Sabine County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hemphill
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sabine County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 201, up 84.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Sabine County is home to Hemphill and Pineland. Next door, Sabine Parish, Louisiana, has 220 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 7.0% in August 2026, against 6.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,442 jobs in 2025, down 1.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Sabine County
Sabine County is home to Hemphill and Pineland.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Milam.
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 Sabine County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,896 | 10,012 | ▲ 1.2% | 163rd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,481 | 2,442 | ▼ 1.6% | 178th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,876 | $46,855 | ▲ 27.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 109 | 201 | ▲ 84.4% | 14th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.5% | 7.0% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
Deep East Texas Elec Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Sabine County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.10¢/kWh in 2024. 10,012 people live here, up 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Sabine County
Utilities with service territory in Sabine County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep East Texas Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 40,404 | 13.10¢ | 25% |
| Jasper-Newton Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,180 | 12.96¢ | 10% |
| City of Hemphill - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Sabine County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Sabine County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,442 | $46,855 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 201 | $38,061 | 1.55 |
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 Sabine County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sabine County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Sabine County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Sabine County, Newton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabine County | 10,012 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Jasper County | 33,075 | ▼ 5.1% | 118 MW | — | — | — |
| Newton County | 11,954 | ▼ 4.2% | 1,515 MW | — | — | — |
| Sabine Parish LA | 21,834 | ▼ 0.4% | — | 220 MW | — | — |
| San Augustine County | 7,722 | ▼ 8.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Shelby County | 24,286 | ▲ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Sabine County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sabine County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Sabine County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Deep East Texas Elec Coop Inc, Jasper-Newton Elec Coop, Inc, City of Hemphill - (TX). The largest, Deep East Texas Elec Coop Inc, charged residential customers 13.10¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Sabine County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sabine County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sabine Parish.
Is Sabine County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,442 jobs in 2025 against 2,481 in 2019 (-1.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 109 to 201.
Does Sabine County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sabine County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.