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Living in
Denison.
About
Life in Denison
The median home price hovers around $181,000 and median rent sits at $1,309 per month, making it accessible compared to larger Texas metros, though job diversity is somewhat limited—healthcare, food processing, and education dominate the employment landscape. The unemployment rate is solid at 4.3%, and your commute will likely be short at under 19 minutes on average. What you're getting into is a community with real roots: Denison High School plays in one of Texas's longest-running football rivalries, and there's genuine small-town character, including preserved historic homes and Grayson College's wine program that reflects the area's agricultural past.
Denison at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Foreign-Born
6.3%
Broadband Internet
88.6%
of households
Population Growth
+9.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Denison: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Denison, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (70.5%), and 9.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.1%
of residents
65 and Older
20.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.8%
of households
Married Couples
39.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.43
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Denison
In Denison, rent runs 7% below the TX average, and home values are 36% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,396
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $218,219 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Denison
Unemployment in Denison is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Denison Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.4 min avg
How Denison residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Denison, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 65 mi
Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Medium hub8.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 66 mi
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Major hub41.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 31% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Denison runs 31% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
226.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
745.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Denison Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 29 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Grayson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Grayson County, which includes Denison, the most common type is hail, with 29 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | Hail | $1.0M |
| 2024 | 37 | Hail | $452,000 |
| 2023 | 33 | Hail | $586,000 |
| 2022 | 28 | Drought | $117,000 |
| 2021 | 17 | Hail | $4.2M |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $157,500 |
| 2019 | 24 | Hail | $247,200 |
| 2018 | 9 | Hail | $35,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
14 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Grayson County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Collin County, TX (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 40 miles from Denison) is typically good — 272 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
272
per year
Moderate Days
64
per year
Unhealthy Days
3
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Collin County, TX (40 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Denison has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.1"
Annual Snowfall
1.9"
Hot Days/Year
73
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
43
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
79
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 34°F | 2.52" |
| Feb | 57°F | 37°F | 2.76" |
| Mar | 65°F | 45°F | 3.96" |
| Apr | 73°F | 53°F | 3.87" |
| May | 80°F | 62°F | 5.54" |
| Jun | 88°F | 70°F | 4.54" |
| Jul | 93°F | 74°F | 2.90" |
| Aug | 93°F | 73°F | 2.88" |
| Sep | 85°F | 66°F | 3.43" |
| Oct | 75°F | 55°F | 4.77" |
| Nov | 63°F | 44°F | 3.50" |
| Dec | 54°F | 36°F | 3.62" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Denison
Denison has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
14.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Texoma Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Baylor Scott and White Surgical Hospital at Sherma
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Sherman
Carrus Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 7.3 mi away · Sherman
Wilson N Jones Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.2 mi away · Sherman
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Denison
Denison's student/teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Denison (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,165 students · in-state tuition $50,014 · 71% graduate · median earnings $62,064 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Chickasaw National Recreation Area, 54 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Denison
Denison has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Chickasaw National Recreation Area (54 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
54 mi awayPublic Libraries in Denison
Denison Public Library
300 W Gandy St, Denison
Cities Near Denison
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Denison?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Denison FAQ
Is Denison, Texas affordable?⌄
Denison's median rent is $1,309/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $67,365/year. Median home value is $180,900.
Is Denison, Texas safe?⌄
Denison's violent crime rate was 226 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 746 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Denison, Texas?⌄
Denison has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Denison, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Denison is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,309/month and median household income is $67,365/year. The median home value is $180,900. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Denison, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Denison is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from