Setting Up Utilities in Jacksonville, Texas
Inside the city of Jacksonville, electricity is part of Texas's deregulated market: Oncor owns the lines and delivers the power, but you choose your own retail electric provider, so it pays to compare plans before you sign up. (Rural Cherokee County is largely served by Cherokee County Electric Cooperative, where you don't shop for a plan.)
Natural gas comes from CenterPoint Energy, the City of Jacksonville handles water and trash, and Optimum reports the widest internet coverage in town (85% of homes on the FCC broadband map).
Electricity
You can choose your providerWithin the city of Jacksonville, electricity is deregulated on the Oncor grid — Oncor delivers the power and handles outages, but you choose your retail provider and can compare plans on Power to Choose. Rural Cherokee County is largely served by Cherokee County Electric Cooperative instead.
Delivery utility (poles, wires & outages): Oncor
Compare electricity plans →Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy is the natural gas utility serving Jacksonville.
Water & Sewer
City of Jacksonville
The City of Jacksonville handles water, sewer, garbage, and recycling; rural properties may be on a water supply corporation.
Trash & Recycling
City of Jacksonville
Garbage and recycling are handled by the City of Jacksonville as part of city utility service.
Internet
Widest coverage: Optimum
Optimum reports service to 85% of homes inside Jacksonville city limits, the widest reported coverage of any provider other than the satellite companies and the 5G home-internet carriers. Fiber is reported at 56% of homes. Full provider comparison on our Jacksonville internet page.
Check your address (FCC map) →Electricity: You Choose Your Provider (In the City)
Within the city limits of Jacksonville, electricity is deregulated. Oncor is the transmission and distribution utility — it owns the lines, reads your meter, and handles outages — but it doesn't sell you electricity. That comes from a retail electric provider you pick yourself, so it's worth comparing plans on the state's Power to Choose site before you turn the power on.
One wrinkle worth knowing: much of rural Cherokee County is served by Cherokee County Electric Cooperative (CCECA), a member-owned co-op where you don't shop for a plan. If you're moving to an address outside the city, confirm which one applies.
Gas, Water, and Trash
Natural gas in Jacksonville is provided by CenterPoint Energy. Water, sewer, garbage, and recycling within the city come from the City of Jacksonville, typically on one utility account. Properties outside the city may instead rely on a rural water supply corporation, so confirm for your specific address.
Internet
Providers report home internet service inside Jacksonville city limits over cable at 85% of homes, licensed fixed wireless at 85% of homes, fiber at 56% of homes, and DSL over copper phone lines at 7% of homes, out of 7,264 homes and apartments, according to FCC National Broadband Map data as of December 31, 2025.
At least 85% of homes have a reported wired or fixed-wireless option of 100/20 Mbps or faster, and at least 56% have a reported gigabit (1,000/100 Mbps) option.
Optimum reports service to 85% of homes inside Jacksonville city limits, the widest reported coverage of any provider other than the satellite companies and the 5G home-internet carriers. Fiber is reported at 56% of homes.
Availability is address-specific: check your exact address on the FCC National Broadband Map before signing up.
FAQ: Utilities in Jacksonville
Yes, within the city of Jacksonville. The city is in Texas's deregulated market on the Oncor grid, so you choose your own retail electric provider. Much of rural Cherokee County is instead served by Cherokee County Electric Cooperative, where you don't shop for a plan.
In the city, Oncor is the transmission and distribution utility that delivers power, while you buy electricity from a competing retail provider of your choice. Rural Cherokee County areas are largely served by Cherokee County Electric Cooperative.
CenterPoint Energy provides natural gas. Water, sewer, and trash within the city come from the City of Jacksonville.
Apart from satellite and 5G home-internet carriers, Optimum reports the widest coverage: 85% of homes inside Jacksonville city limits in FCC data as of December 31, 2025. Other providers reporting at least 10% coverage: Frontier, AT&T, Verizon Home Internet, and T-Mobile Home Internet. Availability varies by address, so check the FCC National Broadband Map.
Sources & Verification
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Jacksonville in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Moving to East Texas: What You Need to Know
Thinking about moving to East Texas? A fact-checked guide to healthcare, schools, getting around, weather, and daily life in Tyler, Jacksonville, and the towns around them.
Read Guide →Cost of Living in East Texas
What it costs to live in East Texas, using Census figures: home values and rents in Tyler, Jacksonville and Athens compared with Texas and the big metros, plus taxes, utilities, healthcare and driving.
Read Guide →East Texas Real Estate Guide
East Texas real estate by the numbers: Census home values for Tyler, Athens and Jacksonville, drive times, property-tax basics and what buyers should check.
Read Guide →Best Day Trips from Tyler and East Texas
Drive-time guide to day trips from Tyler: state parks, small towns, museums, and lakes within about 30 minutes, an hour, and up to three hours.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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