# Zapata, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires and 4,896 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._

**Zapata at a glance:** 4,896 Zapata-addressed homes, all wired by AEP Texas Central (ERCOT, Oct. 5, 2026). Zapata's 4,896 placed homes sit in unsplit ZIP codes; a lookup still confirms each address.

## Moving to Zapata

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

- **Public schools:** Zapata County ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Zapata, 512-424-2600.

## Facts
- Covered here as well: Medina (pop. 4,226, 0 own-addressed meters; ZIP 78076). Most of their homes carry Zapata mailing addresses in ERCOT's data, so the Zapata ZIP rows apply. (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://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/rel2020/zcta520/)
- Zapata is a census-designated place: no annual estimate, but ACS 2020-2024 counts about 4,897 residents in 1,853 households. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Land: 7.6 sq mi (water 2.0); 641 residents and 242 households per sq mi; 2.64 people per Zapata 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, Zapata homes (ACS 2020-2024): electricity 90.4% (±5), utility gas 4.0%, propane 4.2%; Zapata County overall: 88.8% 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 Zapata homes paying a power bill, 31.3% report $250 or more a month and 16.8% under $100 (Zapata County: 37.8% at $250+). (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Housing stock: 64.0% detached houses, 6.2% in 5+ unit buildings, 18.3% mobile homes; median year built 1993, 12.4% built 2010 or later. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Zapata-addressed home meters on Oct. 5, 2026: 4,896 active, 1,637 inactive, 1,604 de-energized, so 39.8% were not in use (ERCOT). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- ACS 2020-2024: 24.3% of Zapata housing units vacant (±7), with 47.3% 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/)
- 4,896 home meters use the Zapata postal name, against 1,853 households inside the CDP (2.64 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/)
- 78076 carries every one of Zapata's placed homes; ratio across the whole ZIP 1.14, from 4,899 home meters in all and 4,303 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 census-designated place (Census boundary))
- Heat with electricity: 90.4%
- Heat with utility gas: 4.0%
- Bill $250 or more: 31.3%
- Built 2010 or later: 12.4%
- Renter households: 32.0%
- Median year built: 1993

## Meters and households
- Residents (ACS): 4,897
- Households (ACS): 1,853
- Active home meters: 4,896
- Inactive home meters: 1,637
- De-energized home meters: 1,604
- Active small-business meters: 882
- Active large-business meters: 0
- Home meters per household: 2.64
- ZIP codes listed: 1
- Split ZIP codes: 0
- County: Zapata

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78076 | 4,896 | 4,899 | 4,303 | 1.14 | none |

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

## Questions
**Does this page cover Medina?** Yes. Medina has 0 meters under its own name; its homes mostly use Zapata addresses. ZIP 78076: ratio 1.14, from 4,899 home meters in all and 4,303 households. Confirm your address.
**Is electricity deregulated in Zapata?** Mostly. ERCOT counts 4,896 competitive Zapata home meters, all on AEP Texas Central's system, against 1,853 households. An address lookup settles it.
**Why are some Zapata electric bills so high in winter?** 90.4% of Zapata homes heat with electricity (ACS 2020-2024, margin ±5) and 4.0% with utility gas; 31.3% 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 Zapata?** 78076 (4,896 Zapata homes on the competitive market). Across the full ZIP: 1.14 meters per household, 4,899 home meters in all.
**Who handles Zapata power outages?** Outages go to AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for 4,896 Zapata competitive homes.
**How do I set up power at a new Zapata home?** Check the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, choose a plan and a start date. Zapata had 3,241 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
- 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/
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file: https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/rel2020/zcta520/
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- 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/

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