Anderson County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Palestine, Elkhart and Frankston
Anderson County has more of its workforce in data processing and hosting than the country as a whole. Anderson County is home to Palestine, Elkhart and most of Frankston (1,106 of its 1,133 residents). 176 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Belltown Power Texas 2, LLC (battery storage). Next door, Freestone County has 1 data center and 959 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Construction employs 544, down 7.3% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Anderson County
Anderson County is home to Palestine, Elkhart and most of Frankston (1,106 of its 1,133 residents).
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Neches.
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 Anderson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 57,941 | 59,805 | ▲ 3.2% | 59th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,442 | 20,563 | ▲ 0.6% | 157th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,799 | $62,155 | ▲ 35.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 587 | 544 | ▼ 7.3% | 135th of 155 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 38 | 150 | ▲ 294.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.7% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 176 MW | no fleet today | 120th of 149 by size |
Electrical contractors employ 63, at an average $44,155 a year. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Anderson County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Employers here counted 20,563 jobs in 2025, up 0.6% from 2019. 59,805 people live here, up 3.2% since 2020.
Who powers Anderson County
Utilities with service territory in Anderson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 3,477,215 | — | — |
| Trinity Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 79,954 | 11.26¢ | 14% |
| Houston County Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,426 | 16.60¢ | 14% |
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 Anderson County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brotherton Storage | Batteries | 176 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Belltown Power Texas 2, LLC |
The Anderson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 20,563 | $62,155 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 544 | $65,975 | 0.50 |
| Electrical contractors | 63 | $44,155 | 0.42 |
| Data processing and hosting | 150 | $177,406 | 2.35 |
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 Anderson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Anderson County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Anderson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Anderson County, Freestone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | 59,805 | ▲ 0.6% | — | 176 MW | — | — |
| Cherokee County | 53,337 | ▲ 1.0% | 713 MW | — | — | — |
| Freestone County | 20,811 | ▲ 10.4% | 1,490 MW | 959 MW | 1 | — |
| Henderson County | 88,595 | ▲ 14.4% | 546 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Houston County | 22,316 | ▲ 9.6% | — | 125 MW | — | — |
| Leon County | 16,894 | ▲ 22.8% | 209 MW | 815 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Anderson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Anderson County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Anderson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Trinity Valley Elec Coop Inc, Houston County Elec Coop Inc.
What county is Palestine, TX in?
Palestine is in Anderson County, Texas. About 19,555 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Anderson County?
176 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Belltown Power Texas 2, LLC.
Are there data centers in Anderson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Anderson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Freestone County.
Is Anderson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 20,563 jobs in 2025 against 20,442 in 2019 (+0.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 587 to 544.
Does Anderson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Anderson County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.