Johnson County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Burleson, Cleburne and Joshua
Johnson County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Construction employs 7,083, up 49.1% since 2019, and construction is 2.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Johnson County is home to most of Burleson (46,460 of its 56,907 residents), Cleburne, Joshua and most of Venus (7,961 of its 8,870 residents). Employers here counted 60,969 jobs in 2025, up 26.0% from 2019. Next door, Hill County has 1,820 MW of planned generation. 218,048 people live here, up 20.5% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Johnson County
Johnson County is home to most of Burleson (46,460 of its 56,907 residents), Cleburne, Joshua and most of Venus (7,961 of its 8,870 residents).
- Burleson also extends into Tarrant County.
- Venus also extends into Ellis County.
- Mansfield also extends into Tarrant County.
- Cresson also extends into Hood County, Parker County.
- Crowley also extends into Tarrant County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Pecan Plantation, The Homesteads.
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 Johnson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 180,955 | 218,048 | ▲ 20.5% | 26th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 48,391 | 60,969 | ▲ 26.0% | 24th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,847 | $59,667 | ▲ 27.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,749 | 7,083 | ▲ 49.1% | 35th of 155 by growth |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 208 | 1,492 | ▲ 617.3% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 132 | 180 | ▲ 36.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 4.1% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 283 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Johnson County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers.
Who powers Johnson County
Utilities with service territory in Johnson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 3,477,215 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 88,324 | 13.00¢ | 20% |
| HILCO Electric Cooperative, Inc. | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,883 | 14.91¢ | 28% |
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 | 283 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | Johnson County Power LLC | Natural gas | 283 MW | 1996 |
The Johnson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 60,969 | $59,667 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 7,083 | $75,790 | 2.19 |
| Power and communication line construction | 1,492 | $78,259 | 15.15 |
| Electric utilities | 180 | $143,428 | 1.09 |
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 Johnson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Johnson County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Hill County, Hood County.
Johnson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Johnson County, Hill 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 218,048 | ▲ 26.0% | 283 MW | — | — | — |
| Bosque County | 18,918 | ▲ 1.6% | 1,340 MW | 217 MW | 1 | — |
| Ellis County | 240,867 | ▲ 22.8% | 2,517 MW | 574 MW | 16 | — |
| Hill County | 39,503 | ▲ 18.1% | 1,543 MW | 1,820 MW | — | 2 |
| Hood County | 70,501 | ▲ 10.5% | 2,646 MW | 200 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Parker County | 184,767 | ▲ 22.7% | 3 MW | 773 MW | — | — |
| Somervell County | 10,261 | ▲ 5.4% | 2,430 MW | 170 MW | — | — |
| Tarrant County | 2,248,466 | ▲ 10.4% | 1,484 MW | — | 17 | — |
More of Texas
Johnson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Johnson County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Johnson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX), HILCO Electric Cooperative, Inc..
What county is Burleson, TX in?
Most of Burleson is in Johnson County: 46,460 of its 56,907 residents, or 82%. The rest of the city lies in Tarrant County.
What county is Cleburne, TX in?
Cleburne is in Johnson County, Texas. About 39,942 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Johnson County?
1 operating plant with 283 MW of capacity. The largest is Johnson County (283 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Johnson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Johnson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hill County.
Is Johnson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 60,969 jobs in 2025 against 48,391 in 2019 (+26.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,749 to 7,083.
Does Johnson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Johnson County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.