# North Central Texas Council of Governments

The North Central Texas Council of Governments or NCTCOG is a voluntary association of governments in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
As of 2023 its ranks currently include 16 counties, 169 cities, towns, and villages, 19 school districts, and 24 special districts. Based in Arlington, NCTCOG is a member of the Texas Association of Regional Councils and the Texas Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations.

## Purpose

The purpose of NCTCOG is to "strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions." Although it is considered a political subdivision of Texas, it has no regulatory or taxing authority, and political subdivisions (counties, cities, and other special districts) are not required to become members.

## Organization

Each member government appoints a representative from its governing body to the COG General Assembly. This group meets annually to elect the Executive Board, a policy-making body for all NCTCOG activities composed of 18 officials. The activities organized include regional plans, program activities and decisions, and fiscal and budgetary policies. Within NCTCOG are technical, study, and policy development committees and a professional staff headed by Mike Eastland (the Executive Director) that support the Board.

## Counties served

* Collin
* Dallas
* Denton
* Ellis
* Erath
* Hood
* Hunt
* Johnson
* Kaufman
* Navarro
* Palo Pinto
* Parker
* Rockwall
* Somervell
* Tarrant
* Wise

## Largest cities in the region
### Major cities

| City | 2010 Population | 2020 Population |
| Dallas | 1,197,816 | 1,304,379 |
| Fort Worth | 741,205 | 918,915 |
| Arlington | 365,348 | 394,266 |
| Plano | 259,842 | 285,494 |
| Irving | 216,291 | 256,684 |

### Cities and towns 100k-250k

| City/Town | 2010 Population | 2020 Population |
| Garland | 226,875 | 246,018 |
| Frisco | 116,989 | 200,509 |
| Grand Prairie | 175,397 | 196,100 |
| McKinney | 131,117 | 195,308 |
| Mesquite | 139,824 | 150,108 |
| Denton | 113,383 | 139,869 |
| Carrollton | 119,097 | 133,434 |
| Richardson | 99,224 | 119,469 |
| Lewisville | 95,291 | 111,822 |
| Allen | 84,246 | 104,627 |

### Cities and towns 25k-99k

| City /Town | 2010 Population | 2020 Population |
| Flower Mound | 64,669 | 75,956 |
| Mansfield | 56,368 | 72,602 |
| North Richland Hills | 63,343 | 69,917 |
| Rowlett | 56,199 | 62,535 |
| Euless | 51,276 | 61,032 |
| Wylie | 41,427 | 57,526 |
| DeSoto | 49,047 | 56,145 |
| Grapevine | 46,334 | 50,631 |
| Bedford | 46,978 | 49,928 |
| Cedar Hill | 45,027 | 49,148 |
| Burleson | 36,689 | 47,641 |
| Rockwall | 37,491 | 47,251 |
| Little Elm | 25,898 | 46,453 |
| Haltom City | 42,409 | 46,073 |
| Keller | 39,626 | 45,776 |
| The Colony | 36,328 | 44,534 |
| Coppell | 38,660 | 42,983 |
| Lancaster | 36,361 | 41,275 |
| Waxahachie | 29,621 | 41,140 |
| Duncanville | 38,524 | 40,706 |
| Hurst | 37,338 | 40,413 |
| Farmers Branch | 28,615 | 35,991 |
| Midlothian | 18,037 | 35,125 |
| Cleburne | 29,337 | 31,352 |
| Southlake | 26,575 | 31,265 |
| Weatherford | 25,250 | 30,854 |
| Prosper | 9,423 | 30,174 |
| Greenville | 25,557 | 28,164 |
| Corsicana | 23,770 | 25,109 |