Montague County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bowie and Nocona
No data center or power plant project is on record in Montague County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Montague County is home to Bowie, Nocona and Saint Jo. Construction employs 319, up 20.8% since 2019. Next door, Clay County has 450 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. 21,966 people live here, up 9.6% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Montague County
Montague County is home to Bowie, Nocona and Saint Jo.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Montague, Nocona Hills, Ringgold, Sunset.
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 Montague County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,040 | 21,966 | ▲ 9.6% | 112th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,911 | 4,821 | ▼ 1.8% | 179th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,035 | $49,568 | ▲ 17.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 264 | 319 | ▲ 20.8% | 74th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30 | 22 | ▼ 26.7% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16 | 18 | ▲ 12.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 4.6% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
Employers here counted 4,821 jobs in 2025, down 1.8% from 2019. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Montague County, one of 6 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Electrical contractors employ 22, down 26.7% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $50,418 a year.
Who powers Montague County
Utilities with service territory in Montague 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 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| Wise Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,137 | 15.56¢ | 53% |
| Cooke County Elec Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,886 | 14.01¢ | 32% |
| City of Bowie - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
| J-A-C Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Montague County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Montague County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,821 | $49,568 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 319 | $69,518 | 1.25 |
| Electrical contractors | 22 | $50,418 | 0.63 |
| Electric utilities | 18 | $105,415 | 1.38 |
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 Montague County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Montague County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Montague County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Montague County, Wise 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montague County | 21,966 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 10,764 | ▲ 13.2% | 204 MW | 450 MW | — | — |
| Cooke County | 44,461 | ▲ 9.7% | 638 MW | — | — | — |
| Jack County | 9,563 | ▼ 15.8% | 1,030 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County OK | 5,431 | ▼ 21.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Love County OK | 10,780 | ▼ 13.1% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Wise County | 83,778 | ▲ 5.5% | 2,237 MW | 403 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Montague County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Montague County, Texas?
6 utilities have service territory in Montague County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, Wise Electric Coop Inc, Cooke County Elec Coop Assn.
Are there data centers in Montague County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Montague County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clay County.
Is Montague County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,821 jobs in 2025 against 4,911 in 2019 (-1.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 264 to 319.
Does Montague County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Montague County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.