Denton County

What Buyers Should Know

Denton County’s 2026 HUD area median income (AMI) for a 4-person household is approximately $117,500, with the TSAHC Heroes 115% AMI ceiling reaching ~$135,125. Most Denton County buyers qualify for at least one TSAHC or TDHCA program; the county is not designated a HUD targeted area, so the standard income limits and first-time-buyer rules apply.

FHA loan limits in Denton mirror the Dallas-Plano-Irving baseline. Conforming limits run $806,500 for 1-unit. VA loans are uncapped above conforming limits for full-entitlement veterans.

Property tax in Denton County averages around 1.94% effective (verify current year at the county appraisal district). The Texas residence homestead exemption shaves $100,000 off school-district appraised value and caps appraised value growth at 10% per year — the single highest-return paperwork move a new homeowner makes. File on or before April 30 of the year following purchase.

North DFW Growth Corridor

Denton County is one of the fastest-growing US counties, anchored by Frisco (shared with Collin County), Flower Mound, Lewisville, Little Elm, Denton (county seat), Highland Village, and The Colony. Frisco ISD (~64,000 students), Lewisville ISD (~50,000), Denton ISD (~31,000), Northwest ISD, and Argyle ISD serve the county. The DFW Airport northern terminals, Grapevine Lake, and Lewisville Lake provide regional anchors. Most Denton County buyers route through state-level TSAHC, TDHCA, and MCC programs. See Collin County guide for adjacent DFW context.