By J.D. Aaron, Keller Williams
· Published
New construction from about $250K with a Denton address — D.R. Horton off US-380, five miles west of I-35, a $700-a-year HOA with a pool, and a 2.6% tax rate that includes a MUD.
Look at a map and you’d swear Hickory Grove is in Krum. It isn’t — you get a Denton address. It sits just off US-380, about five miles west of the 380 and I-35 interchange, and the price is the headline: new construction from about $250K.
The numbers
| Builder | D.R. Horton |
| Price range | About $250K into the upper $300s |
| Home sizes | About 1,300 to 2,300 sq ft, 3–4 beds, 2–3 baths |
| Stories | One-story now — a few two-story plans are coming soon |
| Garages | 2-car. No 3-car options out here. |
| Homesites | 40’, 45’ and 50’ |
| HOA | About $700 a year — pool, amenity center, playgrounds, pickleball |
| Total tax rate | About 2.6% before exemptions, including the MUD |
| Schools | Krum ISD — Blanche Dodd Elementary, Krum Middle, Krum High |
| Location | North of US-380 at Thomas J. Egan Rd, west of Denton |
On those schools: it’s a Denton address, but it’s Krum ISD. City limit signs and school boundary lines cross all the time out here — don’t go by the sign. Confirm the assignment for your specific address with the district.
Zero customization
This D.R. Horton series is laid out for you — floor plans, finishes, all of it. There is no customization in this community. Know that before you visit. If you want to pick your cabinets and move walls, this isn’t the spot. If you want a brand-new house at this price, it is.
Before you click through or walk into the model — tell me first. Registering yourself with a builder is how you lose the representation they would otherwise have paid for. Here’s why. Want a two-story? Talk to me first. I know how to get on those before they hit the website.
The tax angle
About 2.6% before exemptions, and that includes the Legends Ranch MUD. Hickory Grove sits outside Denton’s city limits, so you skip the city tax but pay the MUD — that’s what builds the water, sewer and roads at this price point. On a $300,000 home that’s roughly $7,800 a year, or $650 a month, before exemptions. File your homestead. Then compare it with everything else on the MUD & PID breakdown.
What’s on the ground
The HOA is going to surprise you. About $700 a year gets you a good-size pool, an amenity center, playgrounds and pickleball courts. At this price point, that’s hard to find. The pool was still finishing when I toured, so check its status if it’s a must-have.
Seven phases are planned. That’s a lot of houses, and a lot of construction noise for the foreseeable future.
Getting around
Five miles east on 380 puts you at Rayzor Ranch and everything you need. Decatur isn’t terribly far the other way. The catch: the I-35 and 380 interchange, plus the spot where 35W and 35E merge, is a construction mess and will be for the next several years. Groceries and dinner take a little patience for now.
The growth in Denton is pushing west along 380 — residential and commercial — and the gap between Denton and Decatur is starting to close.
The honest part
It feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere. A lot of farmland, a lot of open sky. But you’re close to 380, and you’ll hear the trucks. I was sitting at the pool and could hear them the whole time. Will you get used to it? Probably. But when you visit, stop and listen. If traffic noise bothers you, this may not be your spot.
For the price, though, it’s hard to beat. To get into the $200s or low $300s, you usually have to go way out. Not here.
Before you go
Text HICKORY GROVE to 254-913-7381 for current move-ins and builder incentives — and tell me before you walk into the model, not after.
Quick answers: Hickory Grove
How much are homes in Hickory Grove?
From about $250,000 into the upper $300s — about 1,300 to 2,300 sq ft with 3–4 bedrooms and 2–3 baths. It's one of the lowest price points in new construction this close to Denton.
What is the tax rate at Hickory Grove?
About 2.6% before exemptions, and that includes the Legends Ranch MUD. On a $300,000 home that's roughly $650 a month. File your homestead exemption, and get the total for your specific lot in writing.
What is the HOA at Hickory Grove?
About $700 a year, which covers a good-size pool, an amenity center, playgrounds and pickleball courts.
What schools serve Hickory Grove?
Krum ISD — Blanche Dodd Elementary, Krum Middle and Krum High — even though the address says Denton. Confirm the assignment for your specific address with the district.