Duval County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to San Diego, Freer and Benavides
Duval County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. Duval County is home to most of San Diego (2,760 of its 3,503 residents), Freer and Benavides. 300 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Cazadores Solar LLC (solar). Employers here counted 3,706 jobs in 2025, up 4.1% from 2019. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Duval County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 9,402 people live here, down 4.2% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Duval County
Duval County is home to most of San Diego (2,760 of its 3,503 residents), Freer and Benavides.
- San Diego also extends into Jim Wells County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Concepcion, Realitos.
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 Duval County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,811 | 9,402 | ▼ 4.2% | 169th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,561 | 3,706 | ▲ 4.1% | 131st of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,808 | $42,208 | ▲ 8.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 5.2% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 300 MW | no fleet today | 83rd of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019.
Who powers Duval County
Utilities with service territory in Duval County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Nueces Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 46,409 | 10.68¢ | 17% |
| Medina Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,205 | 12.10¢ | 20% |
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 Duval County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cazadores Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Cazadores Solar LLC |
The Duval County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,706 | $42,208 | 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 Duval County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Duval County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Duval County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Duval County, Webb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duval County | 9,402 | ▲ 4.1% | — | 300 MW | — | — |
| Brooks County | 6,579 | ▼ 21.9% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Jim Hogg County | 4,555 | ▼ 0.4% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Jim Wells County | 38,804 | ▼ 11.9% | 142 MW | — | — | — |
| La Salle County | 6,517 | ▼ 9.6% | 20 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Live Oak County | 11,929 | ▼ 12.8% | — | — | — | — |
| McMullen County | 544 | ▼ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Webb County | 281,224 | ▲ 4.6% | 2,613 MW | 776 MW | 4 | — |
More of Texas
Duval County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Duval County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Duval County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Nueces Electric Cooperative, Medina Electric Coop, Inc.
How much new power is planned in Duval County?
300 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cazadores Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Duval County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Duval County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Webb County.
Is Duval County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,706 jobs in 2025 against 3,561 in 2019 (+4.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Duval County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Duval County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.