Cherokee County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jacksonville, Rusk and Alto
No data center or power plant project is on record in Cherokee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Cherokee County is home to Jacksonville, Rusk, Alto and New Summerfield. Next door, Nacogdoches County has 674 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 655, up 7.6% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Its power plants have 713 MW of capacity, 99% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is home to Jacksonville, Rusk, Alto and New Summerfield.
- Bullard also extends into Smith County.
- Reklaw also extends into Rusk County.
- Troup also extends into Smith County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Shadybrook.
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 Cherokee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,619 | 53,337 | ▲ 5.4% | 72nd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,799 | 14,947 | ▲ 1.0% | 153rd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,122 | $52,484 | ▲ 41.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 609 | 655 | ▲ 7.6% | 101st of 155 by growth |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 87 | 127 | ▲ 46.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.7% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 41, at an average $69,967 a year. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Cherokee County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Employers here counted 14,947 jobs in 2025, up 1.0% from 2019. 53,337 people live here, up 5.4% since 2020.
Who powers Cherokee County
Utilities with service territory in Cherokee 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 | — | — |
| Cherokee County Elec Coop Assn - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,026 | 14.92¢ | 12% |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 703 MW | 99% |
| Petroleum | 10 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stryker Creek | Luminant Generation Company LLC | Petroleum | 713 MW | 1958 |
The Cherokee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,947 | $52,484 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 655 | $70,417 | 0.83 |
| Electrical contractors | 41 | $69,967 | 0.38 |
| Electric utilities | 127 | $123,524 | 3.14 |
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 Cherokee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cherokee County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Cherokee County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Cherokee County, Rusk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 53,337 | ▲ 1.0% | 713 MW | — | — | — |
| Anderson County | 59,805 | ▲ 0.6% | — | 176 MW | — | — |
| Angelina County | 88,154 | ▲ 1.1% | 200 MW | 200 MW | 2 | — |
| Henderson County | 88,595 | ▲ 14.4% | 546 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Houston County | 22,316 | ▲ 9.6% | — | 125 MW | — | — |
| Nacogdoches County | 66,035 | ▲ 0.8% | 114 MW | 674 MW | — | — |
| Rusk County | 54,854 | ▼ 2.2% | 3,519 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 252,549 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Cherokee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cherokee County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Cherokee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Cherokee County Elec Coop Assn - (TX), Houston County Elec Coop Inc.
What county is Jacksonville, TX in?
Jacksonville is in Cherokee County, Texas. About 14,658 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Cherokee County?
1 operating plant with 713 MW of capacity. The largest is Stryker Creek (713 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Cherokee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cherokee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Nacogdoches County.
Is Cherokee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,947 jobs in 2025 against 14,799 in 2019 (+1.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 609 to 655.
Does Cherokee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cherokee County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.