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

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

**In short:** ERCOT counts 7,559 active residential meters with a Mercedes address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). 1 of Mercedes's ZIP codes is split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.

## Moving to Mercedes

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

- **Water and utility billing:** City of Mercedes: utility billing, 956-565-3114.
- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** Mercedes ISD, Weslaco ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Weslaco, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Mercedes?
ERCOT counts 7,559 active residential meters with a Mercedes address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Mercedes choose?
7,538 of 7,538 Mercedes-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78570), where a neighbor may have a different utility.

## What is different about Mercedes?
- Population: 16,263 (2020 base) to 17,915 (July 2025), +10.2%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was +681 people, from July 2023 to July 2024. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- Mailing addresses stretch past city limits here. 7,559 competitive residential meters use Mercedes as their postal city, while the city itself has 5,205 Census households, a ratio of 1.45. (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, 0.9% have a Mercedes mailing address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 39 residential meters in Mercedes's main ZIP codes went from vacant to active in ERCOT's daily files, which usually means a move-in. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 1,339 of the 8,880 home meters in Mercedes's main ZIP codes (15.1%) 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 Mercedes-addressed competitive homes (7,538) are in one ZIP code, 78570. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 7,541 competitive meters for 9,161 Census households, a 0.82 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, Mercedes is number 8 of the 22 cities and towns touching Hidalgo County, just behind Alamo (8,166). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- In 78570, the ZIP holding most Mercedes homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $41,965, 25.8% renters and 28.5% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Of Mercedes's six nearest towns, Weslaco has the most competitive homes (15,166, 5 mi away) and La Villa the fewest per household (0.77). (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): 17,915
- Population (2020 estimates base): 16,263
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 5,205
- Active residential meters with a Mercedes address: 7,559
- Active business meters with a Mercedes address: 1,332
- Residential meters per Census household: 1.45
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 7,559
- Counties: Hidalgo
- ZIP codes touching Mercedes: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78570 | Mercedes 100% | 16% | 7,541 | 9,161 | 0.82 | Split. Most homes, not all.  |

## Business electricity in Mercedes
1,332 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
**Can I choose my electricity provider in Mercedes?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central's wires reach the house, which in Mercedes is most of the city: 7,559 homes with a Mercedes mailing address were on the competitive market on October 5, 2026, 1.45 for each Census household. Split ZIP codes for Mercedes: 78570; on those, check the exact address.
**Which Mercedes ZIP code has the most homes on the competitive market?** 78570, with 7,541 competitive homes in ERCOT's data (7,538 addressed to Mercedes) against roughly 9,161 Census households, a 0.82 ratio.
**How many businesses in Mercedes are on the competitive electricity market?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 1,332 Mercedes-addressed business meters are on the competitive market in ERCOT's data, and large accounts can also buy from commercial suppliers directly.
**How do I start electric service at a new Mercedes address?** Confirm the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, then pick a plan and a start date. In 78570, 7.0% of residents moved in the past year (ACS); 39 78570 meters went vacant-to-active Oct. 7-18, 2026.
**Why are there more electric meters than households in Mercedes?** 7,559 Mercedes-addressed meters against 5,205 city households is 1.45 per household: the Mercedes 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.
**Who do I call in Mercedes when the power goes out?** AEP Texas Central, at aeptexas.com/outages: it carries power to all 7,559 Mercedes-addressed competitive homes, whatever retail provider bills them.

## 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
- 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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