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Richardson vs Denton

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

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Richardson, TXA college townTexas · 118,731 people
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Denton, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 152,866 people
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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.

RichardsonA college town
College town4 collegesThe University of Texas at Dallas Outdoors#25 most walkable in TX20 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves Work127,010 jobsbased in Richardson, a regional job hub All about Richardson →
DentonOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 65%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$347K typical home16% above the TX typical home Outdoors#114 most conserved land in TX38 miles of trails across 49 parks and preserves All about Denton →
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.

Street grid3×
Richardson has the more walkable street grid
Richardson 134Denton 45.1
Work from home+10.6 pts
More people work from home in Richardson
Richardson 24.9%Denton 14.3%
Rent+31%
Rent runs higher in Richardson
Richardson $1,857Denton $1,420
Jobs per worker2.3×
Richardson is more of a job hub
Richardson 2.24Denton 0.99
Household income+29%
Households in Richardson earn more
Richardson $98,111Denton $76,019
Home values+24%
Homes cost more in Richardson
Richardson $431,400Denton $348,200
★ 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.

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

Safety
C+RichardsonSafer than 41% of U.S. towns CDentonSafer than 33% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+RichardsonBetter than 67% of districts in the state BDentonBetter than 55% of districts in the state
Health
ARichardsonHealthier than 86% of U.S. towns B+DentonHealthier than 65% of U.S. towns
18Richardson
7Denton

Lists won, of 25 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #25#453 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #148#476 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 180 towns #71#157 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #273#72 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #45#252 Most trailsOutdoors · 405 towns #111#224 Most-used librariesLibraries · 183 towns #102#61 Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #55#161

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Richardson’s rankings →

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
RichardsonDenton
Snow a year2″0″
January low38°F34°F
July high97°F95°F
Growing season (days)272d249d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th43rd
Outdoors & history
RichardsonDenton
Trails20 mi38 mi
Conserved land7.7%6.4%
Settled18401866
National Register places—5
Community
RichardsonDenton
Library hours a week66 hrs59 hrs
Colleges in town42
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.

RichardsonTXDentonTX
Richardson ↔ Denton30 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.

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

Richardson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Richardson’s Town Square.

Denton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Denton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Richardson and Denton

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Bordering Richardson

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Garland246,844 people · $271K homes
P
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Plano290,594 people · $466K homes
D
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Dallas1,307,930 people · $321K homes
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Murphy21,188 people · $556K homes

Towns like Richardson

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Round Rock127,786 people · $419K homes
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Grapevine51,139 people · $493K homes
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Lewisville131,080 people · $379K homes
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McKinney210,600 people · $472K homes
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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