142,173
Population
Sunny Days: 228
47100 Affordability
90100 Schools
50100 Diversity
82100 Safety
Denton, Texas
The Home of Happiness
Best Part About Denton?
It’s Booming
In a recent analysis of U.S. cities that qualify as “boomtowns” Denton finished number 2 among 500 different cities ranked. Based on positive trends in employment, new business, population growth and household income, Denton kind of has it all in a reasonably sized package. A college town, with a smashing music scene, it also has affordable housing with outsized average incomes and falling unemployment rates.
Here's a local's point of view on living here:
I moved here in 2008 for college and stayed after graduation. I really didn't experience the city until I graduated and started actually seeing what the town had to offer. In college I stuck to going to chain restaurants and the square was not the place to be 8-10 years ago.
Since 2012, I've come to feel like part of a community that cares for the city we live in. Its big enough that there's plenty to do, see, and enjoy but not too small that it is boring or lack of new things popping up. It took some time to get situated and really feel like Denton was my home, but it's really worth it.I like being a part of the arts community in town as well. It's so cool to see thriving and interesting artists around town and see those people making an impact in the community. Denton is great for grassroots things and community engagement.
Worst Part About Denton?
It’s Booming
Denton is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and if someone tells you that doesn’t carry any headaches with it we’d say they’re crooked as a barrel of fish hooks (Texas saying). Traffic here can be brutal and the roads are under heavy construction it seems all the time so just be prepared to have to navigate that whole scene. The pandemic reduced much of this but Texas went back to work in person more than most places and traffic seems to be picking back up where it left off pre-2020.
Here's a local's pov on the growth:
I would say its getting expensive as the growth happens (just like anywhere else), Construction, and road rage seems to be much worse. We are in an apartment for the time being, 2 bedroom 975 sq ft for $1600. It's going to get much uglier when they start the 380 expansion on the east side of Loop 288.
Lifestyle In Denton
Denton is an active college town and a jumping downtown serves both the college kids and young professionals. It has been rated near the top of “America’s Most Underrated Party Towns”. With two Universities inside the city limits things can get a bit nuts near the town’s square where the majority of the bars and restaurants sit. All that said Denton also has plenty of suburban neighborhoods where you can steer clear of the revelry and raise your little ones in peace and quiet. Denton also hopes a large Arts and Jazz Festival and has a growing music scene so if you want to hang in the more “burb-style” neighborhoods most of the time, but some downtown for an occasional night out, Denton has you covered.
If you're interested in details on all the happenings check out the Denton calendar of events: https://www.discoverdenton.com/events/calendar/?view=list&sort=date
Workstyle of Denton
Any city with as big a college presence will have a sizable portion of its local economy driven by jobs and revenue from the universities. University of North Texas and Texas Women’s University have combined populations of 57,000, and actually grew during the pandemic, so they have an outsized influence on the fortunes of Denton. Combine that with a robust economic development program and beyond education you also get: Retail, Sally Beauty calls Denton home, Manufacturing; Tetra Pak, Mayday, ESAB Victor and many others are headquartered in Denton. Finally, Peterbilt Motors is here along with lots of Healthcare that round out the growing economy. If you’re looking for work you could hardly do better than Denton.
Why You Should Move Here Now?
Education, Economy and Social
We love the energy that comes from a combination of education and economic prosperity in an affordable package. So, move here for the social scene and savings, or move here for the jumping employment, high wages and good schools, or perhaps most importantly now: move here for what is undoubtedly a newly identified zoomtown.
One final note: while we stay out of politics we do hear from people who want, “progressive cities in Texas”. Or “conservative cities in California”. Denton isn’t quite Austin, but the heavy university influence and more diverse population gives it a purple-ish presence for those seeking more balance in their communities.
Living in Denton
Neighborhoods in Denton
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Denton Square
College Students
We’ve been talking incessantly about the college culture of Denton and if you’re in school here there are tons of off-campus housing options in the “U” or downtown square areas. Additionally these neighborhoods are serviced by a stellar bus service that can deliver you to UNT or Texas Women’s College. Oh, and just in case it’s your kind of thing, in these neighborhoods you’re surrounded by bars, restaurants and places to hear music.
- Denton Square
- Fry St.
- Pecan
Denton
Young Professionals
Not shockingly the same neighborhoods that work for kids at school are loaded with condos or apartments for young professionals that either work downtown or who want to be within walking distance of their local nightlife options. And Denton has lots of options for this crew. While they may not want to socialize directly with the 57,000 students, the kind of bars, restaurants, and music spots that attract the more mature students cross-over quite nicely to the professional set.
- Downtown
- Denton Square
- North Locust
Rayzor Ranch
Young Families
Cities that are booming like Denton are busy building new inexpensive homes for and supporting young families with new inexpensive homes, and historic neighborhoods with smaller solid wooden homes with great school districts.
- Rayzor Ranch
- Carter
Ponder
Established Families
One key ingredient for established families are excellent high schools. John H. Guyer high school is an excellent school on the south side of Denton. The neighborhoods surrounding that school, that benefit from proximity to Lewisville Lake, are great examples of the kind of beautiful homes, tree-lined streets, and plenty of parks and recreation that pull in families.
- Ponder
- Robinson Rd
- Hickory Creek Rd
- State School Rd