Socorro County, New Mexico: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Socorro
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Socorro County. Socorro County is home to Socorro and Magdalena. The Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures here (2 in force); the latest is “One-year data center moratorium”. Employers here counted 4,870 jobs in 2025, down 5.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 6.0% in 2019. Public Service Co of NM is the largest utility serving Socorro County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.57¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Socorro County
Socorro County is home to Socorro and Magdalena.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Abeytas, Alamillo, Alamo, Chamizal, Escondida, La Joya, Las Nutrias, Lemitar, Luis Lopez, Polvadera, San Acacia, San Antonio, San Antonito, Veguita.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Socorro County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,551 | 15,838 | ▼ 4.3% | 23rd of 33 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,149 | 4,870 | ▼ 5.4% | 29th of 33 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,806 | $53,770 | ▲ 38.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 57 | 51 | ▼ 10.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.0% | 5.4% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
15,838 people live here, down 4.3% since 2020.
Who powers Socorro County
Utilities with service territory in Socorro County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of NM | Investor Owned | Bundled | 492,945 | 15.57¢ | 39% |
| Central New Mexico El Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,126 | 17.16¢ | 20% |
| Otero County Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,448 | 17.65¢ | 44% |
| Socorro Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sierra Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Socorro County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Socorro County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,870 | $53,770 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 51 | $47,697 | 0.20 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Socorro County
Local measures 2
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year data center moratorium | In force | 2026-06 | |
| Socorro County Commission (moratorium process advanced; vote June 9), NM data center moratorium | In force | 2026-06 |
Socorro County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Socorro County, Lincoln County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socorro County | 15,838 | ▼ 5.4% | — | — | — | 2 |
| Catron County | 3,827 | ▲ 9.0% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Cibola County | 26,807 | ▼ 4.8% | 114 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 19,844 | ▲ 1.1% | 3,291 MW | — | — | — |
| Sierra County | 11,395 | ▲ 8.3% | 31 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Torrance County | 16,100 | ▼ 2.5% | 2,170 MW | — | — | — |
| Valencia County | 82,013 | ▲ 17.0% | 621 MW | 203 MW | 6 | — |
More of New Mexico
Socorro County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Socorro County, New Mexico?
5 utilities have service territory in Socorro County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of NM, Central New Mexico El Coop, Inc, Otero County Electric Coop Inc, Socorro Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of NM, charged residential customers 15.57¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Socorro County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Socorro County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Valencia County.
Is Socorro County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,870 jobs in 2025 against 5,149 in 2019 (-5.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 57 to 51.
Does Socorro County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures for Socorro County, 2 in force.