A New Year's Day capture from Notts County, Hurst struck with a second-half header to ultimately secure a welcome victory for his new club and with it their first goal in four matches to end a run of three straight defeats.
Indeed, a run of just one win in their last seven matches had seen Town fall from the top ten into the lower reaches of League Two, but with this derby win Shrews boss Gary Peters will hope his side are now on course for a climb back up the table.
In a game high on passion, commitment and endeavour, but low on quality, goalscoring opportunities at both ends were at a premium throughout.
In fact Hurst went close to breaking the deadlock after just ten minutes, but saw his header at the far post drift inches wide.
Six minutes later Wrexham's best opportunity of the opening period saw the lively Jon Walters lob advancing Shrews goalkeeper Joe Hart, only for the ball to land on the roof of the net.
Walters fired just wide shortly before the break and flashed an effort across the home goal five minutes after the re-start, but there remained little to choose between the sides as the game became locked in a mid field stalemate.
But all that changed in the 73rd minute.
Teenage midfielder Dave Edwards whipped in a cross from the right and from eight yards out Hurst dived to nod powerfully home.
Eighth in the table Wrexham pushed hard for a leveller, but Town, who had their offices broken into twice during the Christmas period, were not about to let the visitors steal any points from Gay Meadow.