Buy Land in Cooke County, Texas
Owner-financed land in Cooke County, Texas. Key facts, active TerraFunded properties, and FAQs for buying rural acreage.
Key facts
- Population (2025)
- 44,461
- County seat
- Gainesville
- Driving distance to Dallas
- 70 mi
- Typical total tax rate, rural land (approx.)
- 1.45%
- Climate
- Hot summers and mild winters, with about 43 inches of rain a year; July highs average about 94°F and January lows about 32°F (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Gainesville).
- Nearby cities
- Gainesville, Muenster, Lindsay, Valley View
- County tax rate (2025)
- $0.3355 per $100 of value (county only)
- Land area
- 874.8 mi²
- Established
- 1848
- Distances from the county seat
- Dallas: 70 mi (1 h 21 min) · Fort Worth: 65 mi (1 h 10 min) · Houston: 310 mi (5 h 32 min) · Austin: 250 mi (4 h 27 min) · San Antonio: 330 mi (5 h 54 min)
- School districts
- Gainesville ISD, Callisburg ISD, Muenster ISD, Valley View ISD, Era ISD, Lindsay ISD, Sivells Bend ISD, Pilot Point ISD, Whitesboro ISD, Saint Jo ISD, Walnut Bend ISD, Slidell ISD, Collinsville ISD
- Main highways
- I-35, US 82, US 77
- Lakes, rivers and recreation
- Red River, Elm Fork of the Trinity River, Lake Texoma, Hubert H. Moss Lake, Lake Kiowa, Lake Ray Roberts (covers much of southeastern Cooke County)
- Hunting and wildlife
- For the 2026-27 season, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) puts Cooke County in the North Zone for white-tailed deer, with a bag limit of 4 deer (no more than 2 bucks and 2 antlerless), antler restrictions on bucks and a general season from November 7, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Wild turkey has a fall season (November 7, 2026 to January 3, 2027) and a spring season (April 3 to May 16, 2027), with harvests reported to TPWD.
About Cooke County
Cooke County is in north central Texas on the Oklahoma border, crossed from north to south by I-35. The Texas Legislature established it on March 20, 1848, and named it for William G. Cooke, a hero of the Texas Revolution. Gainesville, the county seat and largest town, lies seven miles south of the Red River. Muenster, Lindsay, Valley View and Callisburg are other incorporated towns; Muenster's Germanfest is the county's best attended festival, and Lindsay holds an Oktoberfest. The Census Bureau estimated 44,461 residents in 2025 on 875 square miles of land. The center of the county is Grand Prairie flanked by the Eastern and Western Cross Timbers, with rolling terrain that rises from 700 feet in the east to nearly 1,000 feet in the west and grassy prairie in the west. The northern quarter drains to the Red River and the rest to the Elm Fork of the Trinity. Lake Kiowa, Hubert H. Moss Lake and Lake Texoma lie in the county, and Lake Ray Roberts covers much of its southeast. US 82 runs east to west and US 77 north to south alongside I-35. Gainesville is about 65 miles from downtown Fort Worth and 70 miles from downtown Dallas, roughly 70 to 80 minutes by car. Cooke County is inside the North Texas Groundwater Conservation District.
Active TerraFunded Properties in Cooke County
No active inventory in Cooke County right now. View our full Texas land marketplace.
FAQs about Buying Land in Cooke County
What are property taxes like on rural land in Cooke County?
For tax year 2025 the Cooke County government levies $0.3355 per $100 of taxable value, according to the Texas Comptroller. Rural land also pays a school district and any special district that covers it, so the combined rate across the county's main school districts runs from about $1.19 to $1.61 per $100. The range includes the North Central Texas College District ($0.0990) and either the Gainesville ($0.0861) or the Muenster ($0.1802) hospital district, which together cover the county. Land that qualifies for agricultural or wildlife management use can be appraised on its agricultural use value rather than its market value, which lowers the taxable value.
How far is Cooke County from Dallas and Fort Worth?
Gainesville, the county seat, is about 65 miles from downtown Fort Worth by road, about 1 hour 10 minutes, and about 70 miles from downtown Dallas (about 1 hour 20 minutes). By road, Houston is about 310 miles, Austin is about 250 miles and San Antonio is about 330 miles.
Which school districts serve rural Cooke County?
The Texas Comptroller's 2025 property tax data lists 13 school districts with territory in Cooke County. By property value the largest are Gainesville ISD, Callisburg ISD, Muenster ISD, Valley View ISD, Era ISD, Lindsay ISD and Sivells Bend ISD. Smaller areas belong to Pilot Point ISD, Whitesboro ISD, Saint Jo ISD, Walnut Bend ISD, Slidell ISD and Collinsville ISD. The district for a specific tract depends on its exact location.
What are the hunting rules in Cooke County?
For the 2026-27 season, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) puts Cooke County in the North Zone for white-tailed deer, with a bag limit of 4 deer (no more than 2 bucks and 2 antlerless), antler restrictions on bucks and a general season from November 7, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Wild turkey has a fall season (November 7, 2026 to January 3, 2027) and a spring season (April 3 to May 16, 2027), with harvests reported to TPWD. Archery hunting also requires an archery endorsement on the hunting license.
Can foreigners buy land in Cooke County, Texas?
In most cases, yes. Texas law generally gives non-citizens the same property rights as citizens, but since September 1, 2025 Senate Bill 17 (Texas Property Code, Subchapter H, sections 5.251 to 5.259) prohibits purchases by certain individuals, companies and governments tied to China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are not covered by that restriction. Buyers who can purchase receive a Warranty Deed in their own name at closing, the same as any other buyer.
Are there building or use restrictions on rural land in Cooke County?
Most TerraFunded tracts in Cooke County are in unincorporated areas with no zoning, no HOA, and no deed restrictions on use. Buyers can typically place a manufactured home, build a barndominium, run livestock, or hold the land long-term. We disclose all known deed restrictions on each individual listing page.
What about water and well access in Cooke County?
Cooke County is generally served by private water wells in rural areas, with some tracts also having access to local rural-water supply corporations. Groundwater availability and typical well depth vary by location — each TerraFunded listing notes whether a well is in place, the local aquifer, and any known neighbor-well data.
Is electricity available on rural lots in Cooke County?
Most rural Cooke County tracts are served by a local electric cooperative. On lots without an existing meter, the buyer arranges a new service drop directly with the co-op after closing. Each listing specifies whether the property has electricity at the lot line, on the property, or requires a new extension.
How do I physically access a property in Cooke County?
Every TerraFunded listing in Cooke County is sold with legal road access — either direct frontage on a county-maintained road or a recorded easement to a public road. The specific access type, road frontage, and any easement details are disclosed on each listing page and shown on the parcel survey.
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