Denton, North Carolina 01, 2023
Denton’s story
148 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1878Denton is settled
Lewis-Thornburg Farm · Photo: James Conder · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,610
2025 Census estimate · +7.5% since 2020
Typical home
$264K
+6.4% in a year
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
35.5
years
Jobs based here
727
Balanced
Is Denton a good place to live?
Denton’s best subject grade is an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D for health. Denton’s average trip to work is 31 minutes, above both the North Carolina town median (24 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Reid Farm and Adderton - Badgett House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Denton's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 82% of U.S. towns. Denton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Denton stand out
Where Denton beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Denton$264K
North Carolina$332K
Cost of livingA−
4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 81% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
32 measures vs. North Carolina
0 better15 too close to call17 worse
| Widest gap | Denton | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.6% | 7.1% |
Worth knowing · HealthD
Less healthy than 91% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
How Denton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Denton is from typical.
HealthLexington Memorial Hospital 14.3 miles awayDOpen →Jobs & incomeC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 28% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 7.9% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landCOpen →History1 place on the National RegisterB−Open →Civic life3.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.5; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Denton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Denton, and how to reach them.
PowerEnergyUnited Elec Member11.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Denton water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpWaste ProTrash haulerTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDavidson County Board of ElectionsDavidson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP code2723927239 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Denton.
HealthD
A larger share of adults smoke cigarettes in Denton than in most of North Carolina or the rest of the country
22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Denton, against 14% in North Carolina’s towns and 14% across U.S. towns. 32% of adults get no exercise outside work in Denton. Denton beats the North Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17.
9%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Denton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 25% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
0 better15 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Denton | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.6% | 7.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.6% | 13.9% |
| More smokers | 21.9% | 13.5% |
Lexington Memorial Hospital
In Lexington · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Denton’s public schools outperform 54% of North Carolina districts
Its public schools are run by the Davidson County Schools. Its one school is below.
54%of NC districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denton ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 369 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Denton faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Denton, expect mild winters and hot summers
Denton has mild winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 30° and snow is almost unheard of.
89°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–53°
Spring47–71°
Summer67–87°
Fall49–72°
Oct 31
typical first frost
Apr 5
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
89°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A−
A typical Denton home is worth about $264K
The typical Denton home is worth about $264,000, up 6.4% in a year, 21% below the North Carolina typical home. The median rent in Denton is $842 a month.
$264KZillow home value
| Denton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $842 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 65% | 67% | 73% |
Typical home value
Denton$264K
North Carolina$332K
+6.4%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
A job hub: Denton has 1.2 jobs for every working resident and draws in 677 commuters
Most working residents leave Denton for work: only 8% work in town. Denton’s median household income is $51,000. Jobs based in Denton fell to 727 in 2023, 143 fewer than in 2013.
8%work in town
| Denton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 13% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Denton8%
High Point7%
Charlotte7%
Thomasville6%
Winston-Salem5%
21 mi
median commute distance
727
jobs based in Denton
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 39% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Denton
Denton's reported crime rate is close to North Carolina's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025.
| Denton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 21.8 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.9 per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Denton1.9
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Denton21.8
North Carolina18.1
U.S.15.5
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
35
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0.4%conserved
| Denton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.4% | 3.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
0.4%
conserved · 5 of 1,345 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Denton Community Park | — | 5 |
| 2. Harrison Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 42 attractions →North Carolina Zoo and 19 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Denton. Close and well known come first.
19 mi Zoo & aquariumNorth Carolina Zoo700K visitors a year
35 mi Stadium & arenaAllegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium
32 mi MuseumOld Salem
15 mi National forestUwharrie National Forest
17 mi State parkMorrow Mountain
19 mi MuseumNorth Carolina Transportation MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
North Carolina Zoo: Diane Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium: BobHWS, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Old Salem: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Uwharrie National Forest: U.S. Forest Service, Public domain · Morrow Mountain: Hathcock at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · North Carolina Transportation Museum: Unknown, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Denton
19pages on Denton
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 54% of NC districts · 1 schoolSafety1.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than NC on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$264K typical home · up 6.4% in a yearWork & commuteC−$51K median household income · 727 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 28% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Denton
About 1 of every 100 Denton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
About Denton
Town in North Carolina, United States
Denton is a town in Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the town was 1,494.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1907
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 722 ft
- ZIP code
- 27239
- Area code
- 336
Questions about Denton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Denton, NC expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.