Blanco County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Johnson City and Blanco
No data center or power plant project is on record in Blanco County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Blanco County is home to Johnson City and Blanco. Electrical contractors employ 116, up 46.8% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $98,897 a year. Employers here counted 4,106 jobs in 2025, up 20.3% from 2019. Construction employs 574, down 2.4% since 2019, and construction is 2.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Travis County has 25 data centers.
Cities and towns in Blanco County
Blanco County is home to Johnson City and Blanco.
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 Blanco County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,451 | 13,581 | ▲ 18.6% | 147th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,412 | 4,106 | ▲ 20.3% | 34th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,686 | $66,739 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 588 | 574 | ▼ 2.4% | 123rd of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 79 | 116 | ▲ 46.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 4.0% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
13,581 people live here, up 18.6% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it battery storage. Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Blanco County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.22¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities.
Who powers Blanco County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Blanco County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 405,587 | 12.22¢ | 22% |
| Central Texas Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 39,569 | 11.03¢ | 9% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City BESS | Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc | Battery storage | 2 MW | 2020 |
The Blanco County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,106 | $66,739 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 574 | $74,964 | 2.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 116 | $98,897 | 3.92 |
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 Blanco County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Blanco County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Hays County.
Blanco County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Blanco County, Travis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blanco County | 13,581 | ▲ 20.3% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Burnet County | 57,015 | ▲ 14.9% | 109 MW | 289 MW | — | — |
| Comal County | 209,166 | ▲ 30.0% | 217 MW | — | — | — |
| Gillespie County | 28,527 | ▲ 14.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hays County | 304,390 | ▲ 34.2% | 999 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Kendall County | 53,289 | ▲ 17.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Llano County | 23,353 | ▲ 19.4% | 630 MW | — | — | — |
| Travis County | 1,389,670 | ▲ 19.9% | 1,624 MW | 2 MW | 25 | — |
More of Texas
Blanco County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Blanco County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Blanco County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc, Central Texas Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 12.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Blanco County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Johnson City BESS (2 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Blanco County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Blanco County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Travis County.
Is Blanco County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,106 jobs in 2025 against 3,412 in 2019 (+20.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 588 to 574.
Does Blanco County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Blanco County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.