Land for Sale in Montague County, Texas
Montague County sits in north-central Texas along the Oklahoma border. About 100 miles northwest of Dallas and roughly 70 miles north of Fort Worth. Unlike the suburban-edge counties closer to DFW, Montague retains a strongly rural character.
The Western Cross Timbers is working ranch country. The Red River forms the northern boundary. The county covers about 938 square miles. They named it for Daniel Montague, a Mexican-American War veteran and surveyor.
The terrain across Montague County is level to gently rolling. It has broad valleys and high prairies.
Elevation runs from about 850 to 1,318 feet. Most of the county lies within the Western Cross Timbers. Light-colored sandy and loamy soils there support a post oak savannah.
A 15-mile-wide woodland belt known as the Upper Cross Timbers runs north to south through the county. It contains post oak with pecan, walnut, and blackjack trees. The northwestern corner extends into the North Central Prairie. The east-central portion includes Grand Prairie soils.
Three watersheds drain the county. The Red River drains the north. The Elm Fork of the Trinity drains the east-central section. The West Fork of the Trinity drains the south.
People also know Lake Nocona as Farmer’s Creek Reservoir. It sits about 10 miles north of the city of Nocona. It is a primary recreational draw.
Land buyers in Montague County fall into a few groups. Some are hunting and recreational buyers drawn to the Cross Timbers cover and Red River frontage. Others are cattle and working ranch buyers using the productive Cross Timbers pasture. Lake-access buyers focus on Lake Nocona.
Rural lifestyle buyers want real distance from the DFW metro. They stay within 90 to 120 minutes of Fort Worth. The county has a long history of cattle ranching dating back to the Chisholm Trail. It remains mostly agricultural and rural.
Main communities in the county include Bowie, the largest city. Other communities include Nocona, home of the Nocona Boot legacy and Nokona Athletic Goods. Other communities include Saint Jo, Forestburg, Sunset, Stoneburg, Ringgold, Bonita, and Montague, the county seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Montague County, Texas?
Montague County is in north-central Texas along the Oklahoma border. About 100 miles northwest of Dallas and 70 miles north of Fort Worth. Oklahoma is to the north along the Red River. Cooke County is to the east.
Wise County is to the southeast. Jack County is to the south. Clay County is to the west. A small section of Archer County is to the southwest.
How large is Montague County?
The county covers about 938 square miles. The 2020 census recorded a population of 19,965. It is one of the more sparsely populated counties within reasonable distance of the DFW metro. This is part of what gives it its rural ranching character.
What are the main towns in Montague County?
Bowie is the largest city. Nocona is the second-largest community. People have historically known Nocona for its leather and boot-making industry.
Other towns include Saint Jo, Forestburg, Sunset, Stoneburg, Ringgold, and Bonita. The county seat is Montague itself. It is an unincorporated community. It has remained small since the railroad bypassed it in the 1880s.
What types of land are available in Montague County?
Montague County inventory often includes working ranches and cattle land in the Cross Timbers. It also includes hunting and recreational properties along the Red River. These properties are also found in the Cross Timbers timber belt. The inventory includes lake-access and waterfront properties around Lake Nocona. It also includes rural residential acreage.
Browse all current listings on this page, or see our full Texas land for sale inventory.