Upton County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to McCamey
The data center boom is not abstract in Upton County: it is on the ground here. Employers here counted 3,904 jobs in 2025, up 132.0% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 254 Texas counties). The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Upton County. Upton County is home to McCamey and Rankin. 175 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by King Mountain Solar, LLC (solar). 175 MW of it is already under construction or built. 1,233 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Upton County
Upton County is home to McCamey and Rankin.
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 Upton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,301 | 3,131 | ▼ 5.1% | 220th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,683 | 3,904 | ▲ 132.0% | 2nd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $78,995 | $94,058 | ▲ 19.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.0% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,233 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 75 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 175 MW | 10% of today's fleet | 122nd of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 1,841 MW of capacity, 52% of it wind. 75 MW has retired here since 2019, including West Texas Wind Energy LLC (wind, 75 MW, 2019). Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Upton County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 3,131 people live here, down 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Upton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,158 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Upton 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 | — | — |
| 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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 949 MW | 52% |
| Solar | 730 MW | 40% |
| Battery storage | 161 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Lonesome Wind Power, LLC Hybrid | High Lonesome Wind Power, LLC | Wind | 563 MW | 2023 |
| Roadrunner, LLC Hybrid | Roadrunner Solar, LLC | Solar | 463 MW | 2019 |
| King Mountain Wind Ranch 1 | FPL Energy Upton Wind LP | Wind | 278 MW | 2001 |
| Castle Gap Solar Hybrid | Upton County Solar 2 LLC | Battery storage | 190 MW | 2018 |
| Appaloosa Run Wind | Appaloosa Run Wind, LLC | Wind | 172 MW | 2022 |
| Upton County Solar | RWE Clean Energy | Solar | 150 MW | 2017 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Mountain Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 175 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | King Mountain Solar, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Texas Wind Energy LLC | Wind | 75 MW | 2019 |
The Upton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,904 | $94,058 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,105 | $87,117 | 10.18 |
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 Upton County
1 data center in Upton County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Upton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Upton County, Ector 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upton County | 3,131 | ▲ 132.0% | 1,841 MW | 175 MW | 1 | — |
| Crane County | 4,554 | ▲ 18.0% | 503 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Crockett County | 2,769 | ▼ 11.0% | 1,124 MW | 265 MW | — | — |
| Ector County | 173,801 | ▼ 0.7% | 2,934 MW | 344 MW | — | — |
| Glasscock County | 1,128 | ▲ 60.7% | 743 MW | 613 MW | 1 | — |
| Midland County | 187,855 | ▲ 10.9% | 140 MW | 22 MW | 1 | — |
| Reagan County | 3,166 | ▼ 20.4% | 310 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Upton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Upton County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Upton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, AEP Texas North Company, Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc.
What power plants are in Upton County?
7 operating plants with 1,841 MW of capacity. The largest is High Lonesome Wind Power, LLC Hybrid (563 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Upton County?
175 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 175 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is King Mountain Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Upton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Upton County.
Is Upton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,904 jobs in 2025 against 1,683 in 2019 (+132.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Upton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Upton County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.