Cottle County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Cottle County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Employers here counted 811 jobs in 2025, up 90.8% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 254 Texas counties). Cottle County is home to Paducah. Next door, Hardeman County has 1,000 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. 1,224 people live here, down 10.4% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Cottle County
Cottle County is home to Paducah.
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 Cottle County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,366 | 1,224 | ▼ 10.4% | 242nd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 425 | 811 | ▲ 90.8% | 3rd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,590 | $79,456 | ▲ 74.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 2.2% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Cottle County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities.
Who powers Cottle County
Utilities with service territory in Cottle County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Public Service Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 222,146 | 13.35¢ | 25% |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| South Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,173 | 10.35¢ | 23% |
| Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,878 | 14.59¢ | 72% |
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 Cottle County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Cottle County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 811 | $79,456 | 1.00 |
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 Cottle County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cottle County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Cottle County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Cottle County, Hardeman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottle County | 1,224 | ▲ 90.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Childress County | 6,643 | ▲ 18.3% | 572 MW | 170 MW | 3 | — |
| Dickens County | 1,692 | ▲ 16.5% | 450 MW | 204 MW | 2 | — |
| Foard County | 1,044 | ▲ 3.5% | 555 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Hall County | 2,737 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Hardeman County | 3,292 | ▲ 4.5% | 200 MW | 1,000 MW | — | — |
| King County | 192 | ▲ 89.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Motley County | 1,043 | ▼ 5.9% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Cottle County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cottle County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Cottle County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, AEP Texas North Company, South Plains Electric Coop Inc, Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Cottle County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cottle County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hardeman County.
Is Cottle County adding jobs?
Employers counted 811 jobs in 2025 against 425 in 2019 (+90.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Cottle County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cottle County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.