Quick Answer: The average rent in Denison TX sits somewhere between about $900 and $1,300 a month, depending on which source you trust and whether utilities are counted. The U.S. Census Bureau puts Denison's median gross rent at $1,309, a figure that already includes utility costs. Advertised base rents run lower.
Ask five websites what the average rent in Denison runs and you'll get five different numbers. That spread confuses renters more than it helps them. This guide breaks the market into three real budgets, $850, $1,000, and $1,200, and shows what each one buys in Denison and across Grayson County. You can also see how our community fits into the Denison neighborhood and surrounding area.
What is the average rent in Denison TX right now?
The most reliable single figure comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, which reported a median gross rent of $1,309 for Denison city in its 2020 to 2024 estimates. Gross rent is not the same as the number on a listing. The Census Bureau defines gross rent as contract rent plus the estimated monthly cost of electricity, gas, water, and sewer when the renter pays those bills.
That distinction explains most of the confusion. A listing site quoting $918 and a federal survey quoting $1,309 are not contradicting each other. They are measuring two different things.
Why published rental Denison Texas numbers disagree
Check three listing sites in 2026 and you'll see rental Denison Texas averages ranging from the low $900s to roughly $1,600. The gap comes down to inventory mix. Sites that count only apartment communities land near the bottom of that range. Sites that fold in three and four bedroom houses land near the top. A platform heavy on new construction reports higher than one heavy on 1970s duplexes, and neither one is describing the whole city.
None of them is lying. They're just counting different homes.
One caveat worth knowing: the Census figure is a five-year average, so it lags what landlords are asking today. Use it as a floor for reality checks, not as a current quote. If you want a number you can act on, ignore citywide averages entirely and price out the specific unit type you need.
What do you get for $850, $1,000, and $1,200 in Denison TX apartments?
Budget tiers matter more than averages, because you rent one unit, not a citywide mean. Here is what each price point realistically opens up across Denison TX apartments as of mid-2026.
| Monthly budget | What it typically rents | Typical size | What to check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| $850 | A one bedroom in an older building, or a compact two bedroom in established housing stock | About 500 to 780 sq ft | Whether any utilities are included, and the age of the HVAC unit |
| $1,000 | A one bedroom in a maintained community, or a larger two bedroom in older stock | About 650 to 1,100 sq ft | Laundry setup, parking, and whether water and trash are billed back |
| $1,200 | A two bedroom in a renovated or newer community with real amenities | About 900 to 1,100 sq ft | Concessions, pet rent, and what the total move-in cost actually is |
| All three tiers | Add roughly $150 to $250 monthly for utilities when they are not bundled | Varies by floor plan | Compare total monthly cost, not advertised base rent |
Notice what happens at the bottom row. An $850 unit where you cover every utility can land close to $1,050 all in, which is within shouting distance of a $1,200 apartment that bundles water, sewer, and trash. The cheaper sticker doesn't always win. Comparing one and two bedroom floor plans side by side is the fastest way to see where your money actually goes.
Concessions muddy the picture further. Through 2026, several Grayson County communities have advertised six to eight weeks free on select units, which quietly drops effective rent by roughly $100 to $180 a month across a twelve-month lease. That promotion usually disappears from the headline price once you renew. Ask what the rate becomes in year two before you sign, and ask whether the concession applies to your specific floor plan or only to the ones that aren't leasing.
How the cost of living in Denison TX shapes your rent budget
Rent doesn't exist in isolation. The cost of living in Denison TX is easier to carry than most Texas metros, and the Census numbers show why. Median household income in Denison was $67,365 in 2024 dollars. Mean commute time was 19.4 minutes, several minutes shorter than in neighboring Sherman.
Run the standard 30 percent rule against that income and you get roughly $1,684 a month in affordable housing cost. All three budget tiers in this guide clear that bar comfortably, which is unusual for 2026. Short commutes help too. A 19 minute average drive means most residents are burning far less fuel than a Dallas-area commuter, and that money stays in the housing budget instead of the gas tank.
Comparing cheap apartments in Sherman TX with Denison
Plenty of renters searching for cheap apartments in Sherman TX assume the larger city undercuts Denison. Census data says otherwise. Sherman's median gross rent was $1,324, about $15 higher than Denison's, while Sherman's median household income was $58,859, roughly $8,500 lower.
Sherman does have more total inventory, so the absolute cheapest listings in the county often sit there. Denison wins on rent relative to income. If you're weighing apartments near Denison TX against options twelve miles south, that ratio is the number that matters. Community features like a pool, fitness center, or covered parking also shift the math, since on-site amenities replace costs you'd otherwise pay for elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What income do you need to rent apartments for rent in Denison TX?
Most communities want gross monthly income of two and a half to three times the rent. For a $1,000 unit, that means about $2,500 to $3,000 a month, or $30,000 to $36,000 a year. Roommate income usually counts toward the total, and some properties accept a guarantor.
2. Are there income based apartments in Denison TX?
Yes. Income based apartments in Denison TX include public housing, Housing Choice Voucher units, and tax credit properties where rent is capped by area median income tier. HUD publishes those income limits annually for the Sherman-Denison metro area. Waitlists open and close without much notice, so check status directly with the local housing authority.
3. Is it cheaper to rent in Denison or Sherman?
Denison edges it out on the federal numbers. Median gross rent runs about $15 lower in Denison, and Denison households earn roughly $8,500 more per year at the median. Sherman carries more listings overall, so the single lowest-priced unit in Grayson County may well be there.
4. What utilities do apartments in Denison TX usually include?
It varies by property and by price tier, and Texas puts most electricity accounts in the resident's name regardless of what else is bundled. Always ask for a sample utility statement from a comparable unit before you commit. Common arrangements in Denison look like this:
- Trash and pest control included at most communities
- Water and sewer either included or billed back monthly by allocation
- Electricity almost always in the resident's name
- Gas depends on whether the building has gas appliances
- Internet occasionally bundled at newer or renovated communities
5. How much has rent in Denison changed recently?
Direction depends on the source and the property type. Several listing platforms recorded softening apartment rents in Denison through 2026, while single-family rentals held steadier. Denison's population grew 9.6 percent between 2020 and 2025, according to Census estimates, which keeps pressure under the market even during slower leasing months.
The bottom line on renting in Denison
The average rent in Denison TX is less a single number than a range you can steer inside of. Federal data anchors the honest middle near $1,309 including utilities, and $850, $1,000, and $1,200 each buy something genuinely different in Grayson County. Decide what your all-in monthly cost can be, then shop against that figure. When you're ready to move, you can start an application online in a few minutes.
