building structure. The tornado moved north and northeast, heavily damaging an apartment building, and causing tree and power line damage on the campus of Tarleton State University. As the tornado dissipated, homes and garages were damaged at the Foster's home for children, on the north side of Stephenville. |
| July 2007 | Flash Flood | Stephenville | $500,000 | Several roads were flooded along the southern county border, and a high water rescue was needed on FM 914 six miles south of Alexander. Also in Alexander, CR 284 had about four feet of water over it's bridge. Five parts of Highway 1602 at Honey Creek were washed out, and Highway 281 was closed due to flood waters. There were a few reports of damaged driveways and culverts. |
| May 2021 | Hail | Stephenville | $250,000 | A public report indicated hen-egg sized hail in the city of Stephenville, TX. |
| October 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $100,000 | A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Erath County, producing a pattern of downburst straight-line wind damage within the City of Stephenville. Minor tree damage, consistent with 50 mph winds, was first observed approximately 3 blocks west of the Tarleton State University campus. Wind damage increased on the Tarleton campus proper, highlighted by widespread tree branch and trunk damage, and the partial removal of roofing material from a multi-story dormitory building. Maximum wind speeds at this dorm were estimated at 75 mph, based on the severity of the damage. Several other buildings on the Tarleton campus also sustained minor damage. East of campus, numerous trees were damaged toward the downtown areas of Stephenville, and at least one porch roof was detached from a single-family home. The roof of the main fire station in downtown Stephenville sustained |major damage, as large sections of metal roofing material were removed from the structure and deposited in the street. Straight line wind speeds at this fire station were estimated to be 80 mph. Adjacent businesses in the downtown area also received minor wind damage - mainly to window glass and roof fascia. Additional scattered tree damage was observed just east through south of downtown Stephenville. The downburst appeared to dissipate near the intersection of US Highway 281 and US Highway 377 on the east side of the city. |
| May 2015 | Hail | Stephenville | $100,000 | A trained spotter reported tennis ball sized hail in Stephenville, TX. Erath County Sheriff's Department had to replace 2 Tahoes that were damaged beyond repair by the hail. |
| April 2015 | Hail | Stephenville | $100,000 | no account filed |
| April 2023 | Hail | Stephenville | $50,000 | A trained spotter reported golf ball sized hail about 4 miles south of Stephenville, TX. |
| March 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $50,000 | A public report stated that numerous buildings were damaged in Stephenville. |
| April 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $50,000 | Thunderstorm winds were estimated at 80 mph in Stephenville. Large tree limbs were knocked down in the city. |
| January 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $50,000 | Fairly widespread damage was reported in the city of Stephenville with many 4 to 6 tree limbs down, roofs damaged, and fences blown down. |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $50,000 | A motel next to the National Weather Service office in Stephenville was partially unroofed by thunderstorm winds. |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $50,000 | A large metal building was thrown onto a home. Trees and power lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds. The metal roof of a house was blown off. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Stephenville | $40,000 | In Stephenville, water was several feet deep over McCart, Frey, Vanderbilt, and Ollie Streets. Homes and businesses were flooded in Morgan Mill with CR 146 washed out. Several families were evacuated. Flooding was also reported over Highway 281 north of town. |
| April 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $30,000 | A roof was blown off a house and a tree fell on a car in Stephenville. |
| January 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $25,000 | Part of the roof of the physical plant at Tarelton State University came off. |
| April 2008 | Flash Flood | Stephenville | $25,000 | Cars were stranded in Stephenville by flood waters. One occupant was saved by firefighters and a policeman before her vehicle was carried away by the water. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $25,000 | Roofs of two houses blown off...trees and power lines also blown down. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $25,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew the roof off a dairy and blew out windows. |
| December 2006 | Tornado (F0) | Stephenville | $15,000 | Many local residents saw a tornado touch down south of Stephenville. The tornado apparently caused minor damage to trees and fences before lifting off just north of town. Minor damage was also reported at a cement plant on the eastern edge of town. |
| March 1998 | Flash Flood | Stephenville | $15,000 | At the intersection of SH 8 and SH 108, a truck was swept off the road by high water and carried 100 yards. |
| April 2015 | Hail | Stephenville | $15,000 | no account filed |
| April 2015 | Hail | Stephenville | $15,000 | no account filed |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $12,000 | Emergency manager reported that the Southwest Regional Dairy Center north of Stephenville suffered thunderstorm wind damage. A large portion of the west facing metal paneled roof was peeled back. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $11,000 | Wind damage was reported at a residence northeast of Stephenville on CR 176. A horse trailer was rolled a couple hundred feet due to the wind and a metal shop suffered damage to its garage door and roof. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $10,000 | Emergency manager reported downed power poles and significant damage to an RV. |
| February 2009 | Hail | Stephenville | $10,000 | Golfball size hail was reported in Stephenville. This hail dented some cars and broke out at least one car window in Downtown Stephenville. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $10,000 | Trees and large limbs were blown down and roof shingles were torn off roofs. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $10,000 | Roof damage was reported from high winds. |
| May 1995 | Tornado (F0) | Stephenville | $10,000 | A tornado touched down near Selden, uprooted several large pecan trees, and killed one cow and injured 17 at a diary. |
| April 2015 | Hail | Stephenville | $10,000 | no account filed |
| April 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $8,000 | Thunderstorm winds were measured at 66 mph on the west side of Stephenville. |
| February 2009 | Hail | Stephenville | $8,000 | Hen Egg size hail fell 1 mile north of Stephenville. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $5,000 | A sheet metal structure shading cattle feed lanes was reported to have been blown down. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $5,000 | Numerous large trees and tree branches were knocked down across Stephenville by thunderstorm winds. The newspaper reported that the northwest parts of the city appeared to be hit the hardest by the winds. Power lines were also down in parts of the city. |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $5,000 | A limb fell on a car, and a power pole was blown down. |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $5,000 | Trees and power lines were blown by high winds. |
| April 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $5,000 | Power lines were blown down by high winds. |
| April 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $5,000 | Trees were blown down across a road. |
| May 2007 | Hail | Stephenville | $5,000 | no account filed |
| April 2017 | Hail | Stephenville | $4,000 | Storm Spotter reported quarter size hail south of Stephenville, TX. |
| February 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $2,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down. A travel trailer was flipped over. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $2,000 | Trees, large tree limbs and power lines were blown down by high winds. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $2,000 | Large trees and power lines were blown down between Dublin and Stephenville. |
| September 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $500 | A tree partially fell onto a home on McNeill Street in Stephenville. Significant damage did not occur. |
| August 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | $500 | Large tree limbs were blown down by thunderstorm winds. |
| July 2025 | Flash Flood | Stephenville | - | Fire and rescue reported 2 water rescues in Stephenville, with evacuations underway in one neighborhood as of this report. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Stephenville | - | Public report via MPing application of quarter-sized hail. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Stephenville | - | Amateur radio reported quarter sized hail near the intersection of Highway 377 and Alexander Road in Stephenville. |
| March 2022 | Hail | Stephenville | - | A public report indicated quarter sized hail about 3 miles west-northwest of Stephenville, TX. |
| May 2021 | Hail | Stephenville | - | Fire and Rescue reported half-dollar sized hail in Stephenville, TX. |
| May 2021 | Hail | Stephenville | - | A public report indicated dime sized hail in Stephenville, TX. |
| May 2021 | Hail | Stephenville | - | A trained spotter reported nickel sized hail in Stephenville, TX. |
| May 2015 | Hail | Stephenville | - | Amateur radio reported ping pong ball sized hail in Stephenville, TX. |
| May 2015 | Hail | Stephenville | - | A public report of 2-inch diameter hail in Stephenville, TX was received via social media. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | - | The AWOS in Stephenville measured a wind gust to 58 mph. |
| May 2015 | Flood | Stephenville | - | The Erath County Sheriff's Department reported that CR 251 and FM 1702 remained closed due to flooding. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Stephenville | - | Amateur radio spotters reported quarter sized hail in Stephenville. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Stephenville | - | Quarter sized hail was reported by a member of the public in Stephenville. |
| March 2012 | Hail | Stephenville | - | Dime sized hail mixed with a few quarter sized hail stones fell in Stephenville. |
| January 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stephenville | - | A trained spotter measured a 66 mph wind gust in the city of Stephenville. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome Valley | 3.1 miles | 15 | |
| Knob Hill | 4.1 miles | 14 | |
| Selden | 7.3 miles | 13 | |
| Harbin | 8.1 miles | 12 | |
| Bunyan | 9.3 miles | 12 | |
| Lingleville | 9.4 miles | 13 | |
| Huckabay | 10.0 miles | 13 | |
| Three Way | 10.1 miles | 13 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Stephenville | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q981525 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1347894. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.





