Rains County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Emory
Rains County is a generation frontier for Texas. Rains County is home to Emory, East Tawakoni and Point. 176 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Belltown Power Texas 2, LLC (battery storage). Electrical contractors employ 38, up 31.0% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $78,331 a year. Construction employs 258, down 4.1% since 2019, and construction is 2.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Rains County
Rains County is home to Emory, East Tawakoni and Point.
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 Rains County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,182 | 13,542 | ▲ 11.2% | 148th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,052 | 2,259 | ▲ 10.1% | 84th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,052 | $44,756 | ▲ 31.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 269 | 258 | ▼ 4.1% | 126th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 29 | 38 | ▲ 31.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.9% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 125 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 176 MW | 141% of today's fleet | 121st of 149 by size |
Employers here counted 2,259 jobs in 2025, up 10.1% from 2019. 125 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 13,542 people live here, up 11.2% since 2020. Its power plants have 125 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Texas-New Mexico Power Co is the largest utility serving Rains County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers.
Who powers Rains County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +125 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Rains County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 156,271 | 12.03¢ | 30% |
| Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 84,006 | 11.51¢ | 15% |
| Wood County Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,793 | 12.83¢ | 39% |
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 | 125 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrett Solar Project | Barrett Solar Project LLC (RE) | Solar | 125 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willis Storage | Batteries | 176 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Belltown Power Texas 2, LLC |
The Rains County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,259 | $44,756 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 258 | $63,339 | 2.16 |
| Electrical contractors | 38 | $78,331 | 2.33 |
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 Rains County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Rains County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Rains County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Rains County, Hopkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rains County | 13,542 | ▲ 10.1% | 125 MW | 176 MW | — | — |
| Hopkins County | 39,063 | ▲ 13.4% | 1,782 MW | 450 MW | 1 | — |
| Hunt County | 123,336 | ▲ 18.2% | 372 MW | 176 MW | — | — |
| Van Zandt County | 66,130 | ▲ 13.7% | 59 MW | 220 MW | — | — |
| Wood County | 49,688 | ▲ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Rains County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Rains County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Rains County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Texas-New Mexico Power Co, Southwestern Electric Power Co, Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (TX), Wood County Electric Coop, Inc.
What power plants are in Rains County?
1 operating plant with 125 MW of capacity. The largest is Barrett Solar Project (125 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Rains County?
176 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Belltown Power Texas 2, LLC.
Are there data centers in Rains County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Rains County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hopkins County.
Is Rains County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,259 jobs in 2025 against 2,052 in 2019 (+10.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 269 to 258.
Does Rains County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Rains County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.