Archer County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Holliday, Archer City and Lakeside City
New generation is lining up in Archer County. Construction employs 212, up 89.3% since 2019, and construction is 2.1 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 57, up 111.1% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $60,746 a year. Archer County is home to Holliday, Archer City and Lakeside City. 600 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (solar). Employers here counted 1,918 jobs in 2025, up 8.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Archer County
Archer County is home to Holliday, Archer City and Lakeside City.
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 Archer County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,553 | 9,129 | ▲ 6.7% | 172nd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,768 | 1,918 | ▲ 8.5% | 95th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,006 | $54,105 | ▲ 42.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 112 | 212 | ▲ 89.3% | 13th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27 | 57 | ▲ 111.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 600 MW | 262% of today's fleet | 45th of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Its power plants have 229 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Archer County, one of 7 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 9,129 people live here, up 6.7% since 2020.
Who powers Archer County
Utilities with service territory in Archer 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 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 118,075 | 12.65¢ | 35% |
| Fort Belknap Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| J-A-C Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Southwest Rural Elec Assn 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.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 229 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobcat Bluff Wind Project LLC | EDF Renewable Asset Holdings, Inc. | Wind | 161 MW | 2012 |
| Windthorst-2 | EDF Renewable Asset Holdings, Inc. | Wind | 68 MW | 2014 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hollow Renewable Energy | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Red Hollow Renewable Energy | Batteries | 300 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
The Archer County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,918 | $54,105 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 212 | $57,381 | 2.09 |
| Electrical contractors | 57 | $60,746 | 4.12 |
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 Archer County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Archer County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Archer County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Archer County, Wichita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archer County | 9,129 | ▲ 8.5% | 229 MW | 600 MW | — | — |
| Baylor County | 3,472 | ▲ 12.4% | 381 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 10,764 | ▲ 13.2% | 204 MW | 450 MW | — | — |
| Jack County | 9,563 | ▼ 15.8% | 1,030 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Throckmorton County | 1,554 | ▲ 3.4% | 679 MW | 288 MW | — | — |
| Wichita County | 129,555 | ▼ 3.7% | 86 MW | 606 MW | 3 | — |
| Wilbarger County | 12,481 | ▲ 2.4% | 1,195 MW | 373 MW | 1 | — |
| Young County | 18,154 | ▲ 4.3% | 1,352 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Archer County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Archer County, Texas?
7 utilities have service territory in Archer County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, AEP Texas North Company, Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (TX).
What power plants are in Archer County?
2 operating plants with 229 MW of capacity. The largest is Bobcat Bluff Wind Project LLC (161 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Archer County?
600 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in Archer County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Archer County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wichita County.
Is Archer County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,918 jobs in 2025 against 1,768 in 2019 (+8.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 112 to 212.
Does Archer County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Archer County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.