If you are relocating to the Dallas-Fort Worth area or shopping for a home within the Metroplex, consider one of the wonderful communities in the Denton County area. Niche.com recently named Denton County as one of the five best counties in which to live in the state of Texas after considering criteria such as crime rate, schools, housing, economic factors, and access to amenities.
Denton County is located in North Texas, just north of Fort Worth and northwest of Dallas. As of 2022, the county has a population of just over 977,000 and is among the fastest-growing counties in the state. The median household income is estimated to be $104,180 (for 2022) and the median age was 36.5.
Denton County is best known for its namesake city, which is the county seat, and the home of the University of North Texas (known worldwide for its music school and for its intensive English Learning Institute) and Texas Women’s University. Those living in Denton, TX describe it as an artsy college town with a friendly vibe. The smallish town of about 136,000 has numerous restaurants, several theaters, and dozens of bars, many of which are venues for live music performances. Denton living also offers lots of outdoor recreational opportunities and several seasonal festivals.
But the city of Denton isn’t the only area of Denton County, TX that is attracting new homeowners. Homebuyers are moving their families to many communities in the Denton area. Below, we explore some of the reasons various neighborhoods in Denton County are becoming so popular for new homeowners.
1) Wide Open Spaces, Close to the City
If you’re feeling cramped in a congested, noisy urban neighborhood or are frustrated with the lack of green spaces around you, Denton County may be for you. As of 2017, Denton County still has 359,000 acres of undeveloped pasture and farmland, as compared to 190,000 acres in Tarrant County and only 83,000 acres in Dallas County. You’ll still get that relaxed, wide-open space feeling that makes people love the Lone Star State while living in Denton, Texas, or elsewhere in the county.
If you keep a watchful eye on property tax rates, the Denton County area will be of interest to you. When it comes to taxes that all residents of a county must pay, regardless of their property address (i.e. before city and school district taxes are added), Denton County’s are the lowest of the four major counties in the DFW Metroplex. Denton County taxes real property at $0.224985 per $100 of value while neighboring Collin County taxes are $0.253753 per $100 of value. Dallas County’s tax rates are $0.63984 per $100 of value and Tarrant County’s rates are the highest at $0.644308 per $100 of value.
3) Safety
Smaller towns tend to have less crime overall and far less violent crimes. People in smaller communities usually know their neighbors and notice unfamiliar people and vehicles in the neighborhood, which makes a location less attractive to thieves. Denton County is far below the national average in almost all types of crimes. The rate of violent crime in Denton County is 57% lower than the national average.
4) Great Education
People of all ages can get a great education in Denton County. As mentioned above, people are moving to Denton, TX from all over the world to attend its two excellent universities. What’s more, some of the finest public school districts in the state are located in Denton County. For example, Niche.com named the Argyle ISD as the 9th best school district in Texas and the 6th best district in DFW (2025). The Northwest ISD and Denton ISD are both among the top 25 school districts in DFW, and Argyle and Denton ISD teachers are in the top 20 best for all DFW school districts.
5) Recreation
There’s so much to do in Denton County, you’ll never be bored. Denton offers university-related activities such as concerts, theater performances, Division I college sports, bars, restaurants, athletic activities, and museums galore. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking and biking trails along Clear Creek or explore the scenic Greenbelt. The Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center, a sprawling nature preserve, also offers birdwatching and educational programs. Lake Lewisville, one of the most popular lakes in North Texas, provides ample space for boating, fishing, camping, swimming, and water sports.
Visit Pecan Square by Hillwood in Denton County
If Denton County living sounds good to you, explore the award-winning master-planned community at Pecan Square by Hillwood. Pecan Square has Denton County homesites surrounding the amenity-filled Town Square, a central hub that is reminiscent of the small town life of yesteryear. Conveniently located in Northlake, Pecan Square has all the charm of a rural living, just minutes away from Fort Worth, Grapevine, and Denton. The community is packed with uncommon amenities like a co-working space, a fitness center, luxurious pools, a dog park, a pickleball complex, parks, trails, and The Arena – an open air entertainment venue that has a stage for live music, sports courts, a playground, fire-pits, grills, and an outdoor pizza oven. Visit Pecan Square’s Greeting House for a community tour or contact us to learn more.
