Crittenden County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to West Memphis, Marion and Earle
Crittenden County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Crittenden County, 8% of Arkansas's total. Crittenden County is home to West Memphis, Marion and Earle. 360 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 17,907 jobs in 2025, up 9.5% from 2019. Its power plants have 360 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Crittenden County
Crittenden County is home to West Memphis, Marion and Earle.
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 Crittenden County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 48,076 | 46,210 | ▼ 3.9% | 15th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,347 | 17,907 | ▲ 9.5% | 14th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,680 | $49,985 | ▲ 32.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.9% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 360 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Crittenden County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.97¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.11¢ median for Arkansas utilities. 46,210 people live here, down 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Crittenden County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +360 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Crittenden 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% |
| Craighead Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,326 | 11.99¢ | 21% |
| City of West Memphis - (AR) | Municipal | Bundled | 10,199 | 8.08¢ | 27% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 360 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Cypress Solar, LLC | Big Cypress Solar, LLC | Solar | 180 MW | 2023 |
| West Memphis Solar Station | Entergy Arkansas LLC | Solar | 180 MW | 2024 |
The Crittenden County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,907 | $49,985 | 1.00 |
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 Crittenden County
1 data center in Crittenden County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Crittenden County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Crittenden County, Mississippi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crittenden County | 46,210 | ▲ 9.5% | 360 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Cross County | 16,186 | ▼ 1.8% | 414 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| DeSoto County MS | 197,918 | ▲ 14.6% | 1,004 MW | 195 MW | — | — |
| Lee County | 8,029 | ▼ 15.7% | 100 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Mississippi County | 37,828 | ▲ 11.0% | 1,927 MW | 2,250 MW | — | — |
| Poinsett County | 22,483 | ▲ 2.2% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Shelby County TN | 910,226 | ▼ 6.3% | 1,571 MW | 16 MW | 16 | — |
| St. Francis County | 21,800 | ▼ 7.3% | 203 MW | 455 MW | 1 | — |
| Tipton County TN | 62,287 | ▲ 5.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Tunica County MS | 8,819 | ▼ 26.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Crittenden County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Crittenden County, Arkansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Crittenden County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, Craighead Electric Coop Corp, City of West Memphis - (AR). The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is West Memphis, AR in?
West Memphis is in Crittenden County, Arkansas. About 23,336 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Marion, AR in?
Marion is in Crittenden County, Arkansas. About 13,378 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Crittenden County?
2 operating plants with 360 MW of capacity. The largest is Big Cypress Solar, LLC (180 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Crittenden County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Crittenden County.
Is Crittenden County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,907 jobs in 2025 against 16,347 in 2019 (+9.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Crittenden County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Crittenden County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.