Runnels County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ballinger and Winters
Runnels 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. Construction employs 232, up 134.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Runnels County is home to Ballinger, Winters and Miles. Next door, Taylor County has 45 data centers and 299 MW of planned generation. 125 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 3,090 jobs in 2025, up 6.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Runnels County
Runnels County is home to Ballinger, Winters and Miles.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Rowena, Wingate.
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 Runnels County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,916 | 9,693 | ▼ 2.2% | 165th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,905 | 3,090 | ▲ 6.4% | 113th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,745 | $53,054 | ▲ 40.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 99 | 232 | ▲ 134.3% | 8th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 125 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Its power plants have 125 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. AEP Texas North Company is the largest utility serving Runnels County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 9,693 people live here, down 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Runnels County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +125 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Runnels County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| Taylor Electric Coop Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,722 | 15.37¢ | 14% |
| Concho Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,060 | 12.73¢ | 4% |
| Coleman County Elec 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 125 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Solar Farm | TAI Norton Solar LLC | Solar | 125 MW | 2025 |
The Runnels County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,090 | $53,054 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 232 | $117,620 | 1.42 |
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 Runnels County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Runnels County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Tom Green County.
Runnels County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Runnels County, Taylor 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runnels County | 9,693 | ▲ 6.4% | 125 MW | — | — | — |
| Coke County | 3,412 | ▲ 22.0% | 527 MW | 484 MW | — | — |
| Coleman County | 7,915 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 396 MW | — | — |
| Concho County | 3,607 | ▲ 31.6% | 1,000 MW | 686 MW | — | — |
| Nolan County | 14,117 | ▼ 2.2% | 2,772 MW | 831 MW | 1 | — |
| Taylor County | 150,077 | ▲ 6.8% | 991 MW | 299 MW | 45 | — |
| Tom Green County | 120,602 | ▲ 4.2% | 818 MW | 316 MW | — | 1 |
More of Texas
Runnels County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Runnels County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Runnels County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas North Company, Taylor Electric Coop Inc - (TX), Concho Valley Elec Coop Inc, Coleman County Elec Coop, Inc.
What power plants are in Runnels County?
1 operating plant with 125 MW of capacity. The largest is Norton Solar Farm (125 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Runnels County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Runnels County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Taylor County.
Is Runnels County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,090 jobs in 2025 against 2,905 in 2019 (+6.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 99 to 232.
Does Runnels County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Runnels County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.