Denton, Texas

Denton, Texas
City
A stone building with a cloudy sky in the background. Three floors are shown with windows on each floor. There's a door entrance on the first floor and a large clock on the tower overhead.
Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square
A 3D black and white star. The words "City of Denton Denton, Texas" encircle the star.
Seal
Nicknames: 
Little Austin,[1] Little D,[2] Redbud Capital of Texas[3]
A map showing the state of Texas divided into counties. Denton County is located in north-eastern Texas, two counties south of the Oklahoma–Texas border.
Location of Denton in Denton County, Texas
Denton is located in Texas
Denton
Denton
Denton is located in the United States
Denton
Denton
Coordinates: 33°12′59″N 97°7′45″W / 33.21639°N 97.12917°W / 33.21639; -97.12917
Country United States
State Texas
CountyDenton
Incorporated1866
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • City CouncilMayor Gerard Hudspeth
Mayor Pro Tem Brian Beck (Dist 2)
Vicki Byrd (Dist 1)
Paul Meltzer (Dist 3)
Joe Holland (Dist 4)
Chris Watts (at-large)
Brandon Chase McGee (at-large)
[4]
 • City ManagerSara Hensley [5]
 • City AttorneyMack Reinwand[6]
Area
[7]
 • City
97.95 sq mi (253.70 km2)
 • Land96.35 sq mi (249.55 km2)
 • Water1.60 sq mi (4.14 km2)  1.527[9]%
Elevation
[10]
659 ft (201 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City
139,869
 • Density1,451.68/sq mi (560.49/km2)
 • Urban
429,461 (US: 96th)[8]
 • Urban density2,853.9/sq mi (1,101.9/km2)
DemonymDentonian or Dentonite
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Zip Codes
76201–76210
Area code(s)940, 682,817[11]
FIPS code48-19972[12]
GNIS feature ID2410323[10]
WebsiteCity of Denton
Denton map
Denton, TX city map. Outlines and buildings updated in 2023.

Denton is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Denton County. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020,[12] it is the 20th-most populous city in Texas, the 177th-most populous city in the United States, and the 12th-most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.

A Texas land grant 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 in 1890 and Texas Woman's University in 1901 distinguished the city from neighboring regions. After the construction of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 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, 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. 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.

  1. ^ "How Many of These Texas City Nicknames Do You Know?". July 29, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  2. ^ "Behind The Badge". NBC News. January 29, 2010. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  3. ^ "Celebrate in the Redbud Capital of Texas". Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  4. ^ "About the Denton City Council". Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  5. ^ "City Manager's Office". Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  6. ^ "Denton hires internally to fill City Attorney job". Retrieved October 5, 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  8. ^ United States Census Bureau (December 29, 2022). "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications". Federal Register.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files – Places". United States Census Bureau. February 1, 2011. Archived from the original (TXT) on January 25, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  10. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Denton, Texas
  11. ^ "Area Codes for DENTON, TX".
  12. ^ a b "Denton (city), Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2021.