Hamilton County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hamilton and Hico
Hamilton 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. Hamilton County is home to Hamilton and Hico. 10 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Grizzly Ridge Solar LLC (battery storage). 10 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Bosque County has 1 data center and 217 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,829 jobs in 2025, up 7.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Hamilton County
Hamilton County is home to Hamilton and Hico.
- Evant also extends into Coryell County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Carlton.
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 Hamilton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,252 | 8,680 | ▲ 5.2% | 175th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,630 | 2,829 | ▲ 7.6% | 102nd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,388 | $49,007 | ▲ 27.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 136 | 132 | ▼ 2.9% | 124th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 100 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 10 MW | 10% of today's fleet | 146th of 149 by size |
Construction employs 132, down 2.9% since 2019. 100 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 100 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Texas-New Mexico Power Co is the largest utility serving Hamilton County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 8,680 people live here, up 5.2% since 2020.
Who powers Hamilton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +100 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hamilton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 88,324 | 13.00¢ | 20% |
| Hamilton County Elec Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,594 | 13.69¢ | 12% |
| Heart of Texas Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,722 | 12.62¢ | 14% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 100 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grizzly Ridge Solar | Grizzly Ridge Solar LLC | Solar | 100 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grizzly Ridge Solar | Batteries | 10 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Grizzly Ridge Solar LLC |
The Hamilton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,829 | $49,007 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 132 | $67,570 | 0.88 |
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 Hamilton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hamilton County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Hamilton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hamilton County, Bosque 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 8,680 | ▲ 7.6% | 100 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Bosque County | 18,918 | ▲ 1.6% | 1,340 MW | 217 MW | 1 | — |
| Comanche County | 14,432 | ▲ 15.7% | 200 MW | 151 MW | — | — |
| Coryell County | 85,592 | ▼ 5.2% | 56 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Erath County | 43,911 | ▲ 14.0% | 163 MW | 204 MW | — | — |
| Lampasas County | 23,657 | ▲ 25.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Mills County | 4,580 | ▲ 6.6% | 849 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Hamilton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hamilton County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Hamilton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Texas-New Mexico Power Co, United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX), Hamilton County Elec Coop Assn, Heart of Texas Electric Coop.
What power plants are in Hamilton County?
1 operating plant with 100 MW of capacity. The largest is Grizzly Ridge Solar (100 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Hamilton County?
10 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 10 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Grizzly Ridge Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Hamilton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hamilton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bosque County.
Is Hamilton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,829 jobs in 2025 against 2,630 in 2019 (+7.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 136 to 132.
Does Hamilton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hamilton County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.