Columbia County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Magnolia and Waldo
Columbia County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Columbia County is home to Magnolia, Waldo and Taylor. 100 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Arkana Solar LLC (solar), the 8th largest pipeline among Arkansas's counties. Construction employs 123, down 24.5% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 29, unchanged since 2019 against up 29.6% statewide, at an average $46,397 a year. Employers here counted 7,979 jobs in 2025, down 1.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Columbia County
Columbia County is home to Magnolia, Waldo and Taylor.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Columbia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,747 | 21,894 | ▼ 3.7% | 27th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,118 | 7,979 | ▼ 1.7% | 41st of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,541 | $50,768 | ▲ 25.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 163 | 123 | ▼ 24.5% | 35th of 35 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 29 | 29 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 100 MW | no fleet today | 8th of 14 by size |
Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Columbia County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.97¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.11¢ median for Arkansas utilities. 21,894 people live here, down 3.7% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019.
Who powers Columbia County
Utilities with service territory in Columbia County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Arkansas LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 608,362 | 12.97¢ | 25% |
| Southwest Arkansas E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,879 | 12.96¢ | 20% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Columbia County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkana Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Arkana Solar LLC |
The Columbia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,979 | $50,768 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 123 | $51,096 | 0.29 |
| Electrical contractors | 29 | $46,397 | 0.50 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Columbia County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Columbia County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Union County.
Columbia County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Columbia County, Union County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 21,894 | ▼ 1.7% | — | 100 MW | — | — |
| Claiborne Parish LA | 13,354 | ▼ 15.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Lafayette County | 5,888 | ▼ 9.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Nevada County | 7,942 | ▼ 21.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Ouachita County | 21,731 | ▲ 0.3% | 144 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County | 36,926 | ▼ 6.6% | 2,430 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Webster Parish LA | 34,948 | ▼ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Columbia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Columbia County, Arkansas?
2 utilities have service territory in Columbia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, Southwest Arkansas E C C. The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Magnolia, AR in?
Magnolia is in Columbia County, Arkansas. About 10,660 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Columbia County?
100 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Arkana Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Columbia County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Columbia County.
Is Columbia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,979 jobs in 2025 against 8,118 in 2019 (-1.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 163 to 123.
Does Columbia County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Columbia County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.