Erath County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Stephenville and Dublin
New generation is lining up in Erath County. Erath County is home to Stephenville and Dublin. Construction employs 1,450, up 31.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 204 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Erath County Solar LLC (solar). Employers here counted 19,535 jobs in 2025, up 14.0% from 2019. 10 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Erath County
Erath County is home to Stephenville and Dublin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bluff Dale, Huckabay, Lingleville.
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 Erath County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 42,710 | 43,911 | ▲ 2.8% | 79th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,142 | 19,535 | ▲ 14.0% | 58th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,314 | $49,975 | ▲ 33.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,101 | 1,450 | ▲ 31.7% | 55th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 10 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 204 MW | 125% of today's fleet | 103rd of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Its power plants have 163 MW of capacity, 94% of it wind. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Erath County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 43,911 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Erath County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +10 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Erath 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 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 88,324 | 13.00¢ | 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.
Operating power plants 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 153 MW | 94% |
| Solar | 10 MW | 6% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckthorn Wind | Buckthorn Wind Project, LLC | Wind | 100 MW | 2017 |
| Silver Star I Wind Power Project | Silver Star I Power Partners LLC | Wind | 53 MW | 2008 |
| TPE Erath Solar, LLC | Navisun LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erath County Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 204 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Erath County Solar LLC |
The Erath County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 19,535 | $49,975 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,450 | $69,940 | 1.40 |
| Electric utilities | 76 | $134,761 | 1.44 |
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 Erath County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Erath County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Hood County.
Erath County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Erath County, Hood 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erath County | 43,911 | ▲ 14.0% | 163 MW | 204 MW | — | — |
| Bosque County | 18,918 | ▲ 1.6% | 1,340 MW | 217 MW | 1 | — |
| Comanche County | 14,432 | ▲ 15.7% | 200 MW | 151 MW | — | — |
| Eastland County | 18,143 | ▼ 26.0% | 1,134 MW | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 8,680 | ▲ 7.6% | 100 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Hood County | 70,501 | ▲ 10.5% | 2,646 MW | 200 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Palo Pinto County | 30,791 | ▼ 2.4% | 614 MW | — | — | — |
| Somervell County | 10,261 | ▲ 5.4% | 2,430 MW | 170 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Erath County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Erath County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Erath County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX).
What county is Stephenville, TX in?
Stephenville is in Erath County, Texas. About 21,793 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Erath County?
3 operating plants with 163 MW of capacity. The largest is Buckthorn Wind (100 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Erath County?
204 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Erath County Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Erath County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Erath County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hood County.
Is Erath County adding jobs?
Employers counted 19,535 jobs in 2025 against 17,142 in 2019 (+14.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,101 to 1,450.
Does Erath County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Erath County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.