What it's like to live in Denison
Denison is a small city in Texas with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Denison deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, hot summers, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Denison compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Denison
Based on Denison's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,618
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,360 a year
- 47% of Denison renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$36,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $18,090
- Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,309/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,309 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $180,900. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $180,900 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 31% below US
226 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 746/100k · Denison Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 36°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 48% below US
19% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Chickasaw National Recreation Area (54 miles away).
Bottom line
Denison's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,309/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Denison
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