Denison/Sherman was recently ranked as the 5th least expensive place to live in the country in a Cost of Living Index report published by the Council for Community and Economic Research based in Arlington, VA. More than 256 urban areas in all 50 states are included in the report.

The Cost of Living Index measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services in participating areas. Grocery items, housing, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous goods and services are used for comparisons.

According to the report, Denison/Sherman’s cost of living is 18.1 percent lower than the average of all participating places nationwide. This is up from the 2nd quarter report of 13.4 percent below the national average.
The Cost of Living Index is the most reliable source of city-to-city comparisons of key consumer costs available anywhere. COLI data is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNN Money, and the President's Council of Economic Advisors. The COLI has been collecting and publishing the cost of living index data at the local level since 1968.

Participation in the COLI is voluntary. Area Chamber of Commerce or Economic Development Councils supply the data. The data for the Denison/Sherman area was submitted by the area COLI Project Coordinator, Sarah Rice with the Denison Development Alliance.

This isn’t the first time Denison/Sherman has been recognized for an affordable lifestyle. In 2013, AARP The Magazine recommended 10 cities after looking at population size, median home price, mortgage payment and property tax, as well as whether the state has a tax on Social Security payments or pensions. Denison/Sherman made the list at No. 9.

Earlier in 2015, the Pottsboro Area was designated as a GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Community (CRC). This certification, awarded by the Texas Department of Agriculture, requires the completion of a rigorous application process, and has only been awarded to 52 communities to date. When a community receives the GO TEXAN stamp of approval as a CRC - that means that it has met the living, employment, volunteer, health, entertainment, education, and safety needs of its citizens and visitors.

The cost of housing is obviously one of the big factors in determining the affordability of an area. According to the Real Estate Center at Texas A & M, Denison/Sherman is ranked number 4 in the Affordable Housing index in Texas. In the 2nd quarter Housing Trends Report, home sales are up 13% from this time last year.

The October Grayson County Housing Report shows the median home price as $120,000, down 7% compared to October 2014. The report also shows the number of active listings down 10% and the number of single family homes sold up 9%. Data used in the local market housing report comes from the Texas REALTOR Data Relevance Project, a partnership among local REALTOR associations and their MLS, the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M and the Texas Association of REALTORS.

Most Expensive
1 New York (Manhattan) NY 236.1
2 Honolulu HI 188.6
3 San Francisco CA 178.1
4 New York (Brooklyn) NY 171.4
5 Orange County CA 152.4
6 Oakland CA 150.5
7 Washington-Arlington-
Alexandria DC-VA 149.3
8 San Diego CA 149.2
9 Hilo HI 146.2
10 Stamford CT 145.8

Lease Expensive
1 McAllen TX 77.8
2 Harlingen TX 79.3
3 Richmond IN 80.1
4 Norman OK 80.3
5 Ashland OH 81.9
5 Denison-Sherman TX 81.9
6 Hattiesburg MS 82.5
7 Idaho Falls ID 82.6
8 Memphis TN 82.9
9 Jackson MS 83.4