Rents are 12% below what Denton's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,492 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Denton usually run 1.4% below trend in January and 1.1% above it in July, about $37 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Denton is 3.6% below its high of $1,548 in January 2024, at $1,492 as of September 2026.
Rent in Denton changed -0.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Denton rose 30.6% while median household income rose 26.7% ($60,018 to $76,019). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Denton is 24.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 4 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($76,019) is $1,900 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,788); a 3-bedroom is $2,242.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Denton, 76207 ($1,556/mo), costs 16% more than the cheapest, 76205 ($1,340/mo).
Bedford, 26 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,340/mo), about $1,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Denton. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Denton, TX is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 41.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Denton, TX has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Denton, TX paid around $1,275 a month. That figure now sits near $1,492, up 17.0% from the 2021 baseline. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $65,168 in 2021 to $76,019 more recently. Census counts show Denton, TX adding about 13,162 residents over the five-year window, up 9.4% on net. The renter share has eased from 51.6% to 50%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Denton, TX market of 2021.
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At $1,492/mo, how Denton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Denton rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Denton. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Denton
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Denton is $1,492/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,452/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,788/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,524/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,242/mo.
At 24% of local median household income ($76,019/yr), Denton ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Denton rent compare to other cities in Texas?
At $1,492/mo, rent takes ~24% of Denton's median household income ($76,019/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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