Cooke County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cooke County
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The Cooke County Courthouse in Gainesville
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Texas |
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| Founded | 1849 | |
| Seat | Gainesville | |
| Largest city | Gainesville | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 898 sq mi (2,330 km2) | |
| • Land | 875 sq mi (2,270 km2) | |
| • Water | 24 sq mi (60 km2) 2.6% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 41,668 | |
| • Density | 46.401/sq mi (17.915/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 26th | |
Cooke County is a special area in the state of Texas, USA. It's called a county. In 2020, about 41,668 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Gainesville.
The county was started in 1848 and officially organized in 1849. It was named after William Gordon Cooke. He was a brave soldier during the Texas Revolution. Cooke County is also part of a larger area known as Texoma. It's also connected to the bigger Dallas–Fort Worth area.
What is Cooke County Like?
Where is Cooke County Located?
Cooke County covers about 898 square miles. A small part of this area, about 24 square miles, is covered by water. This means there are lakes or rivers in the county.
Main Roads in Cooke County
Several important roads help people travel through Cooke County:
Interstate 35 and U.S. Highway 77 are major highways.
U.S. Highway 82 also runs through the county.
Farm to Market Road 51 is another important road.
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Neighboring Counties
Cooke County shares borders with several other counties:
- To the north is Love County, Oklahoma in Oklahoma.
- To the east is Grayson County.
- To the south is Denton County.
- To the southwest is Wise County.
- To the west is Montague County.
Who Lives in Cooke County?
How Many People Live Here?
The number of people living in Cooke County has changed a lot over the years. Here's how the population has grown:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 220 | — | |
| 1860 | 3,760 | 1,609.1% | |
| 1870 | 5,315 | 41.4% | |
| 1880 | 20,391 | 283.7% | |
| 1890 | 24,696 | 21.1% | |
| 1900 | 27,494 | 11.3% | |
| 1910 | 26,603 | −3.2% | |
| 1920 | 25,667 | −3.5% | |
| 1930 | 24,136 | −6.0% | |
| 1940 | 24,909 | 3.2% | |
| 1950 | 22,146 | −11.1% | |
| 1960 | 22,560 | 1.9% | |
| 1970 | 23,471 | 4.0% | |
| 1980 | 27,656 | 17.8% | |
| 1990 | 30,777 | 11.3% | |
| 2000 | 36,363 | 18.1% | |
| 2010 | 38,437 | 5.7% | |
| 2020 | 41,668 | 8.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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In 2020, the population reached 41,668 people. About 41% of the people live in towns, and 59% live in more rural areas. There are almost 14,000 homes in the county.
Different Backgrounds in Cooke County
Cooke County is home to people from many different backgrounds. The U.S. Census keeps track of this information.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 30,826 | 30,255 | 29,404 | 84.77% | 78.71% | 70.57% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,087 | 1,018 | 1,181 | 2.99% | 2.65% | 2.83% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 304 | 303 | 360 | 0.84% | 0.79% | 0.86% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 121 | 278 | 307 | 0.33% | 0.72% | 0.74% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 19 | 13 | 0.00% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 22 | 35 | 125 | 0.06% | 0.09% | 0.30% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 375 | 532 | 1,759 | 1.03% | 1.38% | 4.22% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,627 | 5,997 | 8,519 | 9.97% | 15.60% | 20.44% |
| Total | 36,363 | 38,437 | 41,668 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2016, about 88.84% of the people were White. About 3.06% were Black or African American. Around 1.00% were Native American. About 10% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Families and Age Groups
Many homes in Cooke County have children under 18. About 59.60% of homes are married couples. The average family size is about three people.
The population includes people of all ages. About 27.30% are under 18 years old. Around 14.90% are 65 years or older. The average age in the county is 37 years old.
How People Make a Living
In 2015, the average income for a household in Cooke County was about $53,552. This is how much money a family or group living together earns in a year. The average income for each person was $17,889.
About 14.10% of the people in the county lived below the poverty line. This means they had lower incomes. The average value of a house in 2015 was $118,254.
Towns and Communities
Cooke County has several towns and communities where people live.
Cities in Cooke County
- Callisburg
- Gainesville (the county seat)
- Lindsay
- Muenster
- Valley View
Towns in Cooke County
- Oak Ridge
- Road Runner
Special Communities (Census-designated places)
These are areas that are like towns but not officially organized as cities or towns:
Smaller Communities (Unincorporated)
These are smaller places that don't have their own local government:
- Bulcher
- Burns City
- Dexter
- Era
- Hood
- Leo
- Lois
- Marysville
- Mountain Springs
- Prairie Point
- Rosston
- Sivells Bend
- Sturgeon
- Walnut Bend
- Woodbine
Old Towns (Ghost towns)
Some towns in Cooke County no longer exist or have very few people living there:
- Bloomfield
- Coesfield
- Custer City
- Freemound
- Hemming
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Cooke para niños
