Geography of Cooke County
Covering 874 square miles, Cooke County combines a regional trade center at Gainesville with farm and ranch land in every direction. About 44,461 people live here.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 33.64° N, 97.21° W and is 176th in size among Texas's 254 counties. It is a border county, touching Oklahoma. Cooke County shares boundaries with 4 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Fort Worth (about 62 miles away in a straight line) and Dallas (about 64 miles).
North Texas runs from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex out to the Red River and the Rolling Plains. It mixes one of America's largest urban regions with wheat fields, cattle country and small towns that grew up along railroads.
For a broader view of how Cooke County fits within the state, download our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF — a printable, high-resolution reference showing all 254 Texas counties labeled with their county seats.
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
County government for Cooke County is based in Gainesville. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. Gainesville also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Cooke County map on this page to save a letter-size PDF of the county boundary, neighboring counties and incorporated places, drawn from U.S. Census Bureau 2023 boundary files. The "Official TxDOT road map" button downloads the Texas Department of Transportation county road mapbook for Cooke County. Both files are stored on this site and download directly. Our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF shows all 254 counties on one sheet.
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.