Stephens County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Breckenridge
Stephens 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. Stephens County is home to Breckenridge. Construction employs 280, up 30.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Throckmorton County has 288 MW of planned generation. Electrical contractors employ 74, up 15.6% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $55,424 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Stephens County
Stephens County is home to Breckenridge.
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 Stephens County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,095 | 9,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 170th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,323 | 3,309 | ▼ 0.4% | 166th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,063 | $47,417 | ▲ 21.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 214 | 280 | ▲ 30.8% | 58th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 64 | 74 | ▲ 15.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.6% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 150 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
150 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 150 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Stephens County, one of 6 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Employers here counted 3,309 jobs in 2025, down 0.4% from 2019. 9,380 people live here, up 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers Stephens County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +150 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Stephens County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 3,477,215 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 88,324 | 13.00¢ | 20% |
| Comanche County Elec Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 7,359 | 15.52¢ | 75% |
| Fort Belknap Electric 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 150 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Casa Wind | La Casa Wind, LLC | Wind | 150 MW | 2025 |
The Stephens County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,309 | $47,417 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 280 | $59,323 | 1.60 |
| Electrical contractors | 74 | $55,424 | 3.10 |
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 Stephens County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Stephens County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Stephens County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Stephens County, Throckmorton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephens County | 9,380 | ▼ 0.4% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Eastland County | 18,143 | ▼ 26.0% | 1,134 MW | — | — | — |
| Palo Pinto County | 30,791 | ▼ 2.4% | 614 MW | — | — | — |
| Shackelford County | 3,197 | ▼ 9.0% | 566 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Throckmorton County | 1,554 | ▲ 3.4% | 679 MW | 288 MW | — | — |
| Young County | 18,154 | ▲ 4.3% | 1,352 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Stephens County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stephens County, Texas?
6 utilities have service territory in Stephens County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, AEP Texas North Company, United Electric Coop Service Inc - (TX).
What power plants are in Stephens County?
1 operating plant with 150 MW of capacity. The largest is La Casa Wind (150 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Stephens County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Stephens County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Throckmorton County.
Is Stephens County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,309 jobs in 2025 against 3,323 in 2019 (-0.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 214 to 280.
Does Stephens County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stephens County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.