Rusk, Texas electricity: Oncor wires, 1 split ZIP code to check
1,840 Rusk-addressed homes buy power on Oncor's system, about 1.77 for each Census household. Here is where choice stops, what delivery costs and where plan prices sit today.
Last updated . Written by Power Hopper. Reviewed by Brent Ward, founder, on 2026-10-19. Data as of October 5, 2026 (meters) and October 19, 2026 (plan prices).
In short: ERCOT counts 1,840 active residential meters with a Rusk address, all on Oncor's wires (October 5, 2026). 1 of Rusk's ZIP codes is split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.
Who delivers electricity in Rusk?
Outages: Oncor at oncor.com/outages.
Oncor delivery charges and area
Can every address in Rusk choose an electricity provider?
Split ZIP codes holding Rusk homes: 75785. They carry 1,839 of the 1,839 competitive homes with a Rusk address (100%); on those streets a neighbor's utility can differ from yours.
Without retail choice unless opted in: 2 other utilities in Cherokee County (EIA 2024).
Moving to Rusk
Local numbers for setting up a home in Rusk, each checked on the official source. More contacts, and a printable list, are on Rusk helpful move-in information.
- Water and utility billing: City of Rusk: City Hall and utility billing (water, sewer, trash), 903-683-2213.
- Trash pickup: Republic Services: trash and recycling, 903-586-1449.
- Natural gas: CenterPoint Energy: gas customer service (Beaumont/East Texas), 800-376-9663.
- Public schools: Rusk ISD.
- Driver license: Texas DPS Driver License Office: Jacksonville, 512-424-2600.
You enter your address on the next screen, and we confirm there whether you can choose an electricity provider at that address.
Have a High Light Bill or Electric Bill?
If your electricity bill in Rusk came in higher than you expected, upload or enter it and see whether another plan could lower your electricity costs, or whether staying where you are makes more sense.
Weather and electricity in Rusk
Typical weather near Rusk, from the nearest NOAA station with a complete 1991-2020 record: Rusk, about 1 mile from the city center (station elevation 695 ft). These are normals for that station, not readings at your address. August is the warmest month on average, with a normal daily high of 92°F; January has the coolest average low, 37°F. Average daily highs reach 90°F or more in July to August. No month averages a daily low at or below freezing.
For electricity, the normals point to two seasons that can lift a household's usage: cooling-degree days (a measure of how far each day's mean temperature sits above 65°F) peak in August at 521 for the month, and heating-degree days (below 65°F) peak in January at 577. How much that matters to a bill depends on the home, its insulation, its heating fuel and the household, so use your own usage history, not a regional average, when you compare plans.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precipitation (in) | Cooling degree-days | Heating degree-days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 37 | 4.4 | 2 | 577 |
| Feb | 60 | 41 | 4.3 | 6 | 426 |
| Mar | 67 | 47 | 4.5 | 23 | 268 |
| Apr | 74 | 54 | 4.0 | 74 | 99 |
| May | 81 | 63 | 4.6 | 225 | 15 |
| Jun | 87 | 70 | 4.5 | 405 | 0 |
| Jul | 91 | 72 | 3.4 | 508 | 0 |
| Aug | 92 | 72 | 3.4 | 521 | 0 |
| Sep | 86 | 67 | 3.7 | 349 | 4 |
| Oct | 76 | 57 | 4.7 | 129 | 80 |
| Nov | 65 | 47 | 4.0 | 22 | 289 |
| Dec | 58 | 40 | 4.9 | 5 | 512 |
Historical weather records for Cherokee County
The Texas Railroad Commission's county table lists a record low of -6°F (2021) and a record high of 111°F (1925), and a regional estimate of 24 consecutive hours as a typical longest freezing or frozen-precipitation period for Cherokee County. These are historical county extremes, not Rusk's monthly averages and not a forecast; the normals above describe ordinary months.
Reference only: the U.S. Energy Information Administration's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey puts the average Texas household at about 13,440 kWh a year (about 1,120 kWh a month if spread evenly). That is a statewide average for 2020, not Rusk, and not an estimate for your home. EIA source.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00417841; Texas Railroad Commission, Historical Weather Data by County (2022).
What is different about electricity in Rusk?
- Population: 5,398 (2020 base) to 5,568 (July 2025), +3.1%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was +105 people, from July 2022 to July 2023. July 1 estimates in between: 5,499 (2021), 5,415 (2022), 5,520 (2023), 5,549 (2024). (Census)
- Rusk covers 7.2 square miles of land (Census 2025 Gazetteer). That works out to about 770 residents and 144 occupied households per square mile of land, with roughly 5.4 residents for every Rusk household. (Census, Census, Census)
- The Rusk mailing area is bigger than the city: ERCOT lists 1,840 competitive homes under the Rusk postal city, 1.77 for each of the city's 1,039 Census households. (ERCOT, Census)
- Oncor delivers to 3,564,530 competitive homes in all; the 1,840 with a Rusk address are 0.05 percent of them, roughly one in 1,937. (ERCOT)
- Vacancy signal: 14.7 percent of residential meters in Rusk's core ZIP codes were de-energized on October 5, 2026 (343 off, 1,991 on), per ERCOT. (ERCOT)
- One ZIP code, 75785, holds almost every Rusk-addressed competitive home (1,839); it also carries 106 Gallatin addresses and 44 Jacksonville addresses. Taken whole, 75785 has 0.65 competitive meters per Census household: 1,991 meters, 3,082 households. (ERCOT, Census)
- Among the 9 cities and towns that reach into Cherokee County, Rusk places 3 for competitive homes on its postal city; the next one up is Bullard, at 3,151. (ERCOT)
- By the Census Bureau's 2025 estimates, Rusk is the number 2 city or town by population among the 10 that reach into Cherokee County, one place ahead of Bullard (5,301 residents). (Census)
- Mailing cities on the 1,991 competitive home meters in 75785, Rusk's main ZIP code: Rusk 1,839, Gallatin 106, Jacksonville 44. A mailing city is not a city limit, so the service address, not the postal name, settles which utility serves a home. (ERCOT)
- Coverage gap: 75785, home to 1,839 Rusk-addressed meters, has 0.65 ERCOT meters for each household the Census counts there. That fits co-op service: EIA's 2024 lists for the counties tied to the ZIP include 2 co-ops, such as the Houston County and Cherokee County co-ops. Co-op homes stay off the competitive market unless their co-op opts in. (ERCOT, Census, EIA-861)
- Electric bills over $250 a month: 39.2 percent of households in 75785, Rusk's main ZIP code, per the ACS 2020-2024; the same survey puts median household income there at $65,000 and the renter share at 22.5 percent. (Census)
- Jacksonville, 13 miles from Rusk, has the most competitive homes nearby (8,941); Jacksonville has the fewest per household, still 1.86. (ERCOT, Census)
Rusk electricity by the numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 5,568 |
| Population (2020 estimates base) | 5,398 |
| Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024) | 1,039 |
| Active residential meters with a Rusk address | 1,840 |
| Active business meters with a Rusk address | 644 |
| Residential meters per Census household | 1.77 |
| Delivery utilities (homes) | Oncor 1,840 |
| Counties | Cherokee |
| ZIP codes touching Rusk | 1 |
| Split ZIP codes (flagged below) | 1 |
How we built these numbers. Download: Rusk ZIP table (CSV).
What do electricity plans cost in Rusk right now?
Same-day medians for Oncor’s area (Oncor: 170 listings), delivery included; not a quote.
| Delivery utility | 500 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 2,000 kWh | Delivery charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor | 14.1¢ | 13.4¢ | 13.2¢ | 6.8673¢/kWh + $4.06/mo (effective October 4, 2026; tariff) |
Rusk ZIP codes: how much of each is on the competitive market?
Not every address in these ZIP codes has retail choice; check your exact address.
| ZIP | Meters per household | ERCOT competitive homes | Census households | With Rusk address | Share of ZIP land in Rusk | Mailing cities | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75785 | 0.65 | 1,991 | 3,082 | 1,839 | 2% | Rusk 92%, Gallatin 5%, Jacksonville 2% | Split. Most homes, not all. Mostly outside Rusk city limits. |
Split ZIP codes for Rusk: 75785.
Homes, renters and electric bills in Rusk’s ZIP codes
ZIP 75785 leads Rusk on electric bills over $250 a month, reported by 39.2 percent of its households (Census ACS 2020-2024).
| ZIP | Bills $250+ | Household income (median) | Built since 2020 | Rusk-addressed homes | Renting | Meters added Oct 7-18 | In 5+ unit buildings | Vacant-to-active switches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75785 | 39.2% | $65,000 | 0.9% | 1,839 | 22.5% | 0 | 2.3% | 8 |
ACS 2020-2024 by ZCTA; meters: ERCOT daily files, Oct 7-18, 2026.
Rusk and its neighbors
| Nearby town (2,000+ residents) | Wires utility | Can homes choose? | Postal-city meters per household | Distance | Competitive homes, postal city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 1.86 | 13 mi away | 8,941 homes |
| Troup | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 2.23 | 24 mi away | 1,684 homes |
| Bullard | Oncor | Yes, mostly | 2.05 | 26 mi away | 3,151 homes |
Business electricity in Rusk
Rusk business meters: 644 (2.9 homes per business meter); large non-residential meters in Rusk’s main ZIP codes: 3 (ERCOT, October 5, 2026).
Larger accounts can go out to bid with retail providers and direct suppliers; we can’t promise savings or bids.
How do I compare electricity plans in Rusk?
ZIP first, then your address; read each plan’s Electricity Facts Label before choosing.
Common questions about electricity in Rusk
Can Rusk residents pick their own electric company?
Yes, where Oncor's wires reach the house, which in Rusk is most of the city: 1,840 homes with a Rusk mailing address were on the competitive market on October 5, 2026, 1.77 for each Census household. Addresses in 75785 (split) need an exact-address check before you shop.
Where do most Rusk electricity customers live?
75785. It holds 1,839 Rusk-addressed competitive homes; counting every address in the ZIP, ERCOT has 1,991 meters for roughly 3,082 households, a 0.65 ratio.
How much is electricity in Rusk right now?
On October 19, 2026, the median fixed-rate Power to Choose listing on Oncor's wires was 13.4¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh a month (170 listings); Oncor's delivery charge of 6.8673¢ per kWh plus $4.06 a month is included. A median is not a quote.
How do I start electric service at a new Rusk address?
Confirm the address is on Oncor's wires, then pick a plan and a start date. In 75785, 17.0% of residents moved in the past year (ACS); 8 meters in 75785 went vacant-to-active Oct. 7-18, 2026.
Why are there more electric meters than households in Rusk?
1,840 Rusk-addressed meters against 1,039 city households is 1.77 per household: the Rusk 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 restores power in Rusk after an outage?
Call Oncor (oncor.com/outages), the wires utility for Rusk's 1,840 competitive homes; a retail provider can't fix lines.
Where to next?
Up: Oncor area · Cherokee County
Nearest town pages: Jacksonville · Palestine · Whitehouse · Nacogdoches · Tyler · Crockett · Lufkin · Athens
Compare plans · Moving · High bill · Texas rates · Areas without retail choice · Methodology
Sources
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203): full extract as of Oct 5, 2026; daily files Oct 7-18, 2026
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25003 households, B01003 population)
- Census Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place and ZCTA-to-county relationship files
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county
- PUCT Power to Choose residential offer export, Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT
- PUCT: Choosing an Electric Plan
- PUCT broker directory (BR260201)
- Oncor Electric Delivery
- Oncor delivery tariff (effective October 4, 2026)
- Census Bureau 2025 Gazetteer Files, Texas places (land and water area)
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