Grayson County, Texas

Land for sale in Grayson County, TX — Texas Instruments, Preston Harbor, and Lake Texoma converging in North Texas

~137,000
Population
Sherman
County Seat
$20K – $150K+
Per-Acre Range
~99 days
Avg Days on Market

Grayson County is the most openly discussed land investment story in North Texas — and the fundamentals are real. Texas Instruments started production at its first $40 billion Sherman semiconductor fab in December 2025, GlobalWafers/GlobiTech is building a $5 billion neighboring facility, and the $7 billion Preston Harbor development broke ground on Lake Texoma in October 2025. Three major capital projects are now actively converting from announcement to execution.

Overview

About Grayson County

Grayson County sits at the northern edge of the DFW growth corridor, approximately 60–75 miles north of Dallas via US-75. The county seat is Sherman; Denison sits northeast on the Lake Texoma shoreline. The county spans 979 square miles with approximately 137,000 residents — a number growing rapidly as the semiconductor employment base comes online.

Texas Instruments started production at its first 300mm wafer fab in Sherman in December 2025, with three additional fabs planned at the 1,200-acre site. The Sherman complex represents approximately $40 billion in investment and will create about 3,000 direct TI jobs. GlobalWafers/GlobiTech's separate $5 billion silicon wafer facility is being built nearby to feed the TI supply chain.

Layered on the semiconductor story is Preston Harbor — a 3,114-acre, $7 billion master-planned development on the Lake Texoma waterfront in Denison that broke ground in October 2025. Plans call for approximately 7,500 homes, a Margaritaville Resort, a 900-slip marina, and 9.5 miles of shoreline. The northward DFW growth corridor through Collin County into southern Grayson County is an independent demand driver operating regardless of the semiconductor news.

Population
~137,000
County Seat
Sherman
Per-Acre Range
$20K – $150K+
Avg Days on Market
~99 days
County Size
979 sq mi
Committed Investment
$45B+ (TI $40B + GlobiTech $5B)

Price Corridors

Where the money actually goes.

Grayson County has five distinct sub-markets driven by proximity to the semiconductor campus, Lake Texoma, and the southward growth corridor.

Corridor
Price Range
Character
Notes
Sherman / US-75 near TI campus
$75K – $150K+/acre
Highest-demand sub-market; industrial, logistics, and workforce housing demand
Closest proximity to TI campus; utility-served or utility-adjacent tracts command top dollar
South Grayson / Gunter and Howe corridor
$40K – $80K/acre
Residential development land; DFW growth front arriving from Collin County
Centurion American is developing multiple master-planned communities including 500 acres in Gunter, 678-acre Cottonwood in Dorchester, and Platinum Ranch in Gunter
Denison / Preston Harbor area
$45K – $100K+/acre
Waterfront and mixed-use; lifestyle and residential growth
Preston Harbor $7B development broke ground October 2025; Centurion American developing first 550 acres of the 3,114-acre community
Rural ag (eastern and northern Grayson)
$20K – $45K/acre
Traditional ranch and agricultural land
Best value for ag buyers; working cattle and hay operations; deepest ag exemption base
Lake Texoma waterfront and peninsula
Premium; access and Corps-boundary dependent
Recreational lifestyle — the premier North Texas lake
Lake Texoma draws 6M visitors annually; Pottsboro, Gordonville, Kingston are primary communities

Market Snapshot

Quarterly market trends.

Grayson County's market has shifted from investor-hold to active user-developer — committed capital is meeting committed projects.

Metric
Value
YoY
Source
Avg Listing Price
~$997,361
+14.2%
BuyDirtTX research
Active Land Listings
1,400+
+8%
BuyDirtTX research
Avg Days on Market
~99
-11%
BuyDirtTX research
Committed Investment
$35B+
N/A
Texas Instruments / GlobiTech public announcements

Listing price and DOM data from NTREIS/BuyDirtTX research. Investment figures from public company announcements. Active listing count from aggregated MLS and land portal data. Reflects parcels 5+ acres.

Land Types

Four ways buyers use this county.

Semiconductor Corridor Development

Tracts positioned to serve TI and GlobiTech supplier networks, workforce housing, and logistics. Sites near the Sherman campus with utility access attract the strongest institutional interest.

Residential Development

Master-planned community land following the Collin County growth template northward through Gunter, Howe, and Van Alstyne. Centurion American already committed 1,500+ acres near Gunter.

Lake Texoma Recreational

Waterfront, near-water, and Corps-adjacent land on the 90,000-acre reservoir. Pottsboro, Gordonville, and Kingston. Lifestyle and recreational buyers with strong demand.

Ranch and Agricultural

Traditional cattle and hay operations in eastern and northern Grayson County. County's ag heritage is deep; ag exemption widely held on rural tracts.

Equestrian and Horse Country

Established equestrian tradition in Grayson County with training operations, breeding farms, and horse facilities. Properties with barns, arenas, and cross-fencing serve a dedicated buyer community.

Zoning & ETJ

What governs the parcel.

Grayson County has no county-wide zoning in unincorporated areas. Land outside city limits and ETJs is generally unrestricted for residential, agricultural, and light commercial use.

Sherman has the most active regulatory environment — comprehensive zoning, active P&Z Commission, and two master-planned industrial parks (Progress Park and Midway Industrial Park). Denison manages the Preston Harbor area with waterfront-specific standards. Gunter is updating development regulations frequently — verify current ordinances directly before purchasing near Gunter. Van Alstyne and Howe have their own ETJ footprints.

Water & Utilities

The single most underestimated cost.

Grayson County's water situation is more favorable than rapidly growing counties to the south — Lake Texoma provides significant regional water supply capacity.

Source
Cost Range
Notes
Municipal (Sherman / Denison)
Tap fees $3K – $10K
Sherman utility has proactively planned for TI-driven growth; Denison serves waterfront areas
Water Supply Corporation
$2K – $20K
North Texas Rural Water, East Grayson WSC, and others serve rural areas — confirm at property level
Well (Trinity Aquifer)
$22K – $55K all-in
Trinity Aquifer underlies most of the county. Depths vary. Always order a perc test before closing.
Lake Texoma
NTMWD / City managed
90,000-acre reservoir on Texas-Oklahoma border; regional water supply asset; recreational access governed by Corps of Engineers

Ag Exemptions

Drop your tax bill by 80–90%.

Agricultural exemption is widely available in Grayson County outside the active development corridors — cattle grazing, dryland farming, hay, and horse operations all qualify.

Grayson Central Appraisal District (GCAD) requires the standard 5-of-7 years of qualifying use. Stocking rates run approximately 1 animal unit per 15–25 acres. Wildlife management conversion is popular on Lake Texoma-adjacent recreational tracts. Rollback risk is significant near the TI campus and in the Gunter corridor — calculate rollback exposure specifically before closing on any development-positioned property with an existing ag exemption. A five-year rollback near Sherman can produce a six-figure tax liability.

Investment

The numbers, by segment.

Grayson County's investment case is one of the strongest in North Texas — three independent demand drivers operating simultaneously, with the semiconductor buildout only 20% complete.

$45B+
Committed Investment
TI $40B + GlobiTech $5B
~3,000
TI Direct Jobs
Plus thousands of indirect jobs
$7B
Preston Harbor
Lake Texoma master plan
Producing
TI Sherman Status
First fab live Dec 2025; 3 more planned
Segment
Median Price
YoY
DOM
Rural ag (eastern / northern)
$28,000
+9.2%
128
South Grayson / residential corridor
$58,000
+16.4%
94
Denison / Lake Texoma area
$72,000
+14.8%
88
Sherman / US-75 near TI campus
$112,000
+22.1%
71
  • TI Sherman fab
  • Preston Harbor broke ground October 2025 — first $7B master-planned development on Lake Texoma waterfront with confirmed Margaritaville Resort partner
  • Three independent demand drivers (TI/GlobiTech, Preston Harbor, DFW growth corridor) operating simultaneously
  • South Grayson County residential corridor is following the exact Collin County growth template
  • Lake Texoma is supply-constrained — Corps boundaries limit new waterfront development permanently

The question is not whether Grayson County will grow. It is already growing. The question is what land you buy, where it sits relative to the growth catalysts, and what timeline you are working with.

Growth Outlook

Where this market goes next.

Texas Instruments started production at its first 300mm wafer fab in Sherman in December 2025 — moving the TI story from announcement to active manufacturing operations. Three additional fabs are planned at the 1,200-acre Sherman site. As fabs come online sequentially, the supplier ecosystem, workforce housing demand, and commercial services impact will compound.

The Gunter and southern Grayson County residential corridor is following the Collin County growth template actively. Centurion American owns multiple sites in Grayson County including the 678-acre Cottonwood master-planned community in Dorchester (south of Sherman) and a 500-acre tract in Gunter. This story is independent of the semiconductor news.

Preston Harbor on Lake Texoma broke ground in October 2025. Centurion American is developing the first 550-acre piece — 1,184 residential lots plus 115 estate parcels — within the broader 3,114-acre community. First residential lots are targeted for Q4 2026. Construction of major infrastructure (marina, Margaritaville Resort) follows once a new northern arterial road is completed.

Buying Here

The buyer's playbook.

Order a preliminary title report and verify all easements — utility infrastructure for TI has created new easement activity throughout the county.

Calculate rollback tax exposure before closing on any ag-exempt tract near development corridors.

Verify ETJ status with Sherman, Denison, Gunter, Howe, or Van Alstyne as applicable.

Confirm water provider and capacity — Sherman utility infrastructure is the most development-ready.

Get a current ALTA/NSPS survey — do not rely on older surveys given how rapidly conditions are changing.

For Lake Texoma tracts — verify Corps of Engineers boundary, setbacks, and allowable uses specifically.

County Facts

The numbers at a glance.

Area
979 sq mi (933 land, 46 water)
Aquifer
Trinity / Woodbine
Key Lake
Lake Texoma (90,000+ acres)
Population
~137,000 and growing
County Seat
Sherman
Featured Note
Preston Harbor — $7B Lake Texoma master plan, broke ground Oct 2025
Key Investment
$45B+ TI ($40B) + GlobiTech ($5B) semiconductor manufacturing

Land Buyer Index

Two numbers that matter.

Growth Index
94
/ 100 — pace of appreciation + investment
% Ag-Exempt
62%
share of county acreage with active ag exemption

FAQ

Buyer questions, answered.

Is it too late to buy land near the TI campus in Sherman?+

Land adjacent to the campus has already moved materially from 2022 levels. TI started production at fab

What is Preston Harbor in Denison?+

A 3,114-acre, $7 billion master-planned development on the Lake Texoma waterfront that broke ground in October 2025. Plans include approximately 7,500 homes, a Margaritaville Resort, a 900-slip marina, and 9.5 miles of shoreline. Centurion American is developing the first 550 acres (1,184 lots plus 115 estate parcels). First residential lots target Q4 2026.

What is the rollback tax risk in Grayson County?+

Significant near development corridors. Development-positioned land near Sherman trading at $75K–$150K/acre with an existing ag exemption can produce five years of rollback — potentially six figures in additional tax liability. Always calculate before closing.

Can I build a barndominium in unincorporated Grayson County?+

Generally yes — outside city limits and ETJs, Grayson County has no building type restrictions. Verify ETJ status for any property within 5 miles of a city.

Are mineral rights typically available in Grayson County?+

Frequently severed. Grayson County has historical oil and gas activity. Verify mineral rights ownership and any existing surface use agreements before closing.

How far is Grayson County from Dallas?+

Sherman is approximately 65 miles north of Dallas — typically 60–75 minutes via US-75 depending on traffic.

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