Geography of Cooke County
Cooke County sits at roughly 33.64° N and 97.21° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 874 square miles of terrain that includes the landscape characteristic of the area — from open ranchland and farmland to small-town main streets. The county's centroid is near Gainesville, and the county shares boundaries with 4 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 44,461 residents across 874 square miles, Cooke County has a population density of about 50.9 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Gainesville
Gainesville serves as the seat of government for Cooke County. The county courthouse, commissioners court, district clerk, and primary public records are located here. As with all 254 Texas counties, the county seat is the anchor of civic life and the principal address for elections, permits, and court filings.
History & name origin
Cooke County was established in 1848 and was named for William Gordon Cooke, a soldier during the Texas Revolution. It was carved from territory previously part of Fannin County.
Cooke County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Cooke County geography, population, county seat, neighboring counties, and how to use the maps on this page. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
Where is Cooke County, Texas located?+
Cooke County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.639° N, 97.213° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48097. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Cooke County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Cooke County in square miles?+
Cooke County covers approximately 874 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 176th out of 254 Texas counties. The full bounding box of the county is rendered to scale on the interactive map and matches the U.S. Census TIGER 2023 polygon.
What is the population of Cooke County, Texas?+
Cooke County has a population of approximately 44,461 residents. With 874 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 50.9 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Cooke County the 77th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Cooke County?+
Gainesville is the county seat of Cooke County, Texas, which was organized in 1848 and named for William Gordon Cooke, a soldier during the Texas Revolution. Cooke County was originally carved out of Fannin County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Cooke County are located in Gainesville.
Which Texas counties border Cooke County?+
Cooke County shares borders with Montague, Wise, Denton, and Grayson counties. These 4 neighboring counties are highlighted on the schematic boundary map and linked at the bottom of this page so you can quickly compare population, area, and county seats across the North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Cooke County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Cooke County is available from the "Download PDF" button at the top of this page. The printable layout uses authentic U.S. Census TIGER boundary geometry for Cooke County, includes a Texas locator inset, and is sized for standard 8.5" × 11" Letter paper. For interactive use, the live Leaflet map on this page supports OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, Esri topographic, and Carto light basemaps with zoom, scale bar, and fullscreen.
What is the FIPS code for Cooke County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Cooke County is 48097, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 097. This is the same FIPS code used by the U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line files, the American Community Survey, and most federal datasets that key on county.