Cooke County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Cooke County, Texas had an estimated 44,258 residents on July 1, 2024, up 6.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 41,669, across 875 square miles. County output reached $3.43 bn in 2024, 1,040 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 37 7(a) approvals worth $65.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Cooke County
How many people live in Cooke County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202443,046
- Households16,528
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$73,932
- Median age40.5
- Median gross rent$1,047 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$240,400
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over29,120
- Population under 189,987
- Share under 1823.2 percent
- Population 65 and over8,136
- Share 65 and over18.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6424,923
- Civilian labor force21,765
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.8 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties78th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1145th of 3,222
Cooke County is the 78th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.2 percent against 18.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Cooke County
Is Cooke County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202444,258
- Census 2020 base population41,669
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.21 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024479
- Births, 2024505
- Deaths, 2024447
- Natural change, 202458
- Net domestic migration, 2024366
- Net international migration, 202455
- Total net migration, 2024421
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,274
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents380th of 3,144
The county has grown 6.21 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Cooke County
Where are people moving to Cooke County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,470
- People arriving, from those returns2,931
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,149
- Net household movement321
- Adjusted gross income arriving$160.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$97.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$109,380
- Average income of a leaving household$54,741
- Largest single originDenton County (490 households)
- Largest single destinationDenton County (252 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denton County | 490 | 1,072 | $69.6 m |
| Grayson County | 169 | 347 | $12.3 m |
| Tarrant County | 97 | 182 | $6.0 m |
| Collin County | 73 | 144 | $7.3 m |
| Dallas County | 73 | 127 | $8.4 m |
| Montague County | 30 | 69 | $1.5 m |
| Love County | 25 | 50 | $1.5 m |
| Wise County | 22 | 43 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $54,639 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Denton County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Cooke County
What is the Cooke County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.43 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.6 percent
- GDP change over five years66.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes75th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes900th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$79,748
Output grew 9.6 percent in the latest year and 66.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Cooke County
Employment by industry in Cooke County
- Covered employment, annual average16,535
- Establishments reporting1,110
- Average annual pay$62,891
- Average weekly wage$1,209
- Manufacturing, employment3,156
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$73,913
- Retail trade, employment1,872
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,692
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment1,834
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$109,867
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,556
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,259
- Health care and social assistance, employment914
- Construction, employment885
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,156 | 70 | $73,913 |
| Retail trade | 1,872 | 137 | $38,692 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 1,834 | 40 | $109,867 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,556 | 81 | $24,259 |
| Health care and social assistance | 914 | 104 | $42,141 |
| Construction | 885 | 123 | $60,544 |
| Finance and insurance | 619 | 56 | $73,970 |
| Wholesale trade | 536 | 64 | $90,887 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,156 jobs, 19.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Cooke County
How many businesses are in Cooke County?
- Establishments, all industries1,040
- Employment at those establishments13,433
- Annual payroll$709.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cooke County
Building permits in Cooke County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024155
- Declared construction value permitted$41.2 m
- Single family units authorized143
- Multifamily units authorized12
- Multifamily share of units7.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$266,007
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.4
Single-family homes are 92.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Cooke County
SBA loans in Cooke County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded37
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$65.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,774,011
- Median 7(a) approval$1,000,000
- 10th percentile approval$150,000
- 90th percentile approval$4,954,400
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)373
- Jobs per approval10.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active22
- Distinct industries receiving approvals17
- Median 7(a) term300 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer67.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms25
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter12
- Franchise loans15
- Franchise share of approvals40.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (10)
- Most active lenderMetro City Bank (8)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.6 m
- Average 504 approval$2,190,667
- Median 504 approval$702,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval54.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved24.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$72.2 m
The average approval of $1,774,011 sits well above the median of $1,000,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 67.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cooke County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Cooke County
Do SBA loans in Cooke County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full8
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full8
- Status: Exempt from disclosure24
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 8 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cooke County
SBA lending by place in Cooke County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Gainesville, approvals29
- Collinsville, approvals2
- Era, approvals2
- Valley View, approvals2
- Lindsay, approvals1
- Oak Ridge, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | 29 | $49,848,200 |
| Collinsville | 2 | $7,570,800 |
| Era | 2 | $4,880,000 |
| Valley View | 2 | $400,000 |
| Lindsay | 1 | $2,086,000 |
| Oak Ridge | 1 | $853,400 |
Gainesville accounts for 29 approvals against 2 in Collinsville. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cooke County
How large is Cooke County?
- Land area875 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties175th of 254
- Width, east to west31.2 mi
- Height, north to south36.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land49
- Establishments per square mile1.19
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cooke County
Flood risk in Cooke County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Cooke County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480765
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Cooke County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Cooke County (community 480765), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Cooke County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Cooke County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Cooke County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202443,046
- Households16,528
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$73,932
- Median age40.5
Common questions
Cooke County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cooke County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 44,258 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 43,046, in 16,528 households, ranking 78th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Cooke County's population growing?
The population has grown 6.21 percent since the 2020 census base of 41,669, to 44,258 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 505 births against 447 deaths, with net migration of 421. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cooke County?
$73,932. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $240,400, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,047 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Cooke County?
1,040 establishments, employing 13,433 people with an annual payroll of $709.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Cooke County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,156 jobs, 19.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 16,535 jobs at an average annual pay of $62,891, or $1,209 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Cooke County?
37 7(a) approvals totaling $65.6 m since FY2020, across 22 lenders, with a median approval of $1,000,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $6.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Cooke County?
155 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $41.2 m. Multifamily was 7.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Cooke County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Cooke County come from?
The largest single origin is Denton County, with 490 households. Arriving households report an average income of $109,380 against $54,741 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Cooke County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Cooke County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Cooke County
Cities and places in Cooke.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Cooke County. All 9 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | city | 17,883 | 29 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Kiowa | CDP | 2,476 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Muenster | city | 1,329 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lindsay | city | 1,142 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Road Runner | town | 1,021 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Valley View | city | 702 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Callisburg | city | 459 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oak Ridge | town | 353 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Myra | CDP | 263 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 37 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Cooke County, the largest being Collinsville (2), Era (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby