Oak Ridge, Texas
Oak Ridge is a small town in Cooke County, in the rolling wooded prairie of North Texas about 30 miles north of Denton. It sits in a rural stretch of farm and ranch country north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Property here runs through the Cooke Central Appraisal District and the county tax office — the homestead exemption, the appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level. The Cooke County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Cooke County notes
What to know around Oak Ridge
Property Tax Basics
Two offices handle your property taxes in Cooke County
The Cooke County Appraisal District sets your property value; the Tax Assessor-Collector collects the bill — and they are two separate offices.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead exemption can lower your school tax bill
Texas law requires school districts to cut $140,000 off a home's appraised value for owners who live in the home as their main residence.
School Districts
Cooke County has eight school districts — your address determines yours
Eight separate school districts operate in Cooke County, each with its own tax rate, so the ISD for your specific address can meaningfully affect your property tax bill.
Groundwater & Wells
A groundwater district regulates water wells in Cooke County
Cooke County falls inside a local groundwater district, so rural well plans should start with district rules.
Fishing & Recreation
Moss Lake is Gainesville's city reservoir and a public fishing spot
Moss Lake sits about 10 miles northwest of Gainesville and offers public fishing for bass, crappie, catfish, and white bass — but you need a boat permit from the city.
State Park
Ray Roberts Lake State Park has a unit in Cooke County
The Pecan Creek unit of Ray Roberts Lake State Park sits in Cooke County and offers camping, fishing, hiking, and water access about an hour north of the DFW metroplex.
Nearby
Places near Oak Ridge
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Oak Ridge
Estimate property tax
Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Open estimator ->Cooke County notes
Property tax, land, outdoors, vehicles, rules, and history for the county.
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