The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates count about 152,866 people in Denton, with a median household income of $76,019. Compare personal loan offers by APR and total cost, confirm every fee in dollars, and check the lender's Texas license. Your own income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for.
On this page
- The basics on Denton
- Jobs and income in Denton
- Denton households and housing
- The job market around Denton
- Running the numbers for Denton
- Loan lessons from the Denton figures
- Denton in context
- Denton and its neighbors
- About Denton
- A Denton example
- A Denton borrower checklist
- Around Denton
- Frequently asked questions
The basics on Denton
Source: Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024, for the city of Denton. Estimates carry margins of error, and your own income, credit and debts decide what a lender offers.
Jobs and income in Denton
Three sectors dominate the Denton workforce in the ACS: education and health care (28% of workers), retail (13%) and arts, entertainment, lodging and food service (11%). What sets Denton apart is education and health care, at 28% of workers where the typical place in our set has 23%.
A median hides the edges. The ACS counts 23% of Denton households under $35,000 and 37% at $100,000 or higher, with 10% above $200,000. The middle of our U.S. city set is 20% under $35,000 and 39% above $100,000, so Denton sits lower on the upper end. Your lender will look at your own income, so the figure that counts is the one on your pay records.
Denton households and housing
A bachelor's degree or more is held by 42% of Denton adults aged 25 and up, and the median age is 31.4. The U.S. city medians are 37.2 years and 37% with a degree, so Denton skews younger and above the middle on schooling. These are context, not predictions: scores come from payment history, balances and length of credit, not from where you live.
By structure type, 56% of Denton housing units are detached single-family homes and 30% are in buildings with five or more units. A detached-house market tends to generate repair borrowing, an apartment-heavy one moving and deposit costs.
The job market around Denton
Federal labor data show unemployment of 3.9% in Denton County for September 2026 (preliminary, not seasonally adjusted), down 0.1 points from 4.0% a year earlier. The city's own ACS rate, averaged over five years, is 5.1%.
Running the numbers for Denton
Monthly math for a typical Denton household: $6,335 before taxes, from a median income of $76,019. After the median rent of $1,420 (22% of income), the 30% yardstick of $1,900 is not reached. Apply a 36% debt-to-income test and a median-earning household in Denton could carry roughly $2,281 a month in total debt payments, housing included. Home prices sit near 4.6x the median household's annual income. Use these figures to sanity check a budget, then run your own income and payments through the calculator.
Loan lessons from the Denton figures
In Denton, 61% of renting households are cost-burdened by the Census definition (30 percent or more of income on rent), among the higher shares of the 784 U.S. city places we track. When rent is already heavy, size any new payment against what is left each month, and check it with the debt-to-income calculator.
The median home in Denton was built in 1997, newer than in most of the 784 U.S. city places we cover. Warranty coverage and modern systems can lower surprise repair bills, though growth also brings higher purchase prices.
Denton in context
In the 784 U.S. city places in our dataset, Denton has a median household income of $76,019 (425th of 784, top down), a median gross rent of $1,420 (436th of 784, top down), and a median home value of $348,200 (387th of 784, top down). Treat the order as context, nothing more.
Nearby in size, and also in Texas, are Pasadena ($64,927 income, $1,213 rent), where Denton runs 17% above on income and 17% above on rent and McAllen ($61,579 income, $1,049 rent), where Denton runs 23% above on income and 35% above on rent. Size any payment to your own budget rather than to a neighbor's.
Denton and its neighbors
Distances are straight-line from the center of Denton. The last column shows how each place's median rent differs from Denton's $1,420.
| Nearby place | Miles away | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Rent vs Denton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krum | 6 mi | 6,189 | $124,405 | $1,974 | +$554 |
| Corinth | 6 mi | 23,385 | $120,580 | $1,891 | +$471 |
| Shady Shores | 7 mi | 2,922 | $159,375 | $1,399 | -$21 |
| Argyle | 8 mi | 5,371 | $181,352 | $2,713 | +$1,293 |
| Lantana | 9 mi | 12,766 | $199,489 | $3,458 | +$2,038 |
| Copper Canyon | 9 mi | 2,514 | $155,625 | $1,950 | +$530 |
| Lake Dallas | 9 mi | 7,822 | $76,879 | $1,519 | +$99 |
| Oak Point | 9 mi | 5,887 | $126,290 | $2,227 | +$807 |
Tally: 8 nearby places out-earn Denton at the median and 1 rent for less.The cheapest median rent here is Shady Shores's $1,399, the steepest is Lantana's $3,458, and Lantana leads on income at $199,489. If a move is part of the reason for borrowing, compare the rent gap with the loan payment before you sign.
About Denton
Denton is the seat of Denton County north of Dallas-Fort Worth, home to the University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University. The universities, health care and a growing industrial base are major employers.
A Denton example
University employers and students create steady and seasonal income at once. If your pay in Denton follows a school calendar, a lender will verify it, so keep contracts or pay stubs ready.
A Denton borrower checklist
- Look the lender up with your state's financial regulator, and know that the CFPB takes complaints too.
- Compare three written offers by APR, fees and total cost, using the side-by-side calculator.
- Keep every document in one folder: disclosure, agreement, payment confirmations.
- Check the payment against Denton rent or mortgage in the DTI calculator before applying anywhere.
- Stress-test the payment: could you still make it after one bad month?
Around Denton
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Frequently asked questions
Is a personal loan a good idea in Denton if rent is already a big expense?
It can be when the loan lowers your total cost, for example by replacing high-interest cards, and when the new payment fits after rent. In Denton, 61% of renters spend 30 percent or more of income on rent, so test every payment against a tight month and avoid long terms that raise total cost.
Can a student or university employee in Denton get a personal loan?
Yes, if the lender can verify regular income and your credit supports it. Students with little income may need a co-signer, who becomes fully responsible for the loan.
Do you treat Denton applicants differently from anyone else?
No. Where you live inside a state does not change the questions or the rules. Only your own answers count, and lenders must follow fair-lending laws when they decide.
Who handles lender complaints for Denton residents?
Your state attorney general and financial regulator take complaints, as does the CFPB online. For advance-fee scams, use ReportFraud.ftc.gov.