San Jacinto County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Shepherd
New generation is lining up in San Jacinto County. Construction employs 189, up 127.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. San Jacinto County is home to Shepherd, Coldspring and Point Blank. 467 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Entergy Texas Inc. (natural gas). Employers here counted 2,490 jobs in 2025, up 15.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in San Jacinto County
San Jacinto County is home to Shepherd, Coldspring and Point Blank.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cape Royale, Oakhurst.
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 San Jacinto County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 27,542 | 29,488 | ▲ 7.1% | 97th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,160 | 2,490 | ▲ 15.3% | 51st of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,308 | $46,900 | ▲ 29.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 83 | 189 | ▲ 127.7% | 9th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 5.6% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 467 MW | 275% of today's fleet | 57th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 170 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Entergy Texas Inc. is the largest utility serving San Jacinto County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.66¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 29,488 people live here, up 7.1% since 2020.
Who powers San Jacinto County
Utilities with service territory in San Jacinto County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Texas Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 457,369 | 13.66¢ | 24% |
| Sam Houston Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 86,118 | 12.62¢ | 9% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 170 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jacinto County Peaking Facility | East Texas Electric Coop, Inc | Natural gas | 170 MW | 2001 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Star Power Station | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 467 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Entergy Texas Inc. |
The San Jacinto County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,490 | $46,900 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 189 | $50,492 | 1.43 |
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 San Jacinto County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in San Jacinto County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
San Jacinto County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border San Jacinto County, Montgomery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jacinto County | 29,488 | ▲ 15.3% | 170 MW | 467 MW | — | — |
| Liberty County | 121,364 | ▲ 9.7% | 110 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 781,194 | ▲ 22.4% | 1,548 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Polk County | 53,434 | ▲ 13.9% | 177 MW | 170 MW | — | — |
| Trinity County | 14,384 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 100 MW | — | — |
| Walker County | 83,842 | ▲ 4.4% | — | 150 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
San Jacinto County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in San Jacinto County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in San Jacinto County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Texas Inc., Sam Houston Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Entergy Texas Inc., charged residential customers 13.66¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in San Jacinto County?
1 operating plant with 170 MW of capacity. The largest is San Jacinto County Peaking Facility (170 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in San Jacinto County?
467 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Entergy Texas Inc..
Are there data centers in San Jacinto County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in San Jacinto County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Montgomery County.
Is San Jacinto County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,490 jobs in 2025 against 2,160 in 2019 (+15.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 83 to 189.
Does San Jacinto County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for San Jacinto County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.