Hartley County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dalhart
No data center or power plant project is on record in Hartley County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Hartley County is home to part of Dalhart (2,607 of its 8,377 residents). Next door, Sherman County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 2,868 jobs in 2025, up 11.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. 4 MW has retired here since 2019, including Suzlon Project VIII LLC (wind, 4 MW, 2020).
Cities and towns in Hartley County
Hartley County is home to part of Dalhart (2,607 of its 8,377 residents).
- Dalhart also extends into Dallam County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hartley.
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 Hartley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,337 | 4,904 | ▼ 8.1% | 199th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,582 | 2,868 | ▲ 11.1% | 74th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,036 | $54,584 | ▲ 29.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.5% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — |
4,904 people live here, down 8.1% since 2020. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Hartley County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities.
Who powers Hartley County
Utilities with service territory in Hartley 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% |
| Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,255 | 8.28¢ | 96% |
| Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM) | Cooperative | Bundled | 10 | 23.33¢ | 0% |
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 Hartley County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzlon Project VIII LLC | Wind | 4 MW | 2020 |
The Hartley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,868 | $54,584 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 132 | $60,204 | 0.87 |
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 Hartley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hartley County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Hartley County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hartley County, Union 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartley County | 4,904 | ▲ 11.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Dallam County | 7,508 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Moore County | 21,891 | ▲ 15.2% | 98 MW | — | — | — |
| Oldham County | 1,783 | ▼ 11.0% | 755 MW | — | — | — |
| Quay County NM | 8,454 | ▼ 1.1% | 409 MW | — | — | — |
| Sherman County | 2,781 | ▲ 4.1% | 20 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Union County NM | 3,844 | ▼ 8.9% | — | 190 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Hartley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hartley County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Hartley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc, Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM). The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hartley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hartley County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sherman County.
Is Hartley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,868 jobs in 2025 against 2,582 in 2019 (+11.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hartley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hartley County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.