Land for Sale in North Texas
North Texas covers a broad region anchored by the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It generally extends from the Oklahoma border south to the Brazos River. It also extends from the eastern edge of the Cross Timbers west toward the Texas plains.
For land buyers, “North Texas” is less a precise boundary than a working region. It is a group of counties where rural land is still available. It is within a reasonable drive of major metro areas.
Ranchman Properties serves the rural and semi-rural areas of North Texas. Our primary counties are Denton, Cooke, Wise, Kaufman, and Montague. We also serve surrounding counties including Grayson, Hunt, Parker, Collin, and Jack.
This service area covers the rural counties around the DFW Metroplex. It also extends north along the Red River corridor toward the Oklahoma border.
Buyers looking specifically at North Texas land fall into a few groups. Some are leaving the DFW metro for rural acreage within commuting distance. Others are hunting and recreational buyers focused on the Cross Timbers and Red River-adjacent counties.
Rural counties surrounding Denton attract equestrian buyers. Commercial and investment buyers focus on the I-35, US-380, and I-20 growth corridors.
The terrain across North Texas varies meaningfully by county. The eastern counties sit in the Blackland Prairie region with deep, fertile soils. These include Hunt, Kaufman, and Collin.
The central and western counties sit in the Cross Timbers and Fort Worth Prairie regions. These include Denton, Wise, Parker, Cooke, and Montague.
The terrain there is rolling with scattered timber and rockier soils. This tends toward ranchland use.
The northern counties along the Red River include creek bottoms, lakes, and proximity to Oklahoma hunting territory. These counties are Cooke, Grayson, and Montague.
To narrow your search by county, see our individual county pages: Denton County, Cooke County, Wise County, and Kaufman County.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counties are in North Texas?
No single official definition exists. But North Texas generally includes three regional groups.
The first is the 16 counties of the North Central Texas Council of Governments. These are Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise.
The second is the three Red River counties of the Texoma Council. These are Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson.
The third is the 11 counties of the Nortex Regional Planning Commission around Wichita Falls. These are Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cottle, Foard, Hardeman, Jack, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger, and Young. For Ranchman Properties, our active service area is the rural counties surrounding DFW and extending toward the Red River.
Is North Texas the same as DFW or the Metroplex?
No. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the metropolitan area centered on Dallas and Fort Worth. It currently includes 12 to 13 counties depending on the definition used.
North Texas is a broader regional term. It includes the Metroplex plus surrounding rural counties extending north to Oklahoma and west toward the plains.
Buyers often use the terms interchangeably in conversation. But they are not the same thing.
Where are most rural land listings in North Texas located?
Rural inventory in North Texas is concentrated in the counties just outside the immediate DFW urban core. The most active counties to the north and west are Denton, Cooke, Wise, and Montague.
To the east, Kaufman and Hunt counties are active. To the west, Parker and Jack counties are active. These counties are among the most active for hunting, recreational, residential, and ranch acreage.