Winkler County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kermit
No data center or power plant project is on record in Winkler County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Winkler County is home to Kermit and Wink. Employers here counted 4,223 jobs in 2025, up 18.2% from 2019. Next door, Ward County has 3 data centers and 2,335 MW of planned generation. 250 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 250 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Winkler County
Winkler County is home to Kermit and Wink.
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 Winkler County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,757 | 7,540 | ▼ 2.8% | 179th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,574 | 4,223 | ▲ 18.2% | 41st of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $69,953 | $94,640 | ▲ 35.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 250 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Winkler County, one of 2 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 7,540 people live here, down 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Winkler County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +250 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Winkler 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 | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 250 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoebe Solar | Phoebe Energy Project, LLC | Solar | 250 MW | 2019 |
The Winkler County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,223 | $94,640 | 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 Winkler County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Winkler County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Winkler County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Winkler County, Ward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winkler County | 7,540 | ▲ 18.2% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Andrews County | 18,914 | ▼ 2.6% | 1,298 MW | 223 MW | — | — |
| Ector County | 173,801 | ▼ 0.7% | 2,934 MW | 344 MW | — | — |
| Lea County NM | 74,749 | ▲ 3.1% | 1,844 MW | 721 MW | — | — |
| Loving County | 52 | ▲ 302.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Ward County | 11,125 | ▲ 2.1% | 598 MW | 2,335 MW | 3 | — |
More of Texas
Winkler County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Winkler County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Winkler County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co.
What power plants are in Winkler County?
1 operating plant with 250 MW of capacity. The largest is Phoebe Solar (250 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Winkler County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Winkler County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ward County.
Is Winkler County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,223 jobs in 2025 against 3,574 in 2019 (+18.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Winkler County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Winkler County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.