Marion County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jefferson
Marion County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Construction employs 103, up 586.7% since 2019. Marion County is home to Jefferson. Next door, Morris County has 900 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 6.4% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,203 jobs in 2025, up 10.9% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Marion County
Marion County is home to Jefferson.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Pine Harbor.
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 Marion County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,866 | 9,896 | ▲ 0.3% | 164th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,987 | 2,203 | ▲ 10.9% | 77th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,450 | $48,118 | ▲ 39.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15 | 103 | ▲ 586.7% | 1st of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 6.4% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 882 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Southwestern Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Marion County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.03¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 9,896 people live here, up 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Marion County
Utilities with service territory in Marion County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 156,271 | 12.03¢ | 30% |
| Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 44,415 | 12.40¢ | 18% |
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 | 882 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes | Southwestern Electric Power Co | Natural gas | 882 MW | 1964 |
The Marion County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,203 | $48,118 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 103 | $111,021 | 0.88 |
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 Marion County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Marion County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Caddo Parish.
Marion County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Marion County, Morris 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 9,896 | ▲ 10.9% | 882 MW | — | — | — |
| Caddo Parish LA | 224,226 | ▼ 0.8% | 1,050 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Cass County | 28,651 | ▲ 1.1% | 65 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County | 71,956 | ▼ 8.3% | 1,043 MW | 450 MW | — | — |
| Morris County | 12,133 | ▼ 13.6% | — | 900 MW | — | — |
| Upshur County | 44,410 | ▲ 7.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Marion County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marion County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Marion County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Electric Power Co, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp. The largest, Southwestern Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 12.03¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Marion County?
1 operating plant with 882 MW of capacity. The largest is Wilkes (882 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Marion County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Marion County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Morris County.
Is Marion County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,203 jobs in 2025 against 1,987 in 2019 (+10.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 15 to 103.
Does Marion County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marion County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.