Motley County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Motley County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Motley County is home to Matador. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Next door, Dickens County has 2 data centers and 204 MW of planned generation. 250 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 305 jobs in 2025, down 5.9% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Motley County
Motley County is home to Matador.
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 Motley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,062 | 1,043 | ▼ 1.8% | 246th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 324 | 305 | ▼ 5.9% | 209th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $29,981 | $39,817 | ▲ 32.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 5.1% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 250 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 250 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Motley County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 1,043 people live here, down 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Motley County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +250 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Motley County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Public Service Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 222,146 | 13.35¢ | 25% |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| South Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,173 | 10.35¢ | 23% |
| Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,878 | 14.59¢ | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 250 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roaring Springs, LLC | Roaring Springs, LLC | Solar | 250 MW | 2025 |
The Motley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 305 | $39,817 | 1.00 |
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 Motley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Motley County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Motley County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Motley County, Dickens 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motley County | 1,043 | ▼ 5.9% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Briscoe County | 1,474 | ▲ 7.2% | 350 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Cottle County | 1,224 | ▲ 90.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Crosby County | 4,852 | ▼ 18.3% | 367 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Dickens County | 1,692 | ▲ 16.5% | 450 MW | 204 MW | 2 | — |
| Floyd County | 4,881 | ▼ 2.4% | 761 MW | — | — | — |
| Hall County | 2,737 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | 1 | — |
| King County | 192 | ▲ 89.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Motley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Motley County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Motley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, AEP Texas North Company, South Plains Electric Coop Inc, Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Motley County?
1 operating plant with 250 MW of capacity. The largest is Roaring Springs, LLC (250 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Motley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Motley County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Dickens County.
Is Motley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 305 jobs in 2025 against 324 in 2019 (-5.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Motley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Motley County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.