Not to be confused with Coke County, Texas.
"Cooke County" redirects here. Not to be confused with Cook County.
Cooke County, Texas
CountyCooke County
StateTexas
Founded1849
Seat wlGainesville
Largest city wlGainesville
Area total898 sq mi
Area land875 sq mi
Area water24 sq mi
Area percentage2.6
Census yr2020
Pop41668
Pop est as of2025
Population est44461
Ex imageCooke county tx courthouse 2015.jpg
Ex image size250
Ex image capThe Cooke County Courthouse in Gainesville
Time zoneCentral
District26th

Cooke County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2020 census, its population was 41,668.[1][2] The county seat is Gainesville.[3] The county was founded in 1848 and organized the next year. It is named for William Gordon Cooke, a soldier during the Texas Revolution. It is a part of the Texoma region.

Cooke County comprises the Gainesville, TX micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Dallas–Fort Worth, TX-OK combined statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 898 square miles (2,330 km2), of which 24 square miles (62 km2) (2.6%) are covered by water.[4]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

Cooke County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000[5]Pop 2010[6][7]% 2000% 2010
White alone (NH)30,82630,255style='background: #ffffe6; |29,40484.77%78.71%style='background: #ffffe6; |70.57%
Black or African American alone (NH)1,0871,018style='background: #ffffe6; |1,1812.99%2.65%style='background: #ffffe6; |2.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)304303style='background: #ffffe6; |3600.84%0.79%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.86%
Asian alone (NH)121278style='background: #ffffe6; |3070.33%0.72%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.74%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)119style='background: #ffffe6; |130.00%0.05%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
Other race alone (NH)2235style='background: #ffffe6; |1250.06%0.09%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.30%
Multiracial (NH)375532style='background: #ffffe6; |1,7591.03%1.38%style='background: #ffffe6; |4.22%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)3,6275,997style='background: #ffffe6; |8,5199.97%15.60%style='background: #ffffe6; |20.44%
Total36,36338,437style='background: #ffffe6; |41,668100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

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 18 and 18.9% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.3 males 18 and over.[8][9]

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, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 7.6% from some other race, and 11.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 20.4% of the population.[9]

About 39.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 60.3% lived in rural areas.[10]

Of the 15,738 households in the county, 30.9% had children under 18 living in them, 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 or older.[8]

The 17,716 housing units were 11.2% 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%.[8]

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 10.9% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.8% of those under 18 and 10.7% of those 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.[11]

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.[12] Republican David Spiller has represented Cooke County in the Texas House of Representatives since winning a special election in 2021,[13] while Republican Brent Hagenbuch has served the county within District 30 of the Texas Senate since 2025.[14]

Cooke County is located within District 68 of the Texas House of Representatives. Cooke County is located within District 30 of the Texas Senate.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

See also

References

  1. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Cooke County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "Cooke County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  5. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Cooke County, Texas". United States Census Bureau
  6. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cooke County, Texas". United States Census Bureau
  7. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cooke County, Texas". United States Census Bureau
  8. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  9. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  10. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  11. ^ "Gainesville State School Archived 2011-02-20 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Youth Commission. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  12. ^ "Texas 26th Congressional District Election Results". New York Times. November 5, 2024.
  13. ^ "Texas House of Representatives District 68". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  14. ^ McPhate, Christian (5 November 2024). "Former Denton County GOP chair Brent Hagenbuch wins race for Texas Senate District 30". Denton Record-Chronicle. Retrieved 13 November 2024.