Homes Under $400K in Denton County (2026 Guide)
Denton County's countywide median sale price has climbed to roughly $425,000–$454,000 in 2026 — which means a $400K budget puts you below the county average almost everywhere. The good news: Denton County is large and varied enough that sub-$400K inventory is genuinely available, especially outside the county's priciest northern suburbs. Here's where your budget goes furthest, and where it doesn't stretch as far.
The Big Picture
Denton County home values have actually softened slightly over the past year even as the median stayed relatively elevated — homes are taking a bit longer to sell than they did last year, and active listings are up significantly, giving buyers more selection and more time to make decisions than in recent years. That said, this varies a lot by price point: homes priced right around the $400K mark in desirable, well-located areas can still move fast, sometimes generating multiple showings within hours of listing. Don't assume "more inventory countywide" means "no urgency" on the right property.
Where Your $400K Goes Furthest
City of Denton
Citywide median around $380,000–$385,000. Denton itself prices well below the county average, and within the city, some neighborhoods offer even more room. The Sedna neighborhood, for example, has a median around $320,000 — Denton's most affordable tracked neighborhood, and one that's appreciated sharply as buyers catch on to the value. A $400K budget in Denton proper generally puts you at or above the citywide median, giving you real selection.
Pilot Point
Average home prices around $322,000. One of the more affordable cities in the entire county, with small-town character and more breathing room for the money compared to the county's northern growth corridor.
Sanger, Krum, and Justin
These smaller cities on the county's western and northwestern edges generally price below the Denton County median, offering a mix of established homes and newer construction at more accessible price points than Frisco-adjacent areas.
Aubrey and parts of Ponder
Growing areas with a mix of older rural-residential properties and newer construction — pricing varies significantly by specific neighborhood and lot size, but sub-$400K inventory exists here, particularly outside the newest master-planned sections.
Where $400K Is Tighter
Denton's premium neighborhoods
Montecito ($730K), Robson Ranch and Southridge (roughly $500K–$550K) — sit well above a $400K budget, though these are the exception rather than the rule within Denton city limits, not the norm.
Landmark by Hillwood
Denton's new 3,200-acre master-planned community near the Argyle border, is opening with pricing from the mid-$400s into the $500s+ across its builder lineup — a preview of where new construction pricing is trending in this corridor.
Where $400K Generally Doesn't Work
Frisco, Prosper, Southlake-adjacent Northlake, and Argyle are Denton County's priciest submarkets, driven by top-rated school districts and heavy new construction demand. Frisco carries the county's highest median listing price at roughly $735,000 — a $400K budget here means a significant compromise on size, age, or location, if it works at all. Flower Mound similarly sits well above the $400K range for most of its inventory.
Property Taxes: Don't Skip This Part of the Math
Denton's base combined tax rate (county, city, and school district) runs around 1.99% for many established addresses — but newer communities with Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) or Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) can push effective rates into the 2.5%–3.5% range, adding real money to your annual bill on top of a similarly priced home in an older neighborhood. This is genuinely one of the most overlooked factors when comparing a $390K home in an established area against a similarly priced new-construction home in a MUD/PID community — the sticker price might match, but the monthly payment won't.
Make sure to file for your Texas homestead exemption as soon as you close — the recently increased $140,000 exemption meaningfully reduces the school-tax portion of your bill, but it's not automatic; you have to apply.
What a $400K Budget Actually Buys Right Now
At current mortgage rates in the low-to-mid 6% range, a $400,000 home with 20% down runs roughly $2,400–$2,600/month in principal and interest before taxes and insurance. Layer in Denton County's tax rate and typical insurance costs, and all-in monthly payments in the $3,000–$3,300 range are realistic — worth confirming your exact number with a lender before you start touring, especially if you're comparing homes across different tax jurisdictions within the county.
Bottom Line
$400K in Denton County works well in the city of Denton itself, Pilot Point, Sanger, Krum, and Justin — considerably less so in Frisco, Prosper, Argyle, or Flower Mound, where pricing runs well above the county median. Given how much county-wide numbers can obscure neighborhood-level reality (as the Denton-Argyle border example shows), the smartest move is getting real-time guidance on specific areas rather than relying on averages alone.
*Want to see current listings under $400K that match your priorities — school district, commute, lot size? Reach out and I'll put together a personalized list for your search.*
*Prices in this post reflect general market data as of 2026 and vary by source, specific property, and timing. Please feel free to contact me for current, accurate listing data for your search.*