Quick Answer: Where GlobalWafers and GlobiTech employees are renting in Sherman is mostly a drive-time decision. Most land inside Sherman city limits, within roughly 15 minutes of the Northgate Drive wafer campus and the FM 1417 epitaxy plant. Denison picks up commuters who want a quieter street. McKinney picks up the ones with a partner working south.
Sherman's semiconductor buildout changed the local rental math in a hurry. Wafer plant hires now cluster on the north and west sides of the city, close to both campuses and to US 75. Serving renters across Sherman and Grayson County, The District at Sherman sits on Archer Circle with a short run to either plant. Shift workers count minutes, not miles.
What to look for in a rental near the Sherman fabs
Four things decide it for most fab hires: distance to the gate, whether the lease term matches a relocation timeline, whether the unit fits one person or a family, and total monthly cost once pet rent and utilities land. Twelve-hour shifts make the first one non-negotiable.
Commute times from the GlobiTech Sherman TX campus
Two addresses matter here. The original epitaxy plant sits at 200 FM 1417, where GlobiTech Inc has operated since 2001, and GlobalWafers America's newer 300mm wafer plant is about a mile west on Northgate Drive. Both are on Sherman's north side. From the Archer Circle area, that's a drive of roughly three to four miles, which usually runs under ten minutes outside of shift change.
The Texas Instruments Sherman TX campus on West Shepherd Drive is farther south, closer to seven miles, and still comfortably inside a 15-minute window. A renter on the north side can reach all three employers without touching the Dallas commute. That matters more than it sounds when you're driving home at 6 a.m.
What apartments for rent near the fabs actually cost
RentCafe put the Sherman average at $1,210 as of April 2026, down 1.5% year over year, with one-bedrooms averaging $1,063 for about 707 square feet. Rent.com's 2026 figures for the same market are lower, around $1,045 for a one-bedroom. Apartment Finder lands lower still. Published averages disagree by a few hundred dollars depending on which buildings each provider tracks, so treat any single number as a starting point rather than a quote.
At Westwood Gardens, the community behind The District at Sherman, published starting prices run from $849 for a one-bedroom flat to $1,250 for a two-bedroom townhome. You can compare the one, two and three bedroom layouts side by side, including the two-story townhome plans that fab families tend to ask about first.
Is Sherman Texas a good place to live if you work at the fabs?
For semiconductor workers, yes, and the numbers back it up. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts estimated Sherman's population at 52,417 as of July 1, 2025, a 20% jump from the April 2020 base. Mean travel time to work is 23.2 minutes. Median household income is $58,859.
That growth curve is the fab effect. Texas Instruments started production at its SM1 fab in December 2025, and the Sherman site is projected to support as many as 3,000 direct jobs. GlobalWafers has said it plans to hire up to 650 engineering, technical and operational staff by the end of 2028 on top of the roughly 180 permanent positions already created.
What that means for a renter is competition. Grayson County is absorbing construction crews, permanent operators and engineering staff on overlapping timelines, and the housing stock did not expand ahead of them. Availability near the plants moves faster than the citywide averages suggest.
The honest tradeoff: Sherman is not McKinney. Restaurant density is thinner, the retail is concentrated along Texoma Parkway and US 75, and new apartment supply has not caught up with hiring. Renters who want a walkable urban core will notice. Renters who want a ten-minute commute and rent under $1,300 usually don't mind.
Cost of living in Sherman compared with Denison and McKinney
The cost of living in Sherman runs below the national average, and housing is the main reason. Census figures put median gross rent at $1,324 for 2020 to 2024, against a median owner cost with a mortgage of $1,758. Renting stays the cheaper monthly path for most new hires during their first lease.
| City | Typical asking rent, 2026 listings | Drive to the Sherman fab corridor | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman | $1,045 to $1,210 average | 5 to 15 minutes | Shift techs, operators, new hires |
| Denison | $1,400 median, all types | About 20 minutes | Renters wanting a quieter street |
| McKinney | $1,514 to $1,657 average | About 35 minutes each way | Dual-income households split north and south |
| Best value near the plants | Sherman | Shortest commute | Lowest rent of the three |
Apartments in Denison TX carry a real premium on the listing sites right now, which surprises people who assume the smaller city is cheaper. Zumper put the Denison median at $1,400 in April 2026 against a Sherman average near $1,210. Apartments in McKinney TX sit higher again, with RentCafe reporting a $1,657 average and Apartment List a $1,514 median in August 2026. Roughly 34 miles of US 75 separate McKinney from the Sherman plants.
Rental homes Sherman workers compare against apartments
Single-family rental homes Sherman landlords list typically run $1,700 or more for three bedrooms, based on 2026 estimates from several rent trackers. Townhomes split the difference. A two-bedroom townhome with 1.5 baths gives you two floors and a private entry without the yard maintenance or the price jump.
Before signing anywhere, check the community amenities list for the things that quietly add cost elsewhere: on-site laundry, a dog park, online rent payments. Pet fees at most Sherman communities include a one-time charge plus monthly pet rent, so ask for the full number.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How far is GlobalWafers from apartments in Sherman?
The GlobalWafers America plant on Northgate Drive is on Sherman's north side. From apartment communities in the Archer Circle and West Sherman area, the drive is roughly three to four miles and typically under ten minutes. Communities south of downtown add about five to eight minutes.
2. Do fab workers get relocation help with a Sherman lease?
Relocation support varies by employer and role. Engineering and technical hires more often receive it than contract or construction roles. Ask your recruiter directly whether the package covers a deposit, a temporary stay, or a lease-break clause, and get the answer in writing before you sign anything.
3. What should a semiconductor worker budget for rent in Sherman?
Use these as a working budget:
- One bedroom: roughly $850 to $1,100 a month
- Two bedroom: roughly $1,000 to $1,550
- Two bedroom townhome: around $1,250
- Three bedroom house: $1,700 and up
- Add pet rent, renters insurance and utilities on top
4. Is it worth living in Denison or McKinney instead?
Denison works if you want a smaller town and don't mind a 20-minute drive, though asking rents there are not lower. McKinney makes sense mainly when a second earner works in Collin County. For a single fab income, the 35-minute commute rarely pays for itself.
5. When is the best time to lease near the Sherman plants?
Winter. Rental demand across North Texas softens between November and February, and Sherman follows the pattern, with less competition for the same units. Fab hiring waves can override that locally, so if a community has availability in the layout you want, move on it.
Conclusion
Where GlobalWafers and GlobiTech employees are renting in Sherman comes down to two plants, one short stretch of road, and a rental market still catching up to the hiring. Grayson County added thousands of semiconductor jobs before it added the housing, which is exactly why the north side of Sherman fills first. Denison costs more than people expect. McKinney costs more than a single fab income usually justifies. Check drive times from the actual gate you'll badge into, then check availability, because the good layouts near the plants don't sit long. Start with the map and directions page and time the route yourself.
