Jack County is a county in Texas, United States, on the eastern edge of the Rolling Plains, roughly 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth. It had a population of 8,472 at the 2020 census and covers 920 square miles (2,400 km2) — 911 square miles of land and 9.5 square miles of water — centred near 33°14′N 98°11′W.
Jacksboro is the county seat, and its postal code is 76458. The county has two incorporated cities (Jacksboro and Bryson) plus several unincorporated communities, no civil townships, and sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Jack County
Jack County has two incorporated cities and a scatter of unincorporated communities and rural crossroads across its ranch country. Jacksboro is the county seat and by far the largest place; Bryson is the county’s only other incorporated town. The rest of the list below is unincorporated (Unincorp.) — some are active small communities with their own ZIP code, others are little more than a road-junction name kept alive on maps and old plat records.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksboro | City · seat | 4,678 | 76458 |
| Bryson | City | 536 | 76427 |
| Jermyn | Unincorp. | — | 76459 |
| Perrin | Unincorp. | — | 76486 |
| Antelope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cundiff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maryetta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Postoak | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vineyard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wizard Wells | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bartons Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bob Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gibtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Joplin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lynn Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oakland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Senate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Truce | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westbrook | Unincorp. | — | — |
Newport, a small community northwest of Jermyn, is sometimes confused with the better-known Newport communities elsewhere in Texas — the Jack County settlement is unrelated to any of them.
ZIP Codes
- 76458 — Jacksboro (also serves most of central Jack County)
- 76427 — Bryson
- 76459 — Jermyn
- 76486 — Perrin
Smaller communities such as Antelope, Cundiff, Maryetta, Postoak, Vineyard and Wizard Wells share the ZIP code of their nearest post-office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Jack County lies on the transition between the Cross Timbers and the West Texas Rolling Plains, with rolling grassland cut by the West Fork of the Trinity River and Lost Creek. Ranching and wind-farm land use dominate the open country; Lake Jacksboro, just south of the county seat, is the main local reservoir.
Jack County borders Clay County to the north, Montague County to the northeast, Wise County to the east, Parker County to the southeast, Palo Pinto County to the south, Young County to the west, and Archer County to the northwest.
Demographics
The 2020 census recorded 8,472 residents, with Jacksboro (about 4,700) and Bryson (around 500) the two largest communities. Jack County’s median household income runs below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting its ranching-based rural economy. Population density is roughly 9 people per square mile, among the lower densities in North Texas.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching remains the backbone of the Jack County economy, alongside oil and gas production that has run through the county for decades. The Keechi Wind Farm, a 110-megawatt project south of Jacksboro built with Microsoft as an early power purchaser, began operating in 2014 and is one of the more visible newer employers in the local economy. Jacksboro serves as the county’s retail, school, and government hub.
History
Jack County was created by the Texas Legislature in 1856 and organized the following year, carved from Cooke and Navarro county land as Anglo-American settlement pushed onto the frontier. It is named for brothers Patrick Churchill Jack and William Houston Jack, both soldiers of the Texas Revolution. Fort Richardson, established at Jacksboro in 1867 to protect settlers during the frontier Indian Wars, is now a state historic site and the county’s best-known landmark.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 380 and State Highway 199 both run through Jacksboro, connecting the county to Fort Worth and Wichita Falls.
- Fort Worth — 60 miles southeast
- Wichita Falls — 50 miles north
- Decatur — 30 miles east
- Graham — 25 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Fort Worth Alliance area service via Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Jack County?
It is in north-central Texas, about 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth, on the edge of the Rolling Plains.
What is the population of Jack County?
8,472 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Jack County?
920 square miles (2,400 km2), including 9.5 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Jack County?
Jacksboro is the county seat.
How many towns are in Jack County?
Two incorporated cities — Jacksboro and Bryson — plus more than a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Jack County?
76458 (Jacksboro), 76427 (Bryson), 76459 (Jermyn) and 76486 (Perrin).
What is Jack County known for?
Fort Richardson State Historic Site in Jacksboro and the Keechi Wind Farm, one of the earlier utility-scale wind projects in North Texas.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.