McCulloch County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Brady
No data center or power plant project is on record in McCulloch County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. McCulloch County is home to Brady. 90 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by RIC Development, LLC (solar). Employers here counted 2,210 jobs in 2025, down 16.1% from 2019. Next door, Concho County has 686 MW of planned generation. 180 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in McCulloch County
McCulloch County is home to Brady.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Rochelle.
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 McCulloch County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,592 | 7,472 | ▼ 1.6% | 181st of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,634 | 2,210 | ▼ 16.1% | 241st of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,729 | $50,266 | ▲ 20.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 61 | 65 | ▲ 6.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 5.5% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 180 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 90 MW | 26% of today's fleet | 139th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 340 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving McCulloch County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. 7,472 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers McCulloch County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +180 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in McCulloch 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 | — | — |
| Central Texas Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 39,569 | 11.03¢ | 9% |
| City of Brady - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 340 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart of Texas Wind Project | Scout Clean Energy LLC | Wind | 180 MW | 2020 |
| Rattlesnake Power, LLC | Rattlesnake Power, LLC | Wind | 160 MW | 2018 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Callan Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 90 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | RIC Development, LLC |
The McCulloch County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,210 | $50,266 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 65 | $42,692 | 0.56 |
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 McCulloch County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McCulloch County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
McCulloch County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border McCulloch County, Concho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCulloch County | 7,472 | ▼ 16.1% | 340 MW | 90 MW | — | — |
| Brown County | 38,711 | ▲ 0.6% | 480 MW | 479 MW | — | — |
| Coleman County | 7,915 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 396 MW | — | — |
| Concho County | 3,607 | ▲ 31.6% | 1,000 MW | 686 MW | — | — |
| Mason County | 3,990 | ▲ 4.0% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Menard County | 1,956 | ▼ 3.4% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| San Saba County | 5,787 | ▼ 16.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
McCulloch County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McCulloch County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in McCulloch County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, AEP Texas North Company, Central Texas Elec Coop, Inc, City of Brady - (TX).
What power plants are in McCulloch County?
2 operating plants with 340 MW of capacity. The largest is Heart of Texas Wind Project (180 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in McCulloch County?
90 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is RIC Development, LLC.
Are there data centers in McCulloch County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McCulloch County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Concho County.
Is McCulloch County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,210 jobs in 2025 against 2,634 in 2019 (-16.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 61 to 65.
Does McCulloch County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McCulloch County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.