Denton is the county seat of Denton County, a city of about 165,986 people spread across 96.9 square miles at the northern edge of the metro. It is also a college town: roughly 62,453 university students are enrolled here, more than a third of the city’s population. That single fact explains most of its statistics. Its median household income reads $80,908 (ACS 2024) - the lowest of any city covered here and far under Denton County’s own $117,164 - largely because tens of thousands of student households sit in that median, not because Denton is poor. It is the most affordable market on this site (≈$385K-$390K) and it has a rental demand engine no other suburb here can claim.
Denton is the county seat of Denton County, a city of about 165,986 people spread across 96.9 square miles at the northern edge of the metro. It is also a college town: roughly 62,453 university students are enrolled here, more than a third of the city’s population. That single fact explains most of its statistics. Its median household income reads $80,908 (ACS 2024) - the lowest of any city covered here and far under Denton County’s own $117,164 - largely because tens of thousands of student households sit in that median, not because Denton is poor. It is the most affordable market on this site (≈$385K-$390K) and it has a rental demand engine no other suburb here can claim.
Match your wish list-from walkable districts to gated communities-with these buyer favorites. Mali can share recent closings, HOA nuances, and off-market conversations for each pocket.
Denton’s original neighborhood - restored Victorians and Craftsman bungalows a few blocks off the courthouse square.
A gated 55+ resort community with its own golf course, southwest of Denton off I-35W.
Hillwood’s brand-new 3,200-acre master-planned community on I-35 in southern Denton.
A mixed-use district near University Dr and I-35 with ranch-style and Craftsman/townhome new construction in the low-to-mid $300s, anchored by the Rayzor Ranch retail centers.
Master-planned family communities in the fast-growing far-east corridor, feeding the newer Ray Braswell High School zone.
Understanding Denton's community composition helps buyers match lifestyle preferences with neighborhood character. The figures below reference recent American Community Survey estimates and city planning reports.
Total Population
≈165,986
US Census ACS 2024 1-year estimate; the ACS 2024 5-year figure is 152,866. Over a third are university students.
Population Density
≈1,712 per sq mi
US Census ACS 2024, across 96.9 square miles - large and low-density, with room the built-out suburbs do not have.
Median Household Income
$80,908
US Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$6,071) - the lowest in this guide set, pulled down by tens of thousands of student households. Denton County’s median is $117,164.
Homeownership Rate
≈50%
US Census ACS 2024 - unusually low for North Texas, driven by the large student-renter population, not by unaffordability.
Median Age
≈31 years
US Census ACS 2024 (30.9-31.4 depending on vintage) - the young, college-town signature.
School zones significantly impact home values and buyer decisions. The list below highlights top-performing campuses-Mali can map specific attendance boundaries for your shortlist properties.
High
Denton ISD comprehensive high school.
High
Denton ISD comprehensive high school.
High
Denton ISD comprehensive high school.
High
Denton ISD. Serves the fast-growing far-east Savannah/Providence/Paloma Creek area.
Specialty
Flagship public university, ~45,000+ students, with a nationally known College of Music (jazz) that feeds the city’s live-music scene.
Specialty
Public university, ~16,000 students. UNT and TWU together enroll well over 50,000 students in the city.
All
Denton ISD (~33,000 students) runs the city’s elementary and middle schools; attendance boundaries were re-modified in March 2026 (effective 2026-27). Parts of the wider Denton area fall to Krum, Argyle or Sanger ISD. Verify the exact campus by address before you offer.
Moving to Denton means lining up the right vendor team, understanding seasonal weather shifts, and comparing neighborhoods before touring. Mali guides you through scouting trips, remote video tours, and negotiation strategy so your Denton plan comes together smoothly.
Get a free comparative market analysis to discover what your home is worth in today's Denton market.
Every North Texas suburb brings unique advantages. Whether you're weighing school ratings, commute times, or neighborhood character, Mali will map your priorities against current market inventory.
Answers to common questions about living, buying, and relocating to Denton, Texas.
Students. Roughly 62,453 people are enrolled at university here, in a city of about 165,986 - more than a third of the population. Student households report very low incomes and they sit inside the city’s median, which is why Denton reads $80,908 (ACS 2024) while Denton County as a whole reads $117,164. It is a statistical artifact of a college town, not a measure of what working families here earn.
It is the most affordable market covered on this site. The median sale price runs about $385K-$390K at roughly $185 per square foot, under Lewisville’s ≈$399,761 and far under Frisco’s ≈$688K. Homes average one offer and about 65 days on market, so there is real negotiating room. The trade-off is the location: Denton is the far northern edge of the metro.
It has the strongest structural rental demand of any city in this guide set, for an obvious reason: roughly 62,453 university students need somewhere to live every year, and that demand does not depend on the housing cycle. It is also the cheapest entry point covered here. The caveats are the ones every student-market landlord learns - turnover is annual, wear is higher, and summer vacancy is a real line item. Underwrite it honestly rather than on the headline rent.
Denton sits at the top of the I-35 corridor, where I-35E and I-35W split toward Dallas and Fort Worth. That gives it something unusual - a genuine choice of which downtown you commute to - but both are a real drive from the northern edge of the metro. If your job is in the Plano or Frisco corridor, Denton is the wrong end of the metroplex.
Have more questions about Denton? Contact Mali at yourealtordfw@gmail.com or call (972) 408-6939.