Athens, Texas electricity: Oncor wires, 2 split ZIP codes to check
8,132 Athens-addressed homes buy power on Oncor's system, about 1.73 for each Census household. Here is where choice stops, what delivery costs and where plan prices sit today.
Last updated . Written by Power Hopper. Reviewed by Brent Ward, founder, on 2026-10-19. Data as of October 5, 2026 (meters) and October 19, 2026 (plan prices).
In short: ERCOT counts 8,132 active residential meters with an Athens address, all on Oncor's wires (October 5, 2026). 2 of Athens's ZIP codes are split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.
Who delivers electricity in Athens?
Outages: Oncor at oncor.com/outages.
Oncor delivery charges and area
Can every address in Athens choose an electricity provider?
Split ZIP codes holding Athens homes: 75752, 75770. They carry 1,513 of the 8,130 competitive homes with an Athens address (19%); on those streets a neighbor's utility can differ from yours.
Without retail choice unless opted in: 1 other utility in Henderson County (EIA 2024).
Moving to Athens
Local numbers for setting up a home in Athens, each checked on the official source. More contacts, and a printable list, are on Athens helpful move-in information.
- City hall (ask about water service): City of Athens: City Hall (main line), 903-675-5131.
- Natural gas: Atmos Energy: customer service, 888-286-6700.
- Public schools: Athens ISD.
- Driver license: Texas DPS Driver License Office: Athens, 512-424-2600.
You enter your address on the next screen, and we confirm there whether you can choose an electricity provider at that address.
Have a High Light Bill or Electric Bill?
If your electricity bill in Athens came in higher than you expected, upload or enter it and see whether another plan could lower your electricity costs, or whether staying where you are makes more sense.
Weather and electricity in Athens
Typical weather near Athens, from the nearest NOAA station with a complete 1991-2020 record: Athens, about 3 miles from the city center (station elevation 448 ft). These are normals for that station, not readings at your address. August is the warmest month on average, with a normal daily high of 95°F; January has the coolest average low, 35°F. Average daily highs reach 90°F or more in June to August. No month averages a daily low at or below freezing.
For electricity, the normals point to two seasons that can lift a household's usage: cooling-degree days (a measure of how far each day's mean temperature sits above 65°F) peak in August at 580 for the month, and heating-degree days (below 65°F) peak in January at 586. How much that matters to a bill depends on the home, its insulation, its heating fuel and the household, so use your own usage history, not a regional average, when you compare plans.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precipitation (in) | Cooling degree-days | Heating degree-days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 35 | 3.5 | 4 | 586 |
| Feb | 62 | 39 | 3.9 | 7 | 420 |
| Mar | 69 | 45 | 4.1 | 26 | 271 |
| Apr | 76 | 53 | 3.8 | 86 | 94 |
| May | 83 | 63 | 4.3 | 260 | 15 |
| Jun | 90 | 70 | 4.1 | 456 | 0 |
| Jul | 94 | 73 | 2.5 | 569 | 0 |
| Aug | 95 | 72 | 2.6 | 580 | 0 |
| Sep | 89 | 66 | 3.0 | 376 | 3 |
| Oct | 79 | 55 | 5.1 | 136 | 78 |
| Nov | 68 | 44 | 3.5 | 23 | 297 |
| Dec | 59 | 37 | 4.3 | 6 | 536 |
Historical weather records for Henderson County
The Texas Railroad Commission's county table lists a record low of -6°F (1985) and a record high of 109°F (2018), and a regional estimate of 24 consecutive hours as a typical longest freezing or frozen-precipitation period for Henderson County. These are historical county extremes, not Athens's monthly averages and not a forecast; the normals above describe ordinary months.
Reference only: the U.S. Energy Information Administration's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey puts the average Texas household at about 13,440 kWh a year (about 1,120 kWh a month if spread evenly). That is a statewide average for 2020, not Athens, and not an estimate for your home. EIA source.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00410404; Texas Railroad Commission, Historical Weather Data by County (2022).
What is different about electricity in Athens?
- Population: 12,851 (2020 base) to 13,870 (July 2025), +7.9%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was +549 people, from July 2022 to July 2023. July 1 estimates in between: 13,108 (2021), 13,118 (2022), 13,667 (2023), 13,823 (2024). (Census)
- Athens covers 17.8 square miles of land and 2.4 square miles of water (Census 2025 Gazetteer). That works out to about 777 residents and 263 occupied households per square mile of land, with roughly 3.0 residents for every Athens household. (Census, Census, Census)
- The Athens mailing area is bigger than the city: ERCOT lists 8,132 competitive homes under the Athens postal city, 1.73 for each of the city's 4,698 Census households. (ERCOT, Census)
- Athens-addressed homes make up 0.2% of the 3,564,530 residential meters on Oncor's competitive system. (ERCOT)
- Move-ins show up as vacant-to-active switches in ERCOT's daily files: 27 of them in the ZIP codes most Athens homes use, Oct. 7-18, 2026. (ERCOT)
- Vacancy signal: 11.0 percent of residential meters in Athens's core ZIP codes were de-energized on October 5, 2026 (1,026 off, 8,290 on), per ERCOT. (ERCOT)
- 81 percent of Athens's competitive homes (6,617 of 8,130) are in 75751; counting every address in that ZIP, ERCOT has 1.01 meters for each Census household. (ERCOT, Census)
- Athens is 1 of 15 on a Henderson County list of cities and towns ranked by postal-city competitive homes; second place is Gun Barrel City, at 4,745. (ERCOT)
- By the Census Bureau's 2025 estimates, Athens is the number 1 city or town by population among the 21 that reach into Henderson County, one place ahead of Mabank (7,294 residents). (Census)
- Mailing cities on the 6,682 competitive home meters in 75751, Athens's main ZIP code: Athens 6,617, Caney City 37. A mailing city is not a city limit, so the service address, not the postal name, settles which utility serves a home. (ERCOT)
- Coverage gap: 75770, home to 118 Athens-addressed meters, has 0.21 ERCOT meters for each household the Census counts there. That fits co-op service: EIA's 2024 lists for the counties tied to the ZIP include 2 co-ops, such as the Trinity Valley and Farmers co-ops. Co-op homes stay off the competitive market unless their co-op opts in. (ERCOT, Census, EIA-861)
- Renting is most common in 75751, where the ACS 2020-2024 counts 34.4 percent of households as renters; in that part of Athens, electricity accounts change hands with each lease. (Census)
Athens electricity by the numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 13,870 |
| Population (2020 estimates base) | 12,851 |
| Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024) | 4,698 |
| Active residential meters with an Athens address | 8,132 |
| Active business meters with an Athens address | 2,773 |
| Residential meters per Census household | 1.73 |
| Delivery utilities (homes) | Oncor 8,132 |
| Counties | Henderson |
| ZIP codes touching Athens | 3 |
| Split ZIP codes (flagged below) | 2 |
How we built these numbers. Download: Athens ZIP table (CSV).
What do electricity plans cost in Athens right now?
Same-day medians for Oncor’s area (Oncor: 170 listings), delivery included; not a quote.
| Delivery utility | 500 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 2,000 kWh | Delivery charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor | 14.1¢ | 13.4¢ | 13.2¢ | 6.8673¢/kWh + $4.06/mo (effective October 4, 2026; tariff) |
Athens ZIP codes: how much of each is on the competitive market?
Not every address in these ZIP codes has retail choice; check your exact address.
| ZIP | Meters per household | ERCOT competitive homes | Census households | With Athens address | Share of ZIP land in Athens | Mailing cities | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75751 | 1.01 | 6,682 | 6,630 | 6,617 | 8% | Athens 99% | Near-full coverage. Mostly outside Athens city limits. |
| 75752 | 0.50 | 1,395 | 2,787 | 1,395 | 2% | Athens 100% | Split. Partial coverage. Mostly outside Athens city limits. |
| 75770 | 0.21 | 213 | 1,033 | 118 | 0% | Athens 55%, Larue 27%, Poynor 17% | Split. Partial coverage. Mostly outside Athens city limits. |
Split ZIP codes for Athens: 75752, 75770.
Homes, renters and electric bills in Athens’s ZIP codes
ZIP 75752 leads Athens on electric bills over $250 a month, reported by 37.3 percent of its households; 75751 has the largest renter share, 34.4 percent (Census ACS 2020-2024).
| ZIP | Bills $250+ | Household income (median) | Built since 2020 | Athens-addressed homes | Renting | Meters added Oct 7-18 | In 5+ unit buildings | Vacant-to-active switches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75751 | 30.9% | $70,620 | 0.8% | 6,617 | 34.4% | 2 | 8.2% | 22 |
| 75752 | 37.3% | $70,223 | 2.6% | 1,395 | 11.5% | 1 | 0.0% | 2 |
| 75770 | 32.4% | $83,542 | 2.3% | 118 | 7.6% | 0 | 0.0% | 3 |
ACS 2020-2024 by ZCTA; meters: ERCOT daily files, Oct 7-18, 2026.
Athens and its neighbors
| Nearby town (2,000+ residents) | Wires utility | Can homes choose? | Postal-city meters per household | Distance | Competitive homes, postal city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malakoff | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 2.48 | 11 mi away | 2,055 homes |
| Gun Barrel City | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 1.63 | 20 mi away | 4,745 homes |
| Mabank | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 1.46 | 20 mi away | 2,720 homes |
| Tool | Oncor | Some areas | 0.38 | 21 mi away | 405 homes |
| Chandler | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 1.50 | 22 mi away | 2,410 homes |
| Canton | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 1.82 | 24 mi away | 3,245 homes |
Business electricity in Athens
Athens business meters: 2,773 (2.9 homes per business meter); large non-residential meters in Athens’s main ZIP codes: 2 (ERCOT, October 5, 2026).
Larger accounts can go out to bid with retail providers and direct suppliers; we can’t promise savings or bids.
How do I compare electricity plans in Athens?
ZIP first, then your address; read each plan’s Electricity Facts Label before choosing.
Common questions about electricity in Athens
Can Athens residents pick their own electric company?
Yes, where Oncor's wires reach the house, which in Athens is most of the city: 8,132 homes with an Athens mailing address were on the competitive market on October 5, 2026, 1.73 for each Census household. Addresses in 75752, 75770 (all split) need an exact-address check before you shop.
Where do most Athens electricity customers live?
That is 75751, home to 6,617 of the competitive meters with an Athens address. ZIP-wide: 6,682 ERCOT meters, about 6,630 Census households, 1.01 per household. At the other end, 75770 shows 0.21.
How many Athens households have a $250 electric bill?
75752 has the highest share of $250-plus monthly electric bills among Athens's core ZIP codes (37.3 percent of households, ACS 2020-2024); 75751 has 30.9 percent. Bigger and all-electric homes push the share up.
I'm moving to Athens. How do I set up electricity?
14.6% of 75751 residents moved within a year (ACS), and 22 meters in 75751 turned from vacant to active Oct. 7-18, 2026. Check that your Athens address is on Oncor's wires, then choose a plan and start date.
Why are there more electric meters than households in Athens?
8,132 Athens-addressed meters against 4,698 city households is 1.73 per household: the Athens postal area extends past city limits, and new homes get meters before the Census counts them. It doesn't mean every nearby address can choose.
Where do I report a Athens power outage?
Oncor, at oncor.com/outages: it carries power to all 8,132 Athens-addressed competitive homes, whatever retail provider bills them.
Where to next?
Up: Oncor area · Henderson County
Nearest town pages: Gun Barrel City · Mabank · Tyler · Lindale · Palestine · Whitehouse · Jacksonville · Corsicana
Compare plans · Moving · High bill · Texas rates · Areas without retail choice · Methodology
Sources
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203): full extract as of Oct 5, 2026; daily files Oct 7-18, 2026
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25003 households, B01003 population)
- Census Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place and ZCTA-to-county relationship files
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county
- PUCT Power to Choose residential offer export, Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT
- PUCT: Choosing an Electric Plan
- PUCT broker directory (BR260201)
- Oncor Electric Delivery
- Oncor delivery tariff (effective October 4, 2026)
- Census Bureau 2025 Gazetteer Files, Texas places (land and water area)
BJW Ventures LLC d/b/a Power Hopper | PUCT BR260201. PUCT registration is not an endorsement.