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

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

**Santa Rosa at a glance:** 1,144 Santa Rosa-addressed homes, all wired by AEP Texas Central (ERCOT, Oct. 5, 2026). 1 split ZIP code (78593) holds 1,146 of Santa Rosa's 1,146 placed homes (100%); those addresses need a lookup.

## Moving to Santa Rosa

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

- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** Santa Rosa ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Harlingen, 512-424-2600.

## Facts
- Land: 0.8 sq mi; 3,051 residents and 1,120 households per sq mi; 2.72 people per Santa Rosa 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, Santa Rosa homes (ACS 2020-2024): electricity 94.3% (±9), utility gas 0.0%, propane 2.4%; Cameron County overall: 89.9% 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 Santa Rosa homes paying a power bill, 42.8% report $250 or more a month and 15.3% under $100 (Cameron County: 30.9% at $250+). (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Housing stock: 80.0% detached houses, 3.0% in 5+ unit buildings, 5.8% mobile homes; median year built 1991, 13.3% built 2010 or later. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- ERCOT status split for 1,462 Santa Rosa home meters (Oct. 5, 2026): active 1,144, inactive 42, de-energized 276; idle share 21.8%. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- ACS 2020-2024: 13.7% of Santa Rosa housing units vacant (±6). 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/)
- 1,144 home meters use the Santa Rosa postal name, against 865 households inside city limits (1.32 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/)
- 78593 carries every one of Santa Rosa's placed homes; ratio across the whole ZIP 0.74, from 1,146 home meters in all and 1,555 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: 94.3%
- Heat with utility gas: 0.0%
- Bill $250 or more: 42.8%
- Built 2010 or later: 13.3%
- Renter households: 49.2%
- Median year built: 1991

## Meters and households
- Residents, July 2025: 2,355
- Residents, 2020 base: 2,461
- Households (ACS): 865
- Active home meters: 1,144
- Inactive home meters: 42
- De-energized home meters: 276
- Active small-business meters: 134
- Active large-business meters: 0
- Home meters per household: 1.32
- ZIP codes listed: 1
- Split ZIP codes: 1
- County: Cameron

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78593 | 1,146 | 1,146 | 1,555 | 0.74 | split |

## Businesses
134 business meters. Business rate reviews: /business.

## Questions
**Is electricity deregulated in Santa Rosa?** Mostly. ERCOT counts 1,144 competitive Santa Rosa home meters, all on AEP Texas Central's system, against 865 households. Split: 78593. An address lookup settles it.
**Do Santa Rosa homes heat with electricity?** 94.3% of Santa Rosa homes heat with electricity (ACS 2020-2024, margin ±9) and 0.0% with utility gas; 42.8% of bill-paying homes report $250 or more a month. Electric-heat homes should compare plans at winter usage.
**Which ZIP code covers most of Santa Rosa?** 78593 (1,146 Santa Rosa homes on the competitive market). Across the full ZIP: 0.74 meters per household, 1,146 home meters in all.
**Who do I call when the power is out in Santa Rosa?** Outages go to AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for 1,144 Santa Rosa competitive homes.
**How do I set up power at a new Santa Rosa home?** Check the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, choose a plan and a start date. Santa Rosa had 318 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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