Cooke County, Texas

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 898 sqmi, of which 24 sqmi (2.6%) are covered by water.

Major highways

• [[Image:I-35 (TX).svg|20px]] [[Image:US 77.svg|20px]] Interstate 35/U.S. Highway 77
• [[Image:US 82.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 82
• [[Image:Texas FM 51.svg|20px]] Farm to Market Road 51

Adjacent counties

• Love County, Oklahoma (north)
• Grayson County (east)
• Denton County (south)
• Wise County (southwest)
• Montague County (west)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1850–2010 2010 2020

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 41,668. The median age was 40.1 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 75.9% White, 3.0% Black or African American, 1.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian,

39.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 60.3% lived in rural areas.

There were 15,738 households in the county, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.3% were married-couple households, 16.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 17,716 housing units, of which 11.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.8% were owner-occupied and 30.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.

While 2015 estimates place the median household income for Cooke County at $53,552, past estimates showed the median household income to be $37,649, with the median family income being $44,869. Males had a median income of $32,429 and females $22,065. The per capita income was $17,889. About 10.90% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.80% of those under age 18 and 10.70% of those age 65 or over. Median house values in 2015 were $118,254.

Government and infrastructure

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department operates the Gainesville State School in an unincorporated area in Cooke County, east of Gainesville.

Politics

Cooke County has long voted predominantly Republican; the only Democratic presidential candidate to win Cooke County since 1948 was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, in that year's landslide over Barry Goldwater. Cooke County has been included in the Texas's 26th congressional district since 2000, currently represented by Republican Brandon Gill. Republican David Spiller has represented Cooke County in the Texas House of Representatives since winning a special election 2021, while Republican Brent Hagenbuch has served the county within District 30 of the Texas Senate since 2025.

Communities

Cities

• Callisburg
• Gainesville
• Lindsay
• Muenster
• Valley View

Towns

• Oak Ridge
• Road Runner

Census-designated places

• Lake Kiowa
• Myra

Unincorporated communities

• Bulcher
• Burns City
• Dexter
• Era
• Hood
• Leo
• Lois
• Marysville
• Mountain Springs
• Prairie Point
• Rosston
• Sivells Bend
• Sturgeon
• Walnut Bend
• Woodbine

Ghost towns

• Bloomfield
• Coesfield
• Custer City
• Freemound
• Hemming

References

References

1. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Cooke County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Cooke County, Texas".
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". [[US Census Bureau]].
6. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac.
7. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Cooke County, Texas". [[United States Census Bureau]].
8. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cooke County, Texas".
9. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cooke County, Texas".
10. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
11. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
12. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
13. "[http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/programs/gainesville/index.html Gainesville State School] {{webarchive. link. (2011-02-20 ." [[Texas Youth Commission]]. Retrieved August 8, 2010.)
14. (November 5, 2024). "Texas 26th Congressional District Election Results". [[New York Times]].
15. "Texas House of Representatives District 68".
16. (5 November 2024). "Former Denton County GOP chair Brent Hagenbuch wins race for Texas Senate District 30".
17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
18. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".