Morris County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Daingerfield, Naples and Lone Star
Morris County is a generation frontier for Texas. Morris County is home to Daingerfield, Naples, Lone Star and Omaha. 900 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Arkansas Electric Coop Corp (natural gas). Employers here counted 3,278 jobs in 2025, down 13.6% from 2019. Unemployment was 6.2% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. 40 MW has retired here since 2019, including Lone Star (natural gas, 40 MW, 2020).
Cities and towns in Morris County
Morris County is home to Daingerfield, Naples, Lone Star and Omaha.
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 Morris County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,978 | 12,133 | ▲ 1.3% | 153rd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,792 | 3,278 | ▼ 13.6% | 235th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,542 | $60,602 | ▲ 15.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 80 | 81 | ▲ 1.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 6.2% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 40 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 900 MW | no fleet today | 25th of 149 by size |
Southwestern Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Morris County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.03¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 12,133 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Morris County
Utilities with service territory in Morris 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% |
| Bowie-Cass Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,526 | 12.56¢ | 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.
No operating power plant is located in Morris County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naples Power Plant | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 450 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Arkansas Electric Coop Corp |
| Naples Power Plant | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 450 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Arkansas Electric Coop Corp |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Star | Natural gas | 40 MW | 2020 |
The Morris County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,278 | $60,602 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 81 | $79,090 | 0.47 |
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 Morris County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Morris County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Morris County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Morris County, Titus 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morris County | 12,133 | ▼ 13.6% | — | 900 MW | — | — |
| Bowie County | 92,696 | ▲ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Camp County | 13,380 | ▲ 4.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Cass County | 28,651 | ▲ 1.1% | 65 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 9,896 | ▲ 10.9% | 882 MW | — | — | — |
| Red River County | 11,816 | ▲ 1.8% | 610 MW | — | — | — |
| Titus County | 31,563 | ▲ 11.7% | 1,116 MW | — | — | — |
| Upshur County | 44,410 | ▲ 7.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Morris County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Morris County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Morris County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Electric Power Co, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp, Bowie-Cass Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 12.03¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Morris County?
900 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Arkansas Electric Coop Corp.
Are there data centers in Morris County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Morris County.
Is Morris County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,278 jobs in 2025 against 3,792 in 2019 (-13.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 80 to 81.
Does Morris County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Morris County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.