# Combes, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires, 1 split ZIP code to check

_Updated October 19, 2026. Data: ERCOT Oct 5, 2026; Census ACS 2020-2024; Power to Choose Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT._

**Combes at a glance:** 1,095 Combes-addressed homes, all wired by AEP Texas Central (ERCOT, Oct. 5, 2026). 1 split ZIP code (78552) holds 40 of Combes's 1,095 placed homes (4%); those addresses need a lookup.

## Moving to Combes

Local numbers for setting up a home in Combes, each checked on the official source. More contacts: https://powerhopper.energy/texas-electricity/combes/move-in-information

- **Water and utility billing:** utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 956-425-7131.
- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** Harlingen CISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Harlingen, 512-424-2600.

## Facts
- Land: 3.2 sq mi; 1,002 residents and 342 households per sq mi; 2.93 people per Combes household. (Source: https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Heating fuel, Combes homes (ACS 2020-2024): electricity 97.6% (±4), utility gas 1.4%; Cameron County overall: 89.9% electric. All-electric homes feel winter rates more. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Of Combes homes paying a power bill, 27.8% report $250 or more a month and 8.2% under $100 (Cameron County: 30.9% at $250+). (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Housing stock: 75.7% detached houses, 22.0% mobile homes; median year built 1999, 17.0% built 2010 or later. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Combes-addressed home meters on Oct. 5, 2026: 1,095 active, 329 inactive, 206 de-energized, so 32.8% were not in use (ERCOT). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- ACS 2020-2024: 12.3% of Combes housing units vacant (±6), with 28.2% of vacant units held for seasonal use. Vacant homes keep meters that are not counted as households. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- 78535 carries 1,048 of 1,095 Combes-addressed homes (96%); ratio across the whole ZIP 5.21, from 1,063 home meters in all and 204 households. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)

## Homes: heating fuel, bills, housing (ACS 2020-2024, the city (Census boundary))
- Heat with electricity: 97.6%
- Heat with utility gas: 1.4%
- Bill $250 or more: 27.8%
- Built 2010 or later: 17.0%
- Renter households: 11.3%
- Median year built: 1999

## Meters and households
- Residents, July 2025: 3,255
- Residents, 2020 base: 3,143
- Households (ACS): 1,111
- Active home meters: 1,095
- Inactive home meters: 329
- De-energized home meters: 206
- Active small-business meters: 152
- Active large-business meters: 0
- Home meters per household: 0.99
- ZIP codes listed: 3
- Split ZIP codes: 1
- County: Cameron

## Plan prices (Oct 19, 2026 medians)
AEP Texas Central (164 listings): 12.7¢ / 12.1¢ / 12¢ per kWh at 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 kWh, delivery 5.6898¢ + $3.24/mo included.

## ZIP codes
**Not every address in these ZIP codes has retail choice; check your exact address.**

| ZIP | Homes with this address | All ZIP homes | Households | Ratio | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78535 | 1,048 | 1,063 | 204 | 5.21 | none |
| 78552 | 40 | 10,265 | 13,567 | 0.76 | split |
| 78550 | 7 | 20,941 | 19,733 | 1.06 | none |

## Businesses
152 business meters. Business rate reviews: /business.

## Questions
**Is electricity deregulated in Combes?** Mostly. ERCOT counts 1,095 competitive Combes home meters, all on AEP Texas Central's system, against 1,111 households. Split: 78552. An address lookup settles it.
**Do Combes homes heat with electricity?** 97.6% of Combes homes heat with electricity (ACS 2020-2024, margin ±4) and 1.4% with utility gas; 27.8% of bill-paying homes report $250 or more a month. Electric-heat homes should compare plans at winter usage.
**Which ZIP code covers most of Combes?** 78535: 1,048 Combes-addressed competitive homes; ratio 5.21 across the ZIP (1,063 home meters in all, 204 households).
**Who handles Combes power outages?** Outages go to AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for 1,095 Combes competitive homes.
**Moving to Combes: how do I start electricity?** Check the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, choose a plan and a start date. Combes had 535 idle home meters (inactive or de-energized) on Oct. 5, 2026, so many move-ins reconnect an existing meter.
**My Combes home has a Harlingen address. Does that matter?** Not for choice. Harlingen is the postal name on 99% of the 20,941-meter 78550 ZIP; the utility depends on the service address, not the postal name.

## Sources
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203): full extract as of Oct 5, 2026; daily files Oct 7-18, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: meters by status and premise type, by postal city: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25003 households, B01003 population): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place and ZCTA-to-county relationship files: https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/rel2020/zcta520/
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/
- PUCT Power to Choose residential offer export, Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT: https://www.powertochoose.org/en-us/Plan/ExportToCsv
- PUCT: Choosing an Electric Plan: https://www.puc.texas.gov/consumer-help/electricity/electric-plan/
- PUCT broker directory (BR260201): https://www.puc.texas.gov/industry/electric/directories/brk/alpha_brk/
- AEP Texas (Central Division): https://www.aeptexas.com/
- AEP Texas Central delivery tariff (effective September 29, 2026): https://www.aeptexas.com/lib/docs/ratesandtariffs/Texas/AEP_TEXAS_TARIFF_Eff_Sept_29_2026v1.pdf
- Census Bureau Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv
- Census Bureau 2025 Gazetteer Files, Texas places (land and water area): https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html
- Census Bureau Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census Bureau Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv

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