Jim Wells County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Alice, Premont and Orange Grove
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jim Wells County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Jim Wells County is home to Alice, Premont, Orange Grove and part of San Diego (743 of its 3,503 residents). Construction employs 306, down 39.2% since 2019. Next door, Nueces County has 4 data centers and 1,229 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 14,627 jobs in 2025, down 11.9% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Jim Wells County
Jim Wells County is home to Alice, Premont, Orange Grove and part of San Diego (743 of its 3,503 residents).
- San Diego also extends into Duval County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alfred, Alice Acres, Amargosa, Ben Bolt, Coyote Acres, K-Bar Ranch, Loma Linda East, Owl Ranch, Rancho Alegre, Sandia, South La Paloma, Westdale.
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 Jim Wells County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 38,888 | 38,804 | ▼ 0.2% | 84th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,610 | 14,627 | ▼ 11.9% | 229th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,075 | $49,616 | ▲ 1.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 503 | 306 | ▼ 39.2% | 152nd of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 85 | 78 | ▼ 8.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 5.7% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 142 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
142 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 142 MW of capacity, 92% of it solar. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Jim Wells County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Electrical contractors employ 78, down 8.2% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $63,025 a year. 38,804 people live here, down 0.2% since 2020.
Who powers Jim Wells County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +142 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jim Wells County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Nueces Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 46,409 | 10.68¢ | 17% |
| San Patricio Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,007 | 13.99¢ | 17% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 131 MW | 92% |
| Battery storage | 10 MW | 7% |
| Natural gas | 1 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Grove | Orange Grove | Solar | 131 MW | 2025 |
| BESS Stadium | Grenergy USA LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2026 |
| WAL791 | Walmart Stores Texas, LLC | Natural gas | 1 MW | 2021 |
The Jim Wells County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,627 | $49,616 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 306 | $51,580 | 0.39 |
| Electrical contractors | 78 | $63,025 | 0.74 |
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 Jim Wells County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jim Wells County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Jim Wells County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jim Wells County, Nueces 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Wells County | 38,804 | ▼ 11.9% | 142 MW | — | — | — |
| Brooks County | 6,579 | ▼ 21.9% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Duval County | 9,402 | ▲ 4.1% | — | 300 MW | — | — |
| Kleberg County | 30,315 | ▲ 1.6% | — | 220 MW | — | — |
| Live Oak County | 11,929 | ▼ 12.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Nueces County | 352,992 | ▲ 0.9% | 3,408 MW | 1,229 MW | 4 | — |
| San Patricio County | 72,053 | ▲ 15.7% | 2,207 MW | 260 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Jim Wells County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jim Wells County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Jim Wells County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Nueces Electric Cooperative, San Patricio Electric Coop Inc.
What county is Alice, TX in?
Alice is in Jim Wells County, Texas. About 17,550 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jim Wells County?
3 operating plants with 142 MW of capacity. The largest is Orange Grove (131 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Jim Wells County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jim Wells County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Nueces County.
Is Jim Wells County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,627 jobs in 2025 against 16,610 in 2019 (-11.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 503 to 306.
Does Jim Wells County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jim Wells County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.