Medina County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hondo, Devine and Castroville
The data center boom is not abstract in Medina County: it is on the ground here. Construction employs 1,231, up 46.2% since 2019, and construction is 2.0 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Medina County. Medina County is home to Hondo, Devine, Castroville and Natalia. 180 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by RIC Development, LLC (solar). Employers here counted 11,400 jobs in 2025, up 12.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Medina County
Medina County is home to Hondo, Devine, Castroville and Natalia.
- Lytle also extends into Atascosa County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): D'Hanis, Lake Medina Shores, Yancey.
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 Medina County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 51,058 | 56,881 | ▲ 11.4% | 65th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,154 | 11,400 | ▲ 12.3% | 68th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,571 | $51,593 | ▲ 33.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 842 | 1,231 | ▲ 46.2% | 37th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 4.6% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 180 MW | no fleet today | 118th of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 56,881 people live here, up 11.4% since 2020. City of San Antonio - (TX) is the largest utility serving Medina County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.43¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities.
Who powers Medina County
Utilities with service territory in Medina County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of San Antonio - (TX) | Municipal | Bundled | 865,914 | 12.43¢ | 54% |
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Bandera Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,346 | 12.40¢ | 27% |
| Medina Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,205 | 12.10¢ | 20% |
| Karnes Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,222 | 9.90¢ | 43% |
| City of Castroville - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Hondo - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Medina County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunlay Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 180 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | RIC Development, LLC |
The Medina County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,400 | $51,593 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,231 | $70,094 | 2.04 |
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 Medina County
3 data centers in Medina County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Medina County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Medina County, Bexar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medina County | 56,881 | ▲ 12.3% | — | 180 MW | 3 | — |
| Atascosa County | 53,590 | ▲ 2.2% | 420 MW | 106 MW | — | — |
| Bandera County | 22,876 | ▲ 14.0% | 20 MW | 133 MW | — | — |
| Bexar County | 2,160,088 | ▲ 6.7% | 4,969 MW | 750 MW | 51 | — |
| Frio County | 18,823 | ▼ 16.7% | 744 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Uvalde County | 24,963 | ▼ 0.7% | 304 MW | 480 MW | — | — |
| Zavala County | 9,037 | ▼ 5.8% | — | 425 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Medina County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Medina County, Texas?
7 utilities have service territory in Medina County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of San Antonio - (TX), AEP Texas Central Company, Bandera Electric Coop, Inc, Medina Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, City of San Antonio - (TX), charged residential customers 12.43¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Medina County?
180 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 Medina County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Medina County.
Is Medina County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,400 jobs in 2025 against 10,154 in 2019 (+12.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 842 to 1,231.
Does Medina County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Medina County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.