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Denton vs Richardson

30 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3× in Richardson) and work from home (+10.6 pts in Richardson).

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Denton, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 152,866 people
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Richardson, TXA college townTexas · 118,731 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $580 more a month in Richardson

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Denton$2,270/mo
Typical home $347K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.58% · or rent about $1,420/mo · Housing →
Richardson$2,850/mo
Typical home $439K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.50% · or rent about $1,857/mo · Housing →

The difference: $580 a month, about $6,900 a year, between Richardson and Denton.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Richardson places higher on 18 of 25 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
DentonRichardson
Snow a year0″2″
January low34°F38°F
July high95°F97°F
Growing season (days)249d272d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd58th
Outdoors & history
DentonRichardson
Conserved land6.4%7.7%
Settled18661840
National Register places5—
Community
DentonRichardson
Library hours a week59 hrs66 hrs
Colleges in town24
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

30 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Denton ↔ Richardson30 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

DentonRichardson
People
Population 152,866Highest 118,731Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +23.4%Highest TX: +15.9% +20.4%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 31.4±0.6Lowest 12% below TX 33.9±0.6Highest 5% below TX
Kids under 18 18.2%±1.1Lowest TX: 25% 20.2%±1.2Highest TX: 25%
Richardson and Denton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 12.5%±0.7Lowest TX: 13.4% 13%±0.7Highest TX: 13.4%
Richardson and Denton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 41.7%Lowest TX: 33.8% 57%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 18.3%±1Highest TX: 6.2% 11.8%±0.9Lowest TX: 6.2%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $76,019±$4kLowest 3% below TX $98,111±$4kHighest 25% above TX
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $348,200±$6kLowest 23% above TX $431,400±$7kHighest 52% above TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,420±$40Lowest about the TX average $1,857±$37Highest 32% above TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,493Lowest 30% above TX $6,482Highest 53% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.7%±3.5Highest TX: 51.7% 50.2%±4Lowest TX: 51.7%
Below poverty line 15.8%Highest TX: 13.8% 9.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 50%Lowest TX: 62.6% 50.7%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1997Highest 5 yrs newer than TX 1986Lowest 6 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 11% below TX 24 minLowest 12% below TX
Work from home 14.3%±1.1Lowest TX: 14.4% 24.9%±1.9Highest TX: 14.4%
Work in townworking residents 27.7%Highest 15.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 10.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.99Lowest 2.24Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (11%)Dallas (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RichardsonFew work in Denton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.4%Lowest 7.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 37.8 miHighest 20.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 49Highest 40Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 45.1Lowest 134Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #257 of 583 in TX#184 of 583 in TX
School district TEXAS COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMIES · NORTH TEXAS COLLEGIATE ACADEMYBASIS TEXAS · CEDAR HILL ISD
High school in town Guyer H SRichardson H S
Students per teacherat that high school 15.1Highest 13.8Lowest
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Denton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Denton’s Town Square.

Richardson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Richardson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Denton and Richardson

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Bordering Denton

Towns like Denton

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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