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Town Hall · Denison

Denison spent more per resident in 2022 than 87% of similar cities

Denison’s city government spent $37.1 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $1,440 per resident. Water and other utilities ($4.2 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

City Council

6:00 pm · Council Chambers, 300 W. Main Street

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$37.1M
year to September 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,440
In 2022: $1,440, more than 87% of 30 similar cities
Long-term debt
$78.8M
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
272
full-time · 52 part-time · March payroll $1.5M
Typical tax bill
$2,396
1.32% of home value · TX 1.49%

What stands out about how Denison is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,440 per resident, more than 87% of 30 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer19% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).Its own police and fire47 sworn officers and 52 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Denison’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Oct22
    Main Street AdvisoryThursday · 8:00 am · 300 W. Main StreetMain Street Advisory Board MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct22
    Main Street AdvisoryThursday · 8:00 am · 300 W. Main StreetMain Street, Inc., Board of Directors MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct19
    City CouncilMonday · 6:00 pm · Council Chambers, 300 W. Main StreetCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct13
    Planning and ZoningTuesday · 10:00 am · Council Chambers, City Hall, 300 W. Main StreetPlanning and Zoning Commission MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct12
    Convention and Visitors BureauMonday · 2:00 pm · 300 W. Main StreetConvention and Visitors Bureau Advisory BoardAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,440 per resident a year, or $3.95 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 16%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 27%Sales taxes 22%Property taxes 22%Utility sales 19%Interest, fines & other 5%From the federal government 3%From other local governments 2%Other taxes & licenses <1%From the state <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $84,000; interest on debt $2.5 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $44.2 million.
About “Other”.39% of Denison’s day-to-day spending ($14.5 million) is filed by the Census Bureau outside the named functions above, so the receipt can’t say what it buys.
Compared with similar places

$1,440 per resident in 2022: more than 87% of them

Denison’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,440 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 30 Texas cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,046, and the middle half spent $858–$1,225. Denison spent more than 87% of them.

Middle half of the group, $858–$1,225Median $1,046Denison

Includes sewer and trash ($3.7 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
30

Texas cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Denison itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

Denison reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,396 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.32% of the home’s value, vs 1.49% across Texas.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Texas$4,232
Sherman$3,346
Denison$2,396
$2,396
typical bill a year
1.32%
effective rate
$180,900
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Denison’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Denison’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Denison →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Denison

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityofdenison.com for Denison’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Denison yet.cityofdenison.com ↗
Who works for Denison

One full-time city employee for every 95 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (25,792).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Police63
Fire53
Parks & libraries29 + 41 pt
Water & other utilities34
Administration & buildings30 + 7 pt
Sewer & trash26 + 3 pt
Roads & transportation10
Housing & development9
Other18 + 1 pt
272
full-time
52
part-time
$1.5M
payroll for March 2022
$17.6M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$63,200
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
47
sworn police officers
52
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Denison had 10.5 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 23 of the 30 Texas cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 8.8: Denison had more than 83% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Denison Independent School District

Denison’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Denison →
$12,832
per pupil · TX $12,815
4,940
students
$203.5 million
long-term debt

Of the $12,832 per pupil, $7,408 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 52%State 37%Federal 11%

Texas districts overall: 51% local, 36% state, 13% federal.

Also serving Denison

Pottsboro Independent School District · $11,706 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Denison’s votes are counted by county

Texas reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Denison alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Grayson County’s results.

President · Grayson County’s results66,041 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican76.6%50,556 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat22.4%14,800 votes

Others: 1.0% (685 votes).

Most votes in Grayson County: Donald J Trump

Texas: Trump 56.1%, Harris 42.5%

The county’s page

100% of Denison lies in Grayson County. Every 2024 race in Grayson County is on the county’s page.

Grayson County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Denison

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Denison.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofdenison.com ↗
  2. 2
    Texas HouseState representatives
    Shelley Luther
  3. 3
    Texas SenateState senator
    Brent Hagenbuch
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Greg Abbott
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Pat Fallon
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Texas
    John CornynTed Cruz

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Denison compares with the towns next door

Denison spent $1,440 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $1,179. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Sherman: $1,179 per resident (2022)ShermanDenison
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Sherman$1,179$3,346
Denison$1,440$2,396

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Denison’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofdenison.com ↗

Questions about Denison’s government

How much does Denison spend per resident?

About $1,440 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,440 was more than 87% of 30 Texas cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Denison?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,396 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.32% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.49% across Texas. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofdenison.com.

Who runs Denison’s government?

See cityofdenison.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Denison yet.

How did Denison vote in 2024?

Texas counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Denison alone. Grayson County, where 100% of Denison lies, voted Trump 76.6%, Harris 22.4% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Denison?

272 full-time and 52 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $1.5M (about $17.6M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Denison in the state legislature?

State Senate District 30 (Brent Hagenbuch) and State House District 62 (Shelley Luther). The House district also covers 31 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Denison?

The next posted meeting is City Council on Monday, November 2, at 6:00 pm in Council Chambers, 300 W. Main Street, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Denison’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →