With the rapid development of electronic integration technology, highly integrated chips are in urgent need of packaging materials that are thermally matched to printed circuit boards. Here, [Formula: see text]CoxAl2O4 (ZCAO, x= 0.00–0.20) ceramics are synthesized using the solid-state reaction method. The phase composition, microstructure, microwave dielectric properties and CTE of [Formula: see text] in the ZnAl2O4 ceramic substituted by [Formula: see text] are systematically revealed. An appropriate amount of [Formula: see text] substitution promotes a more homogeneous grain growth to form a dense microstructure. The average grain size, bulk density and relative density of ZCAO ([Formula: see text]) ceramic are 1.59[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, 4.472[Formula: see text]g/cm3 and 97.4%, respectively. The optimal microwave dielectric properties ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text],701[Formula: see text]GHz, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]ppm/∘C) of the ZCAO ([Formula: see text]) ceramic sintered at 1450∘C are achieved. More importantly, the ZCAO (x = 0.10) possesses a CTE = 11.59[Formula: see text]ppm/∘C that is nearly thermally matched to the printed circuit boards (PCB, CTEPCB = 12[Formula: see text]ppm/∘C). This ceramic has great potential for application in the electronic packaging of PCB devices.