Albany, Texas
Albany is a small ranching town in Shackelford County, set in the rolling rangeland of West Texas about 32 miles northeast of Abilene. The surrounding country is open cattle land at the edge of the Rolling Plains, and the town has long served as a trade center for the ranches around it. Albany is known for its restored limestone courthouse square and for the ruins of Fort Griffin nearby, a frontier military post from the era of the Texas cattle drives.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 1,905
- Change from 2020 base
- +2.6%
- Land area
- 1.6 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Shackelford County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Property here runs through the appraisal district and tax office for Shackelford County. The homestead exemption, appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around Albany
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Albany.
County History
Albany Has Been Shackelford County's Seat Since 1875
Shackelford County was formed in 1874 and named for a Texas Revolution hero; Albany replaced Fort Griffin as the county seat and has served in that role ever since.
Property Tax
Two Offices Handle Property Tax in Shackelford County
Two Albany offices split the property-tax job here, and the one you'd expect to take your payment doesn't collect it.
Exemptions & Ag Valuation
Homestead and Ag Valuation Applications Go to the Appraisal District
Homeowners and ranchers in Shackelford County apply for key tax breaks through the county appraisal district, not the state.
Nearby
Places near Albany
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Albany
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