Ochiltree County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Perryton
Ochiltree County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. Construction employs 182, down 45.0% since 2019. Ochiltree County is home to Perryton. 316 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Palo Duro Energy Center, LLC (battery storage). Employers here counted 4,086 jobs in 2025, down 8.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Ochiltree County
Ochiltree County is home to Perryton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Farnsworth, Waka.
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 Ochiltree County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,954 | 9,284 | ▼ 6.7% | 171st of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,446 | 4,086 | ▼ 8.1% | 217th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,729 | $57,124 | ▲ 14.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 331 | 182 | ▼ 45.0% | 154th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.5% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 316 MW | 112% of today's fleet | 81st of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 282 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Ochiltree County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 9,284 people live here, down 6.7% since 2020.
Who powers Ochiltree County
Utilities with service territory in Ochiltree 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% |
| North Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,081 | 10.15¢ | 26% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 282 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Duro Wind | Palo Duro Wind | Wind | 282 MW | 2014 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Duro Energy Storage II | Batteries | 166 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Palo Duro Energy Center, LLC |
| Palo Duro Energy Storage | Batteries | 150 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Palo Duro Energy Storage, LLC |
The Ochiltree County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,086 | $57,124 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 182 | $60,154 | 0.84 |
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 Ochiltree County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ochiltree County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Ochiltree County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Ochiltree County, Roberts 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochiltree County | 9,284 | ▼ 8.1% | 282 MW | 316 MW | — | — |
| Beaver County OK | 4,882 | ▼ 20.6% | 798 MW | — | — | — |
| Hansford County | 4,944 | ▼ 2.6% | 1,221 MW | — | — | — |
| Lipscomb County | 2,955 | ▼ 12.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Roberts County | 867 | ▼ 33.6% | 289 MW | 500 MW | — | — |
| Texas County OK | 20,322 | ▲ 2.8% | 201 MW | 102 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Ochiltree County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ochiltree County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Ochiltree County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, North Plains Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Ochiltree County?
1 operating plant with 282 MW of capacity. The largest is Palo Duro Wind (282 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Ochiltree County?
316 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Palo Duro Energy Center, LLC.
Are there data centers in Ochiltree County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ochiltree County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Roberts County.
Is Ochiltree County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,086 jobs in 2025 against 4,446 in 2019 (-8.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 331 to 182.
Does Ochiltree County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ochiltree County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.