Jeff Davis County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fort Davis
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jeff Davis County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Jeff Davis County is home to Valentine. Next door, Pecos County has 3 data centers and 1,098 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 829 jobs in 2025, down 7.9% from 2019. 1,711 people live here, down 13.9% since 2020. Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Jeff Davis County
Jeff Davis County is home to Valentine.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Davis.
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 Jeff Davis County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,987 | 1,711 | ▼ 13.9% | 235th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 900 | 829 | ▼ 7.9% | 214th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,431 | $45,642 | ▲ 32.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 5.4% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
AEP Texas North Company is the largest utility serving Jeff Davis County, one of 2 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers.
Who powers Jeff Davis County
Utilities with service territory in Jeff Davis County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| Rio Grande Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,298 | 18.51¢ | 23% |
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 Jeff Davis County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Jeff Davis County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 829 | $45,642 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 11 | $52,152 | 0.25 |
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 Jeff Davis County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jeff Davis County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Jeff Davis County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jeff Davis County, Pecos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Davis County | 1,711 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Brewster County | 9,458 | ▲ 10.1% | 123 MW | — | — | — |
| Culberson County | 2,267 | ▲ 33.0% | 492 MW | 36 MW | — | — |
| Hudspeth County | 3,433 | ▼ 24.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Pecos County | 14,560 | ▼ 5.0% | 3,731 MW | 1,098 MW | 3 | — |
| Presidio County | 5,433 | ▼ 5.7% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Reeves County | 12,138 | ▼ 13.0% | 621 MW | 320 MW | 5 | — |
More of Texas
Jeff Davis County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jeff Davis County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Jeff Davis County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas North Company, Rio Grande Electric Coop, Inc.
Are there data centers in Jeff Davis County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jeff Davis County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pecos County.
Is Jeff Davis County adding jobs?
Employers counted 829 jobs in 2025 against 900 in 2019 (-7.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jeff Davis County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jeff Davis County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.