Denton is a city in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Denton County Denton County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 906,422, making it the seventh-most populous county in Texas. The county seat is Denton. The county, which was named for John B. Denton, was esta ...

. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the 20th-most populous city in Texas, the 177th-most populous city in the United States, and the 10th-most populous city in the

Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, officially designated Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States, ...

. A Texas

land grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

led to the formation of Denton County in 1846, and the city was incorporated in 1866. Both were named after pioneer and Texas militia captain John B. Denton. The arrival of a railroad line in the city in 1881 spurred population, and the establishment of the

University of North Texas The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public university, public research university located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its main campus is in Denton, Texas, Denton, with a satellite campus in Frisco, Texas, Frisco. It serves as the ...

in 1890 and

Texas Woman's University Texas Woman's University (TWU) is a Public research university, public coeducational research university in Denton, Texas, with two health science center-focused campuses in Dallas and Houston. While TWU has been fully co-educational since 1994, ...

in 1901 distinguished the city from neighboring regions. After the construction of

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas region, in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest hub for American Airlines, which is headquartere ...

finished in 1974, the city had more rapid growth; as of 2011, Denton was the seventh-fastest growing city with a population of over 100,000 in the country. Located on the far north end of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in North Texas on

Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican bo ...

, Denton is known for its active music scene; the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo, Denton Arts and Jazz Festival, and Thin Line Fest attract over 300,000 people to the city each year. The city has hot, humid summers and few extreme weather events. Its diverse citizenry is represented by a nonpartisan city council, and numerous county and state departments have offices in the city. With over 45,000 students enrolled at the two universities within its city limits, Denton is often characterized as a

college town A college town or university town is a town or city whose character is dominated by a college or university and their associated culture, often characterised by the student population making up 20 percent of the population of the community, bu ...

. As a result of the universities' growth, educational services play a large role in the city's economy. Residents are served by the Denton County Transportation Authority, which provides commuter rail and bus service to the area.

History

Denton's formation is closely tied to that of Denton County. White settlement of the area began in the mid-1800s when William S. Peters of Kentucky obtained a

from the Texas Congress and named it Peters Colony. After initial settlement in the southeast part of the county in 1843, the Texas Legislature voted to form Denton County in 1846. Both the county and the town were named for John B. Denton, a preacher and lawyer who was killed in 1841 during a skirmish with the Kichai people in what is now Tarrant County. Pickneyville and Alton were selected as the county seat before Denton was named the seat in 1857. That year, a commission laid out the city and named the first streets. On July 8, 1860, approximately half of the downtown Square burned down in what was later called the " Texas Troubles". Fires occurred in ten Texas communities that day, including Dallas and Pilot Point, and were quickly attributed to a slave insurrection. By the end of July, vigilante justice took hold and " gularly constituted law-enforcement agencies stepped aside to allow the vigilantes to do their work. Although no hard evidence was ever adduced to prove the guilt of a single alleged black arsonist or white abolitionist, many unfortunates of both classes were nevertheless hanged for their alleged crimes." In February 1861, a statewide referendum was held and Texans voted to join the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...

Post–Civil War

Denton incorporated in 1866; its first mayor was J.B. Sawyer. As the city expanded beyond its original boundaries (which extended half a mile in every direction from center of the public square), it became an agricultural trade center for the mill and cottage industries. The arrival of the

Texas and Pacific Railway The Texas and Pacific Railway Company (known as the T&P) was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California. However its lines never went we ...

in 1881 gave Denton its first rail connection and brought an influx of people to the area. North Texas Normal College, now the

, was established in 1890, and the Girls' Industrial College, now

, was founded in 1901. As the universities increased in size, their impact on Denton's economy and culture increased. Electricity came to Denton in 1905 with the creation of Denton Municipal Electric.

Segregation and Jim Crow era

After the Civil War, "Freedmen Settlements" were started throughout the South. One Freedman Settlement, Quakertown, thrived just south of what is now Texas Woman's University until around 1920, when the city government forcibly removed the residents to make way for a park. Quakertown's Black children were served separately from white children by the Frederick Douglass School. Originally scheduled to open in September 1913, it was mysteriously burned down the night before its scheduled opening. It was rebuilt and in 1949 renamed the "Fred Moore School".

Postwar growth

Denton's population grew from 26,844 in 1960 to 48,063 in 1980. Its connection to the

via I-35E and I-35W played a major role in the growth, and the opening of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 1974 led to a population increase. In the 1980s, heavy manufacturing companies like Victor Equipment Company and

Peterbilt Peterbilt Motors Company is an List of American truck manufacturers, American truck manufacturer specializing in the production of heavy-duty (Truck classification#Class 8, Class 8) and medium-duty (Classes 5–7) commercial vehicles. The names ...

joined older manufacturing firms such as Moore Business Forms and Morrison Milling Company in Denton. The population rose from 66,270 in 1990 to 80,537 in 2000. In May 2006,

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

-based real estate company United Equities purchased the 100-block of Fry Street and announced that several of the historic buildings would be demolished and the businesses displaced to accommodate a new mixed-use commercial center. Some residents, who sought to preserve the area as a historic and cultural icon, opposed the proposal. The Denton City Council approved a new proposal for the area from Dinerstein Cos in 2010.

Timeline

* 1857 ** Seat of

relocated to Denton from Alton ** First Methodist Church founded. ** County Courthouse built. * 1858 – Union Baptist Church founded * 1866 – Town of Denton incorporated * 1868 – ''Denton Monitor''

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

began publication * 1869 – J.B. Sawyer became mayor. (Timeline) * 1870 – Denton (and

) readmitted to the Union after the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, per

Reconstruction Acts The Reconstruction Acts, or the Military Reconstruction Acts, sometimes referred to collectively as the Reconstruction Act of 1867, were four landmark U.S. federal statutes enacted by the 39th and 40th United States Congresses over the veto ...

* 1880 – Population: 1,194 * 1881 – Railroad began operating * 1882 ** ''Denton Chronicle'' newspaper began publication ** Fire station built * 1890 – North Texas Normal College opened * 1894 – City Hall built * 1896 ** Streetcar began operating ** Denton County Courthouse rebuilt. * 1899 – '' Denton Record and Chronicle'' newspaper in publication * 1900 – Population: 4,187 * 1903 – Girls' Industrial College established * 1907 ** Trolley began operating **

Rector Road Bridge Rector Road Bridge is a historic truss bridge in Denton, Texas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal ...

built. * 1914 – City of Denton incorporated * 1916 – College's '' Campus Chat'' newspaper begins publication * 1920 – City police department and Rotary Club established * 1921 – Denton County League of Women Voters formed * 1923 – Public park created in Quakertown * 1927 – Denton City Hall built * 1930 – Population: 9,587 * 1933 – Public library opened * 1939 – KDNT

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

began broadcasting * 1941 – Little Chapel in the Woods built * 1947 – Denton Municipal Airport began operating * 1950 – Population: 21,372 * 1954 –

Federal Civil Defense Administration The Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) was organized by President Harry S. Truman on December 1, 1950, through Executive Order 10186, and became an official government agency via the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 on 12 January 1 ...

regional office relocated to Denton from Dallas. * 1959 – Council-manager form of government adopted * 1960 – Denton State School established * 1961 –

North Texas State University The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public university, public research university located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its main campus is in Denton, Texas, Denton, with a satellite campus in Frisco, Texas, Frisco. It serves as the ...

active * 1966 ** Civic Center built ** Denton joined the

North Central Texas Council of Governments The North Central Texas Council of Governments or NCTCOG is a voluntary association of governments in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. As of 2023 its ranks currently include 16 counties, 169 cities, towns, and villages, 19 school districts, and ...

(approximate date) * 1969 – Denton Community Theatre active * 1974 – Dallas–Fort Worth Regional Airport operating in vicinity of Denton * 1979 – Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum opened * 1980 ** Golden Triangle Mall in business ** Population: 48,063. * 1987 – North Texas State University Press headquartered in Denton * 1988 – North Texas State University renamed University of North Texas * 1996 – City website online (approximate date) * 2000 – Population: 80,537 * 2003 ** Public swimming pool opened ** Michael C. Burgess became

U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

for

Texas's 26th congressional district Texas' 26th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes rural Cooke County, Texas, Cooke County to the north and some of Wise County, Texas, Wise County to the West and includes parts of Denton County, Texas, D ...

* 2010 – Population: 113,383 * 2011 –

Downtown Denton Transit Center The Downtown Denton Transit Center is an intermodal public transit station in Denton, Texas. The station, operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), serves as the northern terminus of the A-train, a transfer center for th ...

and University of North Texas'

Apogee Stadium DATCU Stadium (formerly Apogee Stadium) is a college football stadium located at the north junction of Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W in Denton, Texas. Opened in 2011, it is home to the University of North Texas (UNT) Mean Green football ...

opened * 2014 – Chris Watts became mayor. * 2024 - 164,096 estimated population * 2015 – Friendship City relationship formalized with Santa Rosa de Múzquiz, Mexico. * 2020 – Gerard Hudspeth became Denton's first African-American mayor.

Geography

Denton is on the northern edge of the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. These three cities form the area known as the "Golden Triangle of North Texas". According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has an area of , of which is land and is covered by water. The city lies in the northeast edge of the Bend Arch–Fort Worth Basin, which is characterized by flat terrain. Elevation ranges from . Part of the city is atop the

Barnett Shale The Barnett Shale is a geological formation located in the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin. It consists of sedimentary rocks dating from the Mississippian period (354–323 million years ago) in Texas. The formation underlies the city of Fort Worth ...

, a geological formation believed to contain large quantities of

natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...

Lewisville Lake Lewisville Lake, formerly known as Garza-Little Elm Reservoir, is a reservoir in North Texas (United States, USA) on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River (Texas), Trinity River in Denton County, Texas, Denton County near Lewisville, Texas, Lewisvil ...

, a man-made

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

, is south of the city.

Climate

With its hot, humid summers and cool winters, Denton's climate is characterized as

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between la ...

and is within USDA

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

8a. The city's all-time high temperature is , recorded in 1954. Dry winds affect the area in the summer and can bring temperatures of over , although the average summer temperature highs range from between June and August. The all-time recorded low is , set on February 16, 2021, and the coolest month is January, with daily low temperatures averaging . Denton lies on the southern end of what is commonly referred to as "

Tornado Alley Tornado Alley, also known as Tornado Valley, is a loosely defined location of the central United States and, in the 21st century, Canada where tornadoes are most frequent. The term was first used in 1952 as the title of a research project to st ...

"; the

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...

occasionally issues

tornado watch A tornado watch ( SAME code: TOA) is a statement issued by weather forecasting agencies to advise the public that atmospheric conditions in a given region may lead to the development of tornadoes within (or near) the region over a period of seve ...

es, but tornadoes rarely form in the city. The city receives about of rain per year. Flash floods and severe thunderstorms are frequent in the spring. Average snowfall is similar to the Dallas–Fort Worth average of per year.

Demographics

Along with much of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Denton has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 21st century, becoming the seventh-fastest growing city in the U.S. with a population over 100,000 between 2010 and 2011. The median income for a household was $60,018 in 2020. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

was $29,109. About 15.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

. Denton fares above the national average with 90.4% of the population high school graduated or higher and 38.9% with a bachelor's degree or higher. According to the 2020 United States census, there were 139,869 people, 47,777 households, and 28,430 families residing in the city. Denton's population made it the 197th largest city in the United States and the 20th largest in Texas per the 2020 census. The United States Census Bureau defines an

urban area An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...

of northern Dallas-area suburbs that are separated from the Dallas–Fort Worth urban area, with Denton and Lewisville as the principal cities: the Denton–Lewisville, TX urban area had a population of 429,461 as of the 2020 census, ranked 96th in the United States.

Economy

The educational services, health and social services, manufacturing, and general retail sectors employ over 20,000 people in Denton. The city's three largest educational institutions, including the University of North Texas, Denton Independent School District, and Texas Woman's University, are the largest employers, employing almost 12,000 people. The University of North Texas is the city's largest employer, with 7,764 employees comprising 12.59% of the workforce. The City of Denton also employs more than 1,334 people. Wholesale trade and hospitality jobs also play major roles. Notable businesses headquartered in Denton include truck manufacturer

, beauty supplier Sally Beauty Company, and jewelry producer

Jostens Jostens Inc. is an American manufacturer of memorabilia. The company is primarily known for its production of yearbooks, academic regalia, and class rings for various high schools and colleges as well as championship rings for sports. For over 5 ...

. Golden Triangle Mall, the city's largest shopping complex with over 90 specialty shops, is a major source of retail trade. In fall of 2024, STULZ Air Technology Systems, an HVAC and cooling solutions manufacturer, announced a new manufacturing plant opening in late 2025. The 200,000 square-foot facility will create approximately 200 new jobs.

Top employers

According to Denton's Economic Development Partnership Report, the top employers in Denton were:

Arts and cultural life

Denton is home to several annual artistic and cultural events that cater to residents and tourists. The annual North Texas State Fair and Rodeo began in 1928 and promotes Texas's

cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the ''vaquero'' ...

culture. In addition to a rodeo, the event features several local

country rock Country rock is a music genre that fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal sty ...

performances, pageants, and food contests. Hosted by the North Texas State Fairgrounds since 1948, the fair brings in over 150,000 people during its nine-day run. The Denton Municipal Airport has hosted the annual Denton Airshow since 1998. The event includes aerial demonstrations and airplane exhibits; it attracted over 10,000 attendees in 2012. Other events in the city include an annual Redbud Festival, the Fiesta on the Square, the Thin Line Fest, and the Day of the Dead Festival. Denton houses the largest

community garden A community garden is a piece of land gardened or cultivated by a group of people individually or collectively. Normally in community gardens, the land is divided into individual plots. Each individual gardener is responsible for their own plot ...

in the nation, Shiloh Field Community Garden, which covers 14.5 acres.

Music

Denton's

independent music Independent music (also commonly known as indie music, or simply indie) is a broad style of music characterized by creative freedoms, low-budgets, and a DIY ethic, do-it-yourself approach to music creation, which originated from the liberties aff ...

scene has emerged alongside its academic music establishments, including the

University of North Texas College of Music The University of North Texas College of Music, based in Denton, is a comprehensive music school among the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. It developed the first jazz studies ...

. The city's live music venues are largely supported by Denton's college-town atmosphere, although show attendance is bolstered by area residents. Since 1976 the Denton Community Band and Jazz Ensemble has provided performance opportunities at local concerts and holiday festivals for the many talented amateur musicians incubated in Denton's rich environment of music education. The ''

Dallas Observer ''Dallas Observer'' is a free digital and print publication based in Dallas, Texas. The ''Observer'' publishes daily online coverage of local news, restaurants, music, and arts, as well as longform narrative journalism. A weekly print issue circ ...

'' features a column on Denton's music scene. In 2007 and 2008, Denton's music scene received feature attention from ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', ''

Pop Matters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fil ...

'', and ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''. ''

Paste Magazine ''Paste'' is an American monthly music and entertainment digital magazine, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with studios in Atlanta and Manhattan, and owned by Paste Media Group. The magazine began as a website in 1998. It ran as a print publi ...

'' named Denton's music scene the best in the nation in 2008. In 2014, the ''

Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers ...

'' listed Denton as Texas's top emerging cultural hot spot, calling Denton "practically an indie band factory at this point". The city-sponsored Denton Arts and Jazz Festival attracts over 200,000 people each year for live music, food, crafts, and recreation at Civic Center Park. With hopes to create a live music event like

South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...

, Denton held the first North by 35 Music Festival, later renamed 35 Denton, in March 2009. The festival ceased in 2017 after running annually for several years. The city has also hosted the annual film and music festival Thin Line Fest annually since 2007. It is Texas's longest-running documentary film festival and attracts thousands of tourists over a few days each year.

Denton Square

The Denton Square, bordered by Oak, Hickory, Locust, and Elm Streets, is a cultural and political hub of the city. At its center is the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square, which includes local government offices and a museum showcasing area history and culture. Listed on the

U.S. National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

, the former county courthouse was restored for the Texas

Sesquicentennial An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded. Most countries celebrate national anniversaries, typically called national days. These could be the date of independence of the nation or the adoption o ...

in 1986. The positive response to the renovation sparked a downtown revitalization program that generated new jobs and reinvestment capital. The downtown square is populated by local shops and restaurants, some of which have been in business since the 1940s. Each year, the downtown square is adorned with lights and spotlighted during the Denton Holiday Lighting Festival. In 1918, the Daughters of the Confederacy erected the Denton Confederate Soldier Monument, a granite, arched monument topped with a statue of a Confederate soldier, in the Denton Square on the courthouse lawn. The monument was controversial, and Denton County Commissioners unanimously approved its removal on June 9, 2020.

Sports

Denton is home to Denton Diablos FC, a

USL League Two USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will featu ...

soccer team. The team plays at Texas Women's University Pioneer Soccer Park. Denton is also home to the

North Texas Mean Green North Texas Mean Green (formerly North Texas Eagles) represents the University of North Texas (UNT) in intercollegiate athletics. The teams compete in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). North Tex ...

, a

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

team, and the Texas Women's Pioneer, a

NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...

team.

Government

Local government

Denton is the

. From 1914 to 1959, the City of Denton used a mayor–city commission system, but a charter adopted in 1959 created a council–manager form of city government. Residents elect a mayor, four single-member district council members, and two at-large members. The Denton City Council appoints the city manager. Council terms are for two years, with a maximum of three consecutive terms, and elections are held each year in May. Denton Municipal Utilities administers utilities; the city provides water, wastewater, electric, drainage and solid waste service. The electric utility, Denton Municipal Electric (DME), has been in operation since 1905. In 2009, DME began providing 40% of its energy to customers through renewable resources. The City of Denton Water Utilities Department serves the city's water demand. Atmos Energy provides the city's natural gas. Denton is a part of the

Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the goal of facilitating partnerships between communities within the United States and other countries by establishing sister cities. Sister cities are agreements of ...

program and maintains cultural and economic exchange programs with its

sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there ar ...

Madaba Madaba (; Biblical Hebrew: ''Mēḏəḇāʾ''; ) is the capital city of Madaba Governorate in central Jordan, with a population of about 60,000. It is best known for its Byzantine art, Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byz ...

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

, and

San Nicolás de los Garza San Nicolás de los Garza, sometimes known only as San Nicolás, is a city and coextensive municipalities of Mexico, municipality in the Mexican state of Nuevo León that is part of the Monterrey metropolitan area. It has become primarily a city ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. Denton is a voluntary member of the

association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.

Politics

Denton historically is a solidly Republican-voting city, but it has become more competitive in national elections as its population has diversified, shifting toward the Democratic Party in more recent elections.

Federal and state government

After the 2021 redistricting process, new and significantly different political boundaries were set for Denton County. Starting in 2023, most of Denton will be in the 13th Congressional district. The southwest portions of the city will be in the 26th Congressional district. Almost all of the city is in newly drawn Texas House district 64. Some portions of south, north, and far east Denton are in Texas House districts 57 and

106 106 may refer to: * 106 (number), the number * AD 106, a year in the 2nd century AD * 106 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC * 106 (emergency telephone number), an Australian emergency number * 106 (MBTA bus), a route of the Massachusetts Bay Transpor ...

. All of the city is in the new Texas Senate district 30, except for some western portions in district 12. Several Texas state agencies have facilities in the city, including a Texas Workforce Center, a

Texas Department of Public Safety Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous state in the South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and has an international border wi ...

office, a

Texas Department of Criminal Justice The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails ...

office, and a Denton District Parole Office. The Denton State Supported Living Center, formerly Denton State School, is Texas's largest residential facility for people with developmental disabilities. It serves an 18-county area and employs approximately 1,500 people. The

Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...

(FEMA) has its Region VI headquarters in Denton.

County and municipal government

All Denton city council and mayoral terms are two years, unlike in most cities in the area, which use three-year terms. Even-numbered years bring the elections of the three at-large seats, places 5 & 6 and mayor. Odd-numbered years bring the elections of the four district council members. * J. B. Sawyer, 1869 * W. J. Austin, 1870 * Dempsey Jackson, 1871 * W. C. Bobbett, 1872 * R. B. Coleman, 1873 * David Jones Eddleman, 1874-1875 * Joseph Warren Jagoe, 1876 * M. W. Deavenport Sr., 1877, 1891 * John Allen Withers, 1878 * Thomas E. Hogg, 1879 * I. D. Ferguson, 1880 * D. N. Dodson, 1881 * C. L. Herbert Jr., 1882 * D. A. Robinson, 1883 * T. W. Abney 1883-1885 * Oliver Perry Poe, 1885-1888, 1891-1894, 1896-1904, 1910-1911 * Emory C. Smith, 1888-1890 * J. A. Carroll, 1890-1891 * F. M. Davidson, 1894-1895 * W. L. McCormick, 1904-1905 * T. J. Simmons, 1906-1907 * Ed. F. Bates, 1908-1909, 1912-1913 * W. L. Foreman, 1914-1915 * R. H. Evers, 1915 * S. G. Gary, 1916 * Peter Joseph Beyette, 1917-1919 * H. V. Hennen, 1919-1925 * B. W. McKenzie, 1926-1933 * J. L. Wright, 1934-1937 * Lee Preston, 1938-1945 * J. L. Yarborough, 1946-1949, 1956-1957 * Mark Hannah, 1950-1955 * Jack Bryson, 1957-1959 * Frank L. Barrow, 1959-1962 * W. F. Brooks Sr., 1962 * Warren Whitson Jr., 1962-1967 * Zeke Martin, 1967-1969 * L. A. Nelson, 1969-1970 * A. M. Finlay Jr., 1970-1972 * William Nash "Bill" Neu, 1972-1974 * Tom D. Jester Jr., 1974-1976 * Elinor Hughes, 1976-1978 * Joe Mitchell, 1978-1979 * William Stanley "Bill" Nash, 1979-1980 * Richard O. Stewart, 1980-1986 * Ray Stephens, 1986-1989 * Bob Castleberry, 1990-1995 * Jack Miller, 1996-1999 * Euline Brock, 2000-2005 * Perry McNeill, 2006-2008 * Mark Burroughs, 2008-2014 * Chris Watts, 2014-2020 * Gerard Hudspeth, 2020–present The mayor is Gerard Hudspeth, who was elected in 2020 and reelected in 2022. In 2014, city voters approved a ban on

fracking Fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, fracing, hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the high-pressure inje ...

. In 2022, city voters approved decriminalization of possession of misdemeanor amounts of marijuana.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Denton Independent School District (DISD) provides the public

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Work ...

and secondary educational system in the majority of the city. The district comprises four comprehensive high schools ( Braswell, Denton, Guyer, and Ryan), two alternative high schools, and multiple elementary and middle schools. Small portions of the city extend into the Argyle,

Krum Krum (, ), often referred to as Krum the Fearsome () was the Khan of Bulgaria from sometime between 796 and 803 until his death in 814. During his reign the Bulgarian territory doubled in size, spreading from the middle Danube to the Dnieper a ...

, Ponder, and Sanger school districts. The respective comprehensive high schools of these districts are: Argyle,

, Ponder, and Sanger. Denton is also host to several private schools with religious affiliations and alternative education models. According to the 2010 United States Census, 35.1% of all adults over the age of 25 in Denton have obtained a bachelor's degree, as compared to the state average of 25.8%, and 86.1% of residents over the age of 25 have earned a high school diploma, as compared to the state average of 80%. The high school residential program

Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS) is a two-year residential early entrance college program serving approximately 375 high school juniors and seniors at the University of North Texas. Students are admitted from every region of ...

, for gifted students, is in Denton. The Roman Catholic Immaculate Conception Catholic School, a K–8 school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, opened in 1995. Construction on the current facility started on July 15, 2001, with its opening on August 19, 2002. The

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

operator Life's Beautiful Educational Centers Inc. (closed 1999) operated the school L.O.V.E. in Denton.
Older URL
/ref>

Public libraries

Denton is served by the Denton Public Library, which has three branches: Emily Fowler Central Library, North Branch Library, and South Branch Library.

University of North Texas

The

(UNT) in Denton is the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

university of the

University of North Texas System The University of North Texas System is a public university system headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is the administrative overseer of three otherwise autonomous Texas institutions of higher learning: the University of North Texas, a research in ...

, which also includes the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth, the University of North Texas at Dallas, UNT Dallas College of Law, and a satellite campus in Frisco. With an enrollment of over 42,000, it's the fifth largest university in Texas. The university is accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...

(SACS). Its

College of Music A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

, the first school to offer a degree in the field of jazz studies, is internationally recognized and known for producing successful artists.

Texas Woman's University

(TWU) is a public university system in Denton with two health science center campuses in Dallas and Houston. Founded in 1901, the university enrolls more than 13,000 undergraduates and graduates. Men have been admitted to TWU since 1972 but make up less than ten percent of the university. TWU's College of Nursing is the second largest in Texas and in the top 20 of largest nursing programs in the United States, and the school's nursing doctoral program is the largest in the world.

FSB Exchange at NCTC Denton

North Central Texas College (NCTC) is a public community college based in Gainesville, Texas. Starting in the 2019–2020 school year, North Central Texas College partnered with First State Bank to open a branch campus in downtown Denton. Located in the former

Denton Record-Chronicle The ''Denton Record-Chronicle'' is a community newspaper and the main source of local news online for residents of the City of Denton, Texas and Denton County. Controlled by Denton Media Company until 2023, it also publishes the bimonthly ''Dento ...

building, the campus focuses on accounting, business, biology, early childhood education, kinesiology, psychology, and general studies.

Media

Since 1899, the ''

'' has been the newspaper of record for Denton. When it was acquired by

Belo Corporation Belo Corporation (; formerly A. H. Belo Corporation) was a Dallas, Texas-based media company that owned 20 commercial broadcasting television stations and three regional 24-hour news cycle, 24-hour United States cable news, cable news televisio ...

in 1999, the newspaper had a circulation of 16,000. The ''

North Texas Daily ''North Texas Daily'', also known as NT Daily, is the student newspaper of the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, published daily on the web and every Thursday in print. The paper focuses on six main categories: News, Arts & Life, Po ...

'' and ''The Lasso'' provide daily and weekly news to students at the University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University. The city's public television station, Denton TV (DTV), covers city council meetings, restaurant scores, high school football, and educational programming. UNT's television station, ntTV, is broadcast on local channels provided by

Charter Communications Charter Communications, Inc., is an American telecommunications and mass media company with services branded as Spectrum. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. With over 32 million customers in 41 states as of 2022, it is the ...

and

Verizon Communications Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...

. ''ntTV News'' is broadcast live Monday through Thursday. KNTU 88.1 FM is UNT's official radio station. First aired in 1969, the station primarily plays a mixture of jazz and blues and covers local sports and news.

Infrastructure

Health care

Two major hospitals operate in Denton: Medical City Denton and

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton (formerly Denton Community Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital of Denton) is a hospital in North Texas North Texas is a term used primarily by residents of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex to refer ...

are both full-service hospitals with differing capacities: 208 beds and 255 beds, respectively. Each employs more than 800 employees and are licensed with emergency services.

Fracking ban

In response to the previously mentioned, 2014 city referendum prohibiting

hydraulic fracturing Fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, fracing, hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of Formation (geology), formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the ...

(fracking) that passed with 59% of the vote, Texas enacted a law specifying "the exclusive jurisdiction of this state to regulate oil and gas operations in this state and the express preemption of local regulation of those operations", though it allows some "commercially reasonable" rules. Denton's city council put out a statement affirming it will "continue to enforce our current regulations to protect the health and safety of our residents, but we do not know how the operators or courts will react".

Transportation

DCTA A-Train at Downtown Denton Transit Center crop

I-35E and I-35W, which split in Hillsboro south of the Metroplex and come north through Dallas and

Fort Worth Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

respectively, rejoin near the University of North Texas campus in the southwest part of Denton to form

as it continues north on its way to Oklahoma. Loop 288 partially encircles the city; it passes through the northern limits of the city by C. H. Collins Athletic Complex and the eastern side near Golden Triangle Mall. Highway 77 and

377 __NOTOC__ Year 377 ( CCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Merobaudes (or, less frequently, year 1130 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denominat ...

go through the historic town square and Highway 380 connects Denton to Frisco and

McKinney McKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas, United States. It is Collin County's third-largest city, after Plano, Texas, Plano and Frisco, Texas, Frisco. A suburb of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, McKinney is about ...

in the east and Decatur in the west. Denton Enterprise Airport is a public airport located west of the central business district (CBD) of Denton. This airport serves as home to various cargo and charter operators as well as two flight schools. A new terminal opened in 2008, but as of June 2008 no scheduled commuter service is in place.

Mass transit

Denton is served by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), which operates the local bus service, an on-demand GoZone service, and regional rail to Lewisville and Carrollton, with connections to

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

' DART rail system. In 2011,

and Medpark Station opened as

commuter rail Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...

stations on DCTA's A-train, which now has five stations and connects to the Green Line of Dallas Area Rapid Transit's ( DART) Green Line at Trinity Mills Station. The two transit companies, along with the Trinity Rail Express ( TRE) of Fort Worth, offer regional passes to be used on any of the three systems. As of August, 2017 (no deadline announced), rides between the first two (DDTC and Medpark) and the last two (Hebron and Trinity Mills) are "fare-free", though any ride to or through the 3rd stop (Lewisville Lake) will require a paid pass. DCTA states this will relocate downtown parking needs to the underutilized space at Medpark station, and enhance mobility in Downtown Denton, including for students, as well as for residents of Hebron who connect to the DART system one stop away at Trinity Mills. DCTA also operates the Connect local bus service within Denton, special university shuttles, and on-demand GoZone services in partnership with TransitTech provide
Via Transportation
All Connect services (not the A-train) are free of charge for students at the University of North Texas who swipe their ID at the bus entrance. Special Programs for Aging Needs (SPAN), a non-profit organization, offers

paratransit Paratransit (also community transport in the United Kingdom, or intermediate public transport) is a type of public transport service that supplements fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. P ...

service for senior citizens and people with disabilities of all ages.

Notable people

Politicians and activists

* Amber Briggle, activist and business owner * Bob Castleberry, former mayor and sweepstakes winner (born in Denton)

Artists, entertainers, and celebrities

* Aaron Aryanpur, stand-up comedian (grew up in Denton) * Shirley Cothran, 1975 Miss America (born in

Denton County, Texas Denton County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 906,422, making it the seventh-most populous county in Texas. The county seat is Denton, Texas, Denton. The county, which ...

and Denton High graduate) * Herschel Evans, jazz musician (born in Denton) *

Phyllis George Phyllis Ann George (June 25, 1949 – May 14, 2020) was an American businesswoman, actress, and sportscaster. In 1975, George was hired as a reporter and co-host of the CBS Sports pre-show ''The NFL Today'', becoming one of the first women t ...

, 1971 Miss America, First Lady of Kentucky (1979–1983); businesswoman, actress, and sportscaster * Sarah Jaffe, singer-songwriter * Ralph Kirshbaum, classical cellist (born in Denton, raised in

Tyler, Texas Tyler, officially the City of Tyler, is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, United States. As of 2020, the population is 105,995. Tyler was the List of municipalities in Texas, 38th most populous city in Texas (as well as the m ...

) *

Jason Lee Jason Michael Lee (born April 25, 1970) is an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and former professional skateboarder. He is known for playing Earl Hickey in the television comedy series ''My Name Is Earl'', for which he was nominated for ...

, actor, skateboarder * Livingston, singer-songwriter (born and raised in Denton) *

Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally by his stage name Meat Loaf, was an American singer and actor. He was known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. ...

, born Michael Lee Aday, singer and actor *

Memphis May Fire Memphis May Fire is an American metalcore band formed in Denton, Texas, and currently signed to Rise Records. The band currently consists of lead guitarist Kellen McGregor, lead vocalist Matty Mullins, bassist Cory Elder, and drummer Jake Garla ...

, metal band * Xander Mobus, voice actor * Ray Peterson, 1950s/1960s pop singer (born in Denton) * Leila Rahimi, television sports anchor

WMAQ-TV WMAQ-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, serving as the market's NBC outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Telemundo station WSNS-TV (chann ...

, reporter WSCR-AM (born and raised in Denton) * Andrew Savage, painter, Grammy-nominated musician, co-frontman of

Parquet Courts Parquet Courts is an American rock music, rock band from New York City. The band consists of Andrew Savage (artist), Andrew Savage (vocals, guitar), Austin Brown (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Sean Yeaton (bass, vocals), and Max Savage (drums). H ...

(born in Denton) * Robert Ray "Rocky" Shahan, actor, stuntman (born and died in Denton) *

Ann Sheridan Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''San Quentin'' (1937), '' Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938), '' They Drive by Night'' (1940), '' ...

, actress (born in Denton) *

Sly Stone Sylvester Stewart (March 15, 1943 – June 9, 2025), better known by his stage name Sly Stone, was an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, playing a critical role in the development ...

Sly & The Family Stone Sly and the Family Stone was an American band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1966 and active until 1983. Their work, which blended elements of funk, soul, psychedelic rock, gospel, and R&B, became a pivotal influence on subsequent Amer ...

founder (born in Denton) *

Tommy Taylor Thomas Taylor (29 January 1932 – 6 February 1958) was an English association football, footballer, who played as a Forward (association football), centre-forward and was known for his aerial ability. He was one of the eight Manchester United ...

, musician (born in Denton) * Mike Wiebe, musician ( The Riverboat Gamblers), actor and stand-up comedian *

Von Erich Family The Von Erich family is an American professional wrestling family. Originally from Texas, their actual surname is Adkisson, but every member working in wrestling has used the ring name "Von Erich" after family patriarch Fritz Von Erich (real nam ...

, American Wrestlers

Athletes

* Mario Bennett, former NBA player 1995–2000 (born in Denton) * Jim Chamblee, former MLB player (born in Denton) * Brandon Erwin, racing driver (born in Denton) * Carl Garrett, NFL player (born in Denton) *

Abner Haynes Abner Haynes (September 19, 1937 – July 18, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a halfback and return specialist in the American Football League (AFL). He played college football for the North Texas State Eagles and w ...

, former NFL player (born in Denton) * Austin Jackson, MLB player (born in Denton) * Corey Knebel, MLB player (born in Denton) * Jarvis Moss, NFL player (born in Denton) * Jalen Wilson, NBA player (born in Denton)

Other

Stanley G. Payne Stanley George Payne (born September 9, 1934) is an American historian of modern Spain and Europe, European fascism at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He retired from full-time teaching in 2004 and is currently Professor Emeritus at its Dep ...

, historian

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * Mary Jo Cowling. Geography of Denton County. Dallas: Banks Upshaw and Co., 1936. * * E. Dale Odom and Bullitt Lowry. A Brief History of Denton County, Texas. Denton: Denton County Historical Commission, 1975. * C. A. Bridges. History of Denton, Texas, from Its Beginning to 1960 (Waco: Texian Press, 1978) * * * 1989- * *

External links

*
City of Denton website
* {{Authority control Cities in Texas Cities in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Cities in Denton County, Texas County seats in Texas Populated places established in 1857 Butterfield Overland Mail in Texas Articles containing video clips 1857 establishments in Texas