In 2000, the Denton County population was reported at 432,976; in 2007 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 612,357. Part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, it is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. The county seat is Denton. The county and the city are both named for John B. Denton, who was a preacher, lawyer, and soldier.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 958square miles (2,481km), of which, 889square miles (2,301km) of it is land and 69square miles (180km) of it (7.24%) is water.
Denton County sits atop a portion of the Barnett Shale, a geological formation believed to contain large quantities of natural gas. The County has benefited from tax revenue related to gas drilling and production.