Kent County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Girard
No data center or power plant project is on record in Kent County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Employers here counted 380 jobs in 2025, up 33.8% from 2019. Kent County is home to Jayton. 250 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Clairemont Solar LLC (solar). Next door, Stonewall County has 795 MW of planned generation. 452 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Kent County
Kent County is home to Jayton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Girard.
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 Kent County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 758 | 674 | ▼ 11.1% | 249th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 284 | 380 | ▲ 33.8% | 14th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,451 | $42,010 | ▲ 6.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 452 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 250 MW | 55% of today's fleet | 95th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 452 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. 674 people live here, down 11.1% since 2020. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Kent County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019.
Who powers Kent County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +452 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Kent 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 | — | — |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| South Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,173 | 10.35¢ | 23% |
| Big Country Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,449 | 13.72¢ | 72% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 452 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Solar Nova 1 | Texas Solar Nova 1, LLC | Solar | 252 MW | 2023 |
| Texas Solar Nova 2 | Texas Solar Nova 2, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clairemont Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Clairemont Solar LLC |
The Kent County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 380 | $42,010 | 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 Kent County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Kent County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Kent County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Kent County, Stonewall 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County | 674 | ▲ 33.8% | 452 MW | 250 MW | — | — |
| Crosby County | 4,852 | ▼ 18.3% | 367 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Dickens County | 1,692 | ▲ 16.5% | 450 MW | 204 MW | 2 | — |
| Fisher County | 3,692 | ▼ 0.5% | 509 MW | 330 MW | — | — |
| Garza County | 4,510 | ▼ 27.5% | — | — | — | — |
| King County | 192 | ▲ 89.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Scurry County | 16,162 | ▲ 2.7% | 2,639 MW | 190 MW | — | — |
| Stonewall County | 1,186 | ▲ 50.5% | — | 795 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Kent County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kent County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Kent County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, AEP Texas North Company, South Plains Electric Coop Inc, Big Country Electric Coop, Inc.
What power plants are in Kent County?
2 operating plants with 452 MW of capacity. The largest is Texas Solar Nova 1 (252 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Kent County?
250 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Clairemont Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Kent County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kent County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Stonewall County.
Is Kent County adding jobs?
Employers counted 380 jobs in 2025 against 284 in 2019 (+33.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Kent County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kent County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.