Garza County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Post
No data center or power plant project is on record in Garza County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Garza County is home to Post. Employers here counted 1,361 jobs in 2025, down 27.5% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Next door, Borden County has 945 MW of planned generation. 4,510 people live here, down 22.3% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Garza County
Garza County is home to Post.
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 Garza County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,806 | 4,510 | ▼ 22.3% | 206th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,878 | 1,361 | ▼ 27.5% | 250th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,816 | $49,427 | ▲ 12.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 5.4% | ▲ 2.4pts | — |
Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Garza 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 Garza County
Utilities with service territory in Garza 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% |
| South Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,173 | 10.35¢ | 23% |
| Big Country Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,449 | 13.72¢ | 72% |
| Lyntegar Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,021 | 8.99¢ | 42% |
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 Garza County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Garza County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,361 | $49,427 | 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 Garza County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Garza County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Garza County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Garza County, Borden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garza County | 4,510 | ▼ 27.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Borden County | 567 | ▲ 33.7% | 1,479 MW | 945 MW | — | — |
| Crosby County | 4,852 | ▼ 18.3% | 367 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Dickens County | 1,692 | ▲ 16.5% | 450 MW | 204 MW | 2 | — |
| Kent County | 674 | ▲ 33.8% | 452 MW | 250 MW | — | — |
| Lubbock County | 328,906 | ▲ 8.2% | 874 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Lynn County | 6,017 | ▼ 2.3% | 700 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Scurry County | 16,162 | ▲ 2.7% | 2,639 MW | 190 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Garza County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Garza County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Garza County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, South Plains Electric Coop Inc, Big Country Electric Coop, Inc, Lyntegar Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Garza County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Garza County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Borden County.
Is Garza County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,361 jobs in 2025 against 1,878 in 2019 (-27.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Garza County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Garza County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.