Where Was The Young Sheldon Filmed For Its Texas Scenes?

I got obsessed with tracking down filming locations for shows a while back, and 'Young Sheldon' is one of those that made me do the research.

Most of the Texas scenes you see on 'Young Sheldon' are actually filmed in California, with the bulk of production happening at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. They build the family home, school interiors, and lots of the neighborhood on soundstages and the studio backlot, then dress everything to look like a late-1980s small Texas town. That controlled environment gives the production team a ton of flexibility for lighting, period detail, and continuity—stuff that would be a headache if they shot everything on location out in the real Texas heat.

For outdoor scenes that need more authentic-looking streets or a specific sky, the crew typically uses Los Angeles-area neighborhoods and commercial locations that can be easily modified with props, period cars, signage, and set dressing to read as Texas. The show also layers in establishing shots — sometimes stock footage or B-roll from actual Texas cities and rural areas — to firmly plant the story in Medford, Texas, even though the day-to-day shooting is California-based. That little cinematic trick is why you get a believable Texan vibe without the cameras actually being in the Lone Star State for most of the production.

If you’re the kind of person who loves comparing screen locations, it’s fun to spot which bits were studio-built and which are real exteriors. I love how convincing it all looks: the suburban streets, the high school facade, even the subtle Texas details like the cars and storefront signs. It’s a neat reminder of how much work goes into making a place feel authentic on screen, and it always makes me admire the art department and location scouts a bit more.

Gotta admit, the way 'Young Sheldon' sells small-town Texas is a tidy bit of movie-magic.

Most filming is done at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, where they use soundstages and the studio backlot to reproduce the Cooper household, the school, and the neighborhood. For exterior shots that need to feel lived-in, the production leans on Southern California locations—streets and small-town-looking blocks that can be redressed with era-appropriate cars, signs, and props to read like 1980s Texas. Occasionally you’ll also see actual Texas skyline or countryside used as cutaway or establishing footage to anchor the setting.

From a practical perspective, it makes sense: keeping production close to Hollywood means easier logistics, seasoned crews, and predictable conditions. As a viewer I enjoy spotting the craft—how a palm-less California street can convincingly become a dusty Texas suburb. It’s one of those subtle things that hooks me back into the show every time.