# Hidalgo, Texas electricity: only part of town can choose a provider

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

**In short:** ERCOT counts 1,994 active residential meters with a Hidalgo address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). Only part of Hidalgo is on the competitive market; the Census counts about 3,909 households in the city. Many of the rest likely get power from an electric co-op or another utility without retail choice, so check your exact address.

## Moving to Hidalgo

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

- **City hall (ask about water service):** City of Hidalgo: City Hall (main line), 956-843-2286.
- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** Valley View ISD, Hidalgo ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: McAllen, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Hidalgo?
ERCOT counts 1,994 active residential meters with a Hidalgo address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Hidalgo choose?
1,988 of 1,988 Hidalgo-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78557), where a neighbor may have a different utility.

## What is different about Hidalgo?
- Population: 13,965 (2020 base) to 15,376 (July 2025), +10.1%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was +434 people, from July 2023 to July 2024. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- Hidalgo's postal city carries 1,994 competitive homes, fewer than the city's 3,909 Census households (ratio 0.51). Part of that gap is Hidalgo homes with a neighboring city's mailing address; part fits co-op or city-utility service. (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/)
- Of the 810,296 homes AEP Texas Central serves on the competitive market, 0.2% have a Hidalgo mailing address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Hidalgo is still adding homes: 15 new residential meters in its main ZIP codes during Oct. 7-18, 2026 (most in 78557: 15), plus 6 vacant-to-active switches. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 344 of the 2,335 home meters in Hidalgo's main ZIP codes (14.7%) were de-energized on October 5, 2026, typically a vacant unit awaiting its next account. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Nearly all Hidalgo-addressed competitive homes (1,988) are in one ZIP code, 78557. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 1,991 competitive meters for 3,909 Census households, a 0.51 ratio. (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/)
- By competitive homes on its postal city, Hidalgo is number 16 of the 22 cities and towns touching Hidalgo County, just behind La Joya (2,033). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- In ZIP 78557, which holds 1,988 Hidalgo-addressed homes, ERCOT counts only 0.51 competitive meters per Census household. EIA's 2024 data lists Magic Valley Electric Cooperative, Medina Electric Cooperative, and Rio Grande Electric Cooperative in the counties ERCOT and the Census link to that ZIP; their customers are not on the competitive market unless the utility opted in. (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/, https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/)
- In 78557, the ZIP holding most Hidalgo homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $59,441, 19.8% renters and 22.2% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Nearby, San Juan (8 mi) has just 0.48 competitive homes per household, while McAllen counts 50,000 on its postal city. (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/)

## By the numbers
- Population (July 1, 2025 estimate): 15,376
- Population (2020 estimates base): 13,965
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 3,909
- Active residential meters with a Hidalgo address: 1,994
- Active business meters with a Hidalgo address: 865
- Residential meters per Census household: 0.51
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 1,994
- Counties: Hidalgo
- ZIP codes touching Hidalgo: 1
- Split ZIP codes (flagged below): 1

## Plan prices (median ¢/kWh at 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 kWh)
- AEP Texas Central: 12.7 / 12.1 / 12; delivery 5.6898¢/kWh + $3.24/mo

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

| ZIP | Postal cities | Land in city | Competitive homes | Households | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78557 | Hidalgo 100% | 50% | 1,991 | 3,909 | 0.51 | Split. Partial coverage. 15 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |

## Business electricity in Hidalgo
865 active business meters. Power Hopper compares offers from retail electric providers and direct suppliers; for high-consumption businesses we can run a competitive bid. No savings or bidder count is promised. Businesses in Texas retail-choice areas can request a rate review online.

## Questions
**Is Hidalgo deregulated for electricity?** Some can: 1,994 Hidalgo-addressed homes are on the competitive market, against about 3,909 city households. Many others likely belong to an electric co-op and can't choose. Split ZIP codes for Hidalgo: 78557; on those, check the exact address.
**Where do most Hidalgo electricity customers live?** ZIP 78557: 1,988 of its 1,991 competitive residential meters use a Hidalgo address, and the ZIP has about 3,909 Census households (ratio 0.51).
**Can businesses in Hidalgo choose an electricity provider?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 865 Hidalgo-addressed business meters are on the competitive market in ERCOT's data, and large accounts can also buy from commercial suppliers directly.
**I'm moving to Hidalgo. How do I set up electricity?** Start with the address check: AEP Texas Central-delivered Hidalgo homes choose among the plans offered there and set a start date. Turnover is real in 78557, where 7.2% moved in the past year (ACS); ERCOT logged 6 vacant-to-active meters in 78557 Oct. 7-18, 2026.
**Who do I call in Hidalgo when the power goes out?** AEP Texas Central, at aeptexas.com/outages: it carries power to all 1,994 Hidalgo-addressed competitive homes, whatever retail provider bills them. Co-op members report outages to their co-op.

## 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
- 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
- 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
- ERCOT daily TDSP ESIID Extract files, Oct 7-18, 2026, via Power Hopper's Oct 18 ZIP study: 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
- 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
- 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/
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/
- 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 ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/

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