Schleicher County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Eldorado
Schleicher 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. Schleicher County is home to Eldorado. Next door, Concho County has 686 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 711 jobs in 2025, down 8.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. 200 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Schleicher County
Schleicher County is home to Eldorado.
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 Schleicher County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,438 | 2,245 | ▼ 7.9% | 231st of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 774 | 711 | ▼ 8.1% | 218th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,603 | $51,964 | ▲ 9.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.7% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 200 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 200 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Schleicher County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.22¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 2,245 people live here, down 7.9% since 2020.
Who powers Schleicher County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +200 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Schleicher County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 405,587 | 12.22¢ | 22% |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,886 | 13.55¢ | 10% |
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 | 200 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Oak Wind Project | Engie North America | Wind | 200 MW | 2019 |
The Schleicher County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 711 | $51,964 | 1.00 |
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 Schleicher County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Schleicher County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Tom Green County.
Schleicher County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Schleicher County, Concho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schleicher County | 2,245 | ▼ 8.1% | 200 MW | — | — | — |
| Concho County | 3,607 | ▲ 31.6% | 1,000 MW | 686 MW | — | — |
| Crockett County | 2,769 | ▼ 11.0% | 1,124 MW | 265 MW | — | — |
| Irion County | 1,463 | ▼ 17.0% | 302 MW | — | — | — |
| Kimble County | 4,438 | ▼ 7.8% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Menard County | 1,956 | ▼ 3.4% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Sutton County | 3,203 | ▼ 35.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Tom Green County | 120,602 | ▲ 4.2% | 818 MW | 316 MW | — | 1 |
More of Texas
Schleicher County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Schleicher County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Schleicher County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc, AEP Texas North Company, Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 12.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Schleicher County?
1 operating plant with 200 MW of capacity. The largest is Live Oak Wind Project (200 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Schleicher County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Schleicher County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Concho County.
Is Schleicher County adding jobs?
Employers counted 711 jobs in 2025 against 774 in 2019 (-8.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Schleicher County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Schleicher County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.