# Port Aransas, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires and 6,960 competitive homes

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

**Port Aransas at a glance:** 6,960 Port Aransas-addressed homes, all wired by AEP Texas Central (ERCOT, Oct. 5, 2026). Port Aransas's 6,959 placed homes sit in unsplit ZIP codes; a lookup still confirms each address.

## Moving to Port Aransas

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

- **Water and utility billing:** utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 361-749-4111.
- **Trash pickup:** Republic Services: trash and recycling, 361-749-4111.
- **Public schools:** Port Aransas ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Aransas Pass, 512-424-2600.

## Facts
- Land: 8.9 sq mi (water 4.9); 425 residents and 168 households per sq mi; 2.52 people per Port Aransas 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, Port Aransas homes (ACS 2020-2024): electricity 87.6% (±6), utility gas 9.8%; Nueces County overall: 79.2% 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 Port Aransas homes paying a power bill, 31.4% report $250 or more a month and 16.0% under $100 (Nueces County: 33.4% at $250+); 90.3% of homes pay one at all. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Housing stock: 52.1% detached houses, 37.6% in 5+ unit buildings; median year built 1990, 15.2% built 2010 or later. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Port Aransas-addressed home meters on Oct. 5, 2026: 6,960 active, 1,556 inactive, 162 de-energized, so 19.8% were not in use (ERCOT). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- ACS 2020-2024: 72.2% of Port Aransas housing units vacant (±3), with 50.5% 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/)
- 6,960 home meters use the Port Aransas postal name, against 1,496 households inside city limits (4.65 per household): the mailing area runs well past the boundary. (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/)
- 78373 carries every one of Port Aransas's placed homes; ratio across the whole ZIP 4.56, from 6,997 home meters in all and 1,535 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: 87.6%
- Heat with utility gas: 9.8%
- Bill $250 or more: 31.4%
- Built 2010 or later: 15.2%
- Renter households: 28.6%
- Median year built: 1990

## Meters and households
- Residents, July 2025: 3,773
- Residents, 2020 base: 2,901
- Households (ACS): 1,496
- Active home meters: 6,960
- Inactive home meters: 1,556
- De-energized home meters: 162
- Active small-business meters: 1,412
- Active large-business meters: 0
- Home meters per household: 4.65
- ZIP codes listed: 1
- Split ZIP codes: 0
- County: Nueces

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78373 | 6,959 | 6,997 | 1,535 | 4.56 | none |

## Businesses
1,412 business meters. Business rate reviews: /business.

## Questions
**Is electricity deregulated in Port Aransas?** Mostly. ERCOT counts 6,960 competitive Port Aransas home meters, all on AEP Texas Central's system, against 1,496 households. An address lookup settles it.
**Why are some Port Aransas electric bills so high in winter?** 87.6% of Port Aransas homes heat with electricity (ACS 2020-2024, margin ±6) and 9.8% with utility gas; 31.4% of bill-paying homes report $250 or more a month. Electric-heat homes should compare plans at winter usage.
**What ZIP code do most Port Aransas electricity customers have?** 78373: 6,959 Port Aransas-addressed competitive homes; ratio 4.56 across the ZIP (6,997 home meters in all, 1,535 households).
**Who do I call when the power is out in Port Aransas?** Outages go to AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for 6,960 Port Aransas competitive homes.
**Moving to Port Aransas: how do I start electricity?** Check the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, choose a plan and a start date. Port Aransas had 1,718 idle home meters (inactive or de-energized) on Oct. 5, 2026, so many move-ins reconnect an existing meter.

## 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
- 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/
- 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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