Dallam County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dalhart
No data center or power plant project is on record in Dallam County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Dallam County is home to most of Dalhart (5,770 of its 8,377 residents). Next door, Sherman County has 1 data center. Construction employs 282, up 1.4% since 2019. Employers here counted 4,788 jobs in 2025, up 6.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Dallam County
Dallam County is home to most of Dalhart (5,770 of its 8,377 residents).
- Dalhart also extends into Hartley County.
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 Dallam County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,137 | 7,508 | ▲ 5.2% | 180th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,514 | 4,788 | ▲ 6.1% | 116th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,744 | $59,126 | ▲ 29.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 278 | 282 | ▲ 1.4% | 117th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 31 | 32 | ▲ 3.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.1% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 32, up 3.2% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $65,046 a year. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Dallam 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. 7,508 people live here, up 5.2% since 2020.
Who powers Dallam County
Utilities with service territory in Dallam 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% |
| Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,255 | 8.28¢ | 96% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (OK) | Cooperative | Bundled | 210 | 15.52¢ | 96% |
| Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM) | Cooperative | Bundled | 10 | 23.33¢ | 0% |
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 Dallam County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Dallam County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,788 | $59,126 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 282 | $72,770 | 1.11 |
| Electrical contractors | 32 | $65,046 | 0.93 |
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 Dallam County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dallam County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Dallam County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Dallam County, Union 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallam County | 7,508 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Cimarron County OK | 2,059 | ▼ 16.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Hartley County | 4,904 | ▲ 11.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Moore County | 21,891 | ▲ 15.2% | 98 MW | — | — | — |
| Sherman County | 2,781 | ▲ 4.1% | 20 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Union County NM | 3,844 | ▼ 8.9% | — | 190 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Dallam County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dallam County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Dallam County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc, Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (OK), Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM). The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Dallam County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dallam County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sherman County.
Is Dallam County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,788 jobs in 2025 against 4,514 in 2019 (+6.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 278 to 282.
Does Dallam County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dallam County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.