Hardin County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lumberton, Silsbee and Kountze
Hardin County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. Hardin County is home to Lumberton, Silsbee, Kountze and Sour Lake. 341 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Lumberton PV I, LLC (solar). Construction employs 1,514, up 2.9% since 2019, and construction is 2.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 12,194 jobs in 2025, down 5.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 173 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Hardin County
Hardin County is home to Lumberton, Silsbee, Kountze and Sour Lake.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Pinewood Estates, Wildwood.
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 Hardin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 56,357 | 58,723 | ▲ 4.2% | 61st of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,928 | 12,194 | ▼ 5.7% | 204th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,753 | $54,626 | ▲ 22.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,472 | 1,514 | ▲ 2.9% | 112th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 4.8% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 341 MW | 197% of today's fleet | 77th of 149 by size |
Entergy Texas Inc. is the largest utility serving Hardin County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.66¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. 58,723 people live here, up 4.2% since 2020.
Who powers Hardin County
Utilities with service territory in Hardin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Texas Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 457,369 | 13.66¢ | 24% |
| Sam Houston Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 86,118 | 12.62¢ | 9% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 173 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County Peaking Facility | Entergy Texas Inc. | Natural gas | 173 MW | 2001 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumberton PV I, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Lumberton PV I, LLC |
| Votaw Solar Station | Solar Photovoltaic | 141 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Entergy Louisiana LLC |
The Hardin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,194 | $54,626 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,514 | $84,180 | 2.34 |
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 Hardin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hardin County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Hardin County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hardin County, Orange 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County | 58,723 | ▼ 5.7% | 173 MW | 341 MW | — | — |
| Jasper County | 33,075 | ▼ 5.1% | 118 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 254,321 | ▲ 1.4% | 1,355 MW | 754 MW | 1 | — |
| Liberty County | 121,364 | ▲ 9.7% | 110 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Orange County | 86,266 | ▲ 10.9% | 2,455 MW | 1,306 MW | — | — |
| Polk County | 53,434 | ▲ 13.9% | 177 MW | 170 MW | — | — |
| Tyler County | 20,443 | ▲ 3.3% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Hardin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hardin County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Hardin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Texas Inc., Sam Houston Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Entergy Texas Inc., charged residential customers 13.66¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Lumberton, TX in?
Lumberton is in Hardin County, Texas. About 14,123 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hardin County?
1 operating plant with 173 MW of capacity. The largest is Hardin County Peaking Facility (173 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Hardin County?
341 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lumberton PV I, LLC.
Are there data centers in Hardin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hardin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Orange County.
Is Hardin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,194 jobs in 2025 against 12,928 in 2019 (-5.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,472 to 1,514.
Does Hardin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hardin County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.