Cooke County
County
The Cooke County Courthouse in Gainesville
The Cooke County Courthouse in Gainesville
Flag of Cooke County
Flag
Map of Texas highlighting Cooke County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°38′00″N 97°13′00″W / 33.633333333333°N 97.216666666667°W / 33.633333333333; -97.216666666667
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1849
SeatGainesville
Largest cityGainesville
Area
 • Total898 sq mi (2,330 km2)
 • Land875 sq mi (2,270 km2)
 • Water24 sq mi (60 km2)  2.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total41,668
 • Density46/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district26th
Websitewww.co.cooke.tx.us

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

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850220—
18603,7601,609.1%
18705,31541.4%
188020,391283.7%
189024,69621.1%
190027,49411.3%
191026,603−3.2%
192025,667−3.5%
193024,136−6.0%
194024,9093.2%
195022,146−11.1%
196022,5601.9%
197023,4714.0%
198027,65617.8%
199030,77711.3%
200036,36318.1%
201038,4375.7%
202041,6688.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1850–2010[6] 2010[7] 2020[8]
Cooke County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[7] Pop 2020[8] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 30,255 29,404 78.71% 70.57%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,018 1,181 2.65% 2.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 303 360 0.79% 0.86%
Asian alone (NH) 278 307 0.72% 0.74%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 19 13 0.05% 0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 35 125 0.09% 0.30%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 532 1,759 1.38% 4.22%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5,997 8,519 15.60% 20.44%
Total 38,437 41,668 100.00% 100.00%

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 can be of any race.

According to statistical data from 2016, Cooke County has a population of 39,141 people (41% urban, 59% rural), nearly 14,000 households, and over 10,000 families. The population density was 42 people per square mile (16 people/km2). The 15,061 housing units averaged 17 units per square mile (6.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.84% White, 3.06% Black or African American, 1.00% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.16% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. About 10% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the more than 14,000 households in Cooke County, 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living in the home, 59.60% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were not families; 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.07.

The population was distributed as 27.30% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

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.[9]

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. vote in each of the past six presidential elections, starting in 2000. Republican Drew Springer, Jr., a businessman from Muenster, has represented Cooke County in the Texas House of Representatives since January 2013.[10]

United States presidential election results for Cooke County, Texas[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 15,596 81.98% 3,210 16.87% 219 1.15%
2016 13,181 82.61% 2,352 14.74% 422 2.64%
2012 11,951 83.28% 2,246 15.65% 154 1.07%
2008 11,871 78.86% 3,051 20.27% 132 0.88%
2004 11,908 78.82% 3,142 20.80% 57 0.38%
2000 10,128 75.19% 3,153 23.41% 188 1.40%
1996 7,320 59.53% 3,782 30.76% 1,195 9.72%
1992 5,299 40.50% 3,105 23.73% 4,680 35.77%
1988 7,196 62.84% 4,217 36.82% 39 0.34%
1984 8,260 71.43% 3,278 28.35% 26 0.22%
1980 6,760 62.58% 3,842 35.57% 200 1.85%
1976 4,804 51.50% 4,483 48.05% 42 0.45%
1972 6,317 78.28% 1,702 21.09% 51 0.63%
1968 3,799 47.96% 2,711 34.22% 1,412 17.82%
1964 3,117 43.23% 4,083 56.62% 11 0.15%
1960 3,983 55.50% 3,168 44.15% 25 0.35%
1956 4,164 64.33% 2,272 35.10% 37 0.57%
1952 4,385 62.20% 2,657 37.69% 8 0.11%
1948 1,194 23.76% 3,241 64.48% 591 11.76%
1944 919 18.61% 3,270 66.22% 749 15.17%
1940 1,358 23.20% 4,483 76.59% 12 0.21%
1936 686 15.62% 3,686 83.93% 20 0.46%
1932 470 11.02% 3,775 88.51% 20 0.47%
1928 2,262 53.99% 1,924 45.92% 4 0.10%
1924 525 12.85% 3,170 77.58% 391 9.57%
1920 1,003 29.60% 2,170 64.05% 215 6.35%
1916 353 12.91% 2,273 83.11% 109 3.99%
1912 206 9.64% 1,780 83.29% 151 7.07%

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

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. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  6. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "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.
  8. ^ a b "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.
  9. ^ "Gainesville State School Archived 2011-02-20 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Youth Commission. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  10. ^ "State Rep. Springer announces district tour July 30". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, July 16, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  11. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 21, 2021.

External links

33°38′N 97°13′W / 33.633°N 97.217°W / 33.633; -97.217

Places adjacent to Cooke County, Texas
Municipalities and communities of Cooke County, Texas, United States
Counties of Texas
State of Texas
Authority control databases
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