Kenedy County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sarita
Kenedy County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Employers here counted 244 jobs in 2025, down 55.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 8.1% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. Kenedy County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Sarita, are unincorporated and governed by the county. Next door, Hidalgo County has 8 data centers. Its power plants have 1,075 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Kenedy County
Kenedy County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Sarita, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Sarita.
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 Kenedy County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 349 | 319 | ▼ 8.6% | 252nd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 543 | 244 | ▼ 55.1% | 254th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $71,084 | $68,585 | ▼ 3.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 8.1% | ▲ 3.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
319 people live here, down 8.6% since 2020. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Kenedy County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers.
Who powers Kenedy County
Utilities with service territory in Kenedy County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 126,402 | 10.20¢ | 10% |
| Nueces Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 46,409 | 10.68¢ | 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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 1,075 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern Gulf Wind | Pattern Operators LP | Wind | 283 MW | 2008 |
| Penascal II Wind Project LLC | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 202 MW | 2010 |
| Penascal Wind Power LLC | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 202 MW | 2009 |
| Stella Wind Farm | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 201 MW | 2018 |
| Baffin Wind | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 188 MW | 2014 |
The Kenedy County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 244 | $68,585 | 1.00 |
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 Kenedy County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Kenedy County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Kenedy County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Kenedy County, Hidalgo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenedy County | 319 | ▼ 55.1% | 1,075 MW | — | — | — |
| Brooks County | 6,579 | ▼ 21.9% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Hidalgo County | 921,549 | ▲ 11.4% | 3,426 MW | 160 MW | 8 | — |
| Kleberg County | 30,315 | ▲ 1.6% | — | 220 MW | — | — |
| Willacy County | 19,971 | ▲ 11.5% | 1,445 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of Texas
Kenedy County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kenedy County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Kenedy County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc, Nueces Electric Cooperative.
What power plants are in Kenedy County?
5 operating plants with 1,075 MW of capacity. The largest is Pattern Gulf Wind (283 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Kenedy County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kenedy County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hidalgo County.
Is Kenedy County adding jobs?
Employers counted 244 jobs in 2025 against 543 in 2019 (-55.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Kenedy County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kenedy County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.