Jefferson County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Beaumont, Port Arthur and Nederland
The data center boom is not abstract in Jefferson County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jefferson County. Jefferson County is home to Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland and Groves. Electrical contractors employ 2,794, up 57.4% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $104,516 a year. 754 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Entergy Texas Inc. (natural gas). Construction employs 17,511, up 16.5% since 2019, and construction is 2.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy.
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland and Groves.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beauxart Gardens, Central Gardens, Fannett, Hamshire.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 256,141 | 254,321 | ▼ 0.7% | 22nd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 123,050 | 124,810 | ▲ 1.4% | 148th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $58,104 | $73,587 | ▲ 26.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,035 | 17,511 | ▲ 16.5% | 83rd of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,775 | 2,794 | ▲ 57.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.6% | 6.3% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 38 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 754 MW | 56% of today's fleet | 34th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 1,355 MW of capacity, 88% of it natural gas. 38 MW has retired here since 2019, including Port Neches Plant (natural gas, 38 MW, 2023). 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Unemployment was 6.3% in August 2026, against 5.6% in 2019. Entergy Texas Inc. is the largest utility serving Jefferson County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.66¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. Employers here counted 124,810 jobs in 2025, up 1.4% from 2019. 254,321 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Jefferson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −37 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson 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% |
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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,198 MW | 88% |
| Other technologies | 157 MW | 12% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery | ExxonMobil Oil Corp | Natural gas | 678 MW | 1966 |
| Motiva Enterprises Port Arthur Refinery | Motiva Enterprises LLC | Natural gas | 277 MW | 1957 |
| Air Products Port Arthur | Air Products LLC | Natural gas | 169 MW | 2000 |
| NAFTA Region Olefins Complex Cogen Fac | BASF Corp | Natural gas | 83 MW | 2001 |
| JCO Oxides Olefins Plant | Indorama Ventures | Natural gas | 74 MW | 1992 |
| Port Arthur Texas Refinery | Total Petrochemicals USA Inc | Natural gas | 38 MW | 1988 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legend Power Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 754 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Entergy Texas Inc. |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Neches Plant | Natural gas | 38 MW | 2023 |
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 124,810 | $73,587 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 17,511 | $92,780 | 2.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,794 | $104,516 | 3.10 |
| Power and communication line construction | 247 | $102,598 | 1.23 |
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 Jefferson County
1 data center in Jefferson County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 254,321 | ▲ 1.4% | 1,355 MW | 754 MW | 1 | — |
| Cameron Parish LA | 4,718 | ▼ 49.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Chambers County | 57,594 | ▲ 35.0% | 3,035 MW | 1,080 MW | — | — |
| Hardin County | 58,723 | ▼ 5.7% | 173 MW | 341 MW | — | — |
| Liberty County | 121,364 | ▲ 9.7% | 110 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Orange County | 86,266 | ▲ 10.9% | 2,455 MW | 1,306 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, Texas?
1 utility has service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Texas Inc.. The largest, Entergy Texas Inc., charged residential customers 13.66¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Beaumont, TX in?
Beaumont is in Jefferson County, Texas. About 112,967 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Port Arthur, TX in?
Port Arthur is in Jefferson County, Texas. About 55,719 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Nederland, TX in?
Nederland is in Jefferson County, Texas. About 18,108 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jefferson County?
8 operating plants with 1,355 MW of capacity. The largest is ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery (678 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Jefferson County?
754 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Entergy Texas Inc..
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jefferson County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 124,810 jobs in 2025 against 123,050 in 2019 (+1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 15,035 to 17,511.
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.