# Pharr, 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 14,146 active residential meters with a Pharr address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). Only part of Pharr is on the competitive market; the Census counts about 23,877 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 Pharr

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

- **Water and utility billing:** utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 956-402-4190.
- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Hidalgo ISD, Valley View ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: McAllen, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Pharr?
ERCOT counts 14,146 active residential meters with a Pharr address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Pharr choose?
14,146 of 14,146 Pharr-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78577), where a neighbor may have a different utility.

## What is different about Pharr?
- Population: 79,732 (2020 base) to 80,830 (July 2025), +1.4%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was +612 people, from July 2021 to July 2022. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- Only 14,146 competitive residential meters carry a Pharr mailing address, against 23,877 Census households in the city, a ratio of 0.59: some homes use other postal cities, and some likely have no retail choice. (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/)
- AEP Texas Central share: 1.7% of its 810,296 competitive residential meters carry a Pharr address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 54 residential meters in Pharr'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)
- De-energized homes, usually empty or between tenants, number 1,635 in Pharr's main ZIP codes, 10.3% of all 15,807 residential meters there. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Nearly all Pharr-addressed competitive homes (14,146) are in one ZIP code, 78577. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 14,172 competitive meters for 23,957 Census households, a 0.59 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/)
- Hidalgo County context: Pharr ranks 5 of 22 touching cities and towns for postal-city competitive homes, just behind Weslaco (15,166). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- In ZIP 78577, which holds 14,146 Pharr-addressed homes, ERCOT counts only 0.59 competitive meters per Census household. EIA's 2024 data lists Magic Valley Electric Cooperative, Medina Electric Cooperative, and Rio Grande Electric Cooperative among others 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/)
- 41.0% of households in 78577 rent (ACS 2020-2024), the most among Pharr's main ZIP codes, so a lot of Pharr electricity accounts open and close with each lease. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- In 78577, the ZIP holding most Pharr homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $52,770, 41.0% renters and 24.3% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)

## By the numbers
- Population (July 1, 2025 estimate): 80,830
- Population (2020 estimates base): 79,732
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 23,877
- Active residential meters with a Pharr address: 14,146
- Active business meters with a Pharr address: 3,040
- Residential meters per Census household: 0.59
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 14,146
- Counties: Hidalgo
- ZIP codes touching Pharr: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78577 | Pharr 100% | 91% | 14,172 | 23,957 | 0.59 | Split. Partial coverage.  |

## Business electricity in Pharr
3,040 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
**Does Pharr have electricity choice?** Some can: 14,146 Pharr-addressed homes are on the competitive market, against about 23,877 city households. Many others likely belong to an electric co-op and can't choose. Split ZIP codes for Pharr: 78577; on those, check the exact address.
**Where do most Pharr electricity customers live?** 78577, with 14,172 competitive homes in ERCOT's data (14,146 addressed to Pharr) against roughly 23,957 Census households, a 0.59 ratio.
**Can businesses in Pharr choose an electricity provider?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 3,040 Pharr-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 Pharr address?** Start with the address check: AEP Texas Central-delivered Pharr homes choose among the plans offered there and set a start date. Turnover is real in 78577, where 12.9% moved in the past year (ACS); ERCOT logged 54 vacant-to-active meters in 78577 Oct. 7-18, 2026.
**Where do I report a Pharr power outage?** Call AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for Pharr's 14,146 competitive homes; a retail provider can't fix lines. 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/
- 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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