Walker County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Huntsville and New Waverly
Walker 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. Walker County is home to Huntsville, New Waverly and Riverside. 150 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Piney Woods Solar, LLC (solar). 150 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Madison County has 660 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 26,291 jobs in 2025, up 4.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Walker County
Walker County is home to Huntsville, New Waverly and Riverside.
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 Walker County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 76,562 | 83,842 | ▲ 9.5% | 50th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25,175 | 26,291 | ▲ 4.4% | 127th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,910 | $55,083 | ▲ 31.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 150 MW | no fleet today | 130th of 149 by size |
83,842 people live here, up 9.5% since 2020. Entergy Texas Inc. is the largest utility serving Walker County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.66¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities.
Who powers Walker County
Utilities with service territory in Walker 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% |
| Mid-South Electric Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 36,267 | 14.08¢ | 16% |
| Houston County Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,426 | 16.60¢ | 14% |
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 Walker County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piney Woods Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 150 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Piney Woods Solar, LLC |
The Walker County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 26,291 | $55,083 | 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 Walker County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Walker County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Walker County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Walker County, Madison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker County | 83,842 | ▲ 4.4% | — | 150 MW | — | — |
| Grimes County | 34,252 | ▲ 13.9% | 1,301 MW | 210 MW | — | — |
| Houston County | 22,316 | ▲ 9.6% | — | 125 MW | — | — |
| Madison County | 14,226 | ▲ 0.1% | — | 660 MW | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 781,194 | ▲ 22.4% | 1,548 MW | — | 3 | — |
| San Jacinto County | 29,488 | ▲ 15.3% | 170 MW | 467 MW | — | — |
| Trinity County | 14,384 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 100 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Walker County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Walker County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Walker County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Texas Inc., Sam Houston Electric Coop Inc, Mid-South Electric Coop Assn, Houston County Elec Coop Inc. The largest, Entergy Texas Inc., charged residential customers 13.66¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Huntsville, TX in?
Huntsville is in Walker County, Texas. About 49,088 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Walker County?
150 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 150 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Piney Woods Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Walker County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Walker County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Madison County.
Is Walker County adding jobs?
Employers counted 26,291 jobs in 2025 against 25,175 in 2019 (+4.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Walker County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Walker County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.