Desha County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dumas and McGehee
No data center or power plant project is on record in Desha County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Desha County is home to Dumas and McGehee. Employers here counted 3,967 jobs in 2025, down 15.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 6.6% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019. 5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 9,984 people live here, down 11.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Desha County
Desha County is home to Dumas and McGehee.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Halley.
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 Desha County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,319 | 9,984 | ▼ 11.8% | 59th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,677 | 3,967 | ▼ 15.2% | 71st of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,961 | $48,254 | ▲ 30.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 97 | 83 | ▼ 14.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 6.6% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 135 MW of capacity, 76% of it hydro. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Desha 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.
Who powers Desha County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Desha 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% |
| C & L Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,000 | 13.26¢ | 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 103 MW | 76% |
| Other technologies | 28 MW | 21% |
| Solar | 5 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dam 2 | Arkansas Electric Coop Corp | Hydro | 103 MW | 1999 |
| Clearwater Paper APP CB | Clearwater Paper Corporation | Other technologies | 28 MW | 1977 |
| SR Dumas | SR Dumas, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
The Desha County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,967 | $48,254 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 83 | $48,434 | 0.39 |
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 Desha County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Desha County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Desha County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Desha County, Arkansas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desha County | 9,984 | ▼ 15.2% | 135 MW | — | — | — |
| Arkansas County | 15,836 | ▼ 11.7% | 81 MW | 155 MW | — | — |
| Bolivar County MS | 28,262 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Chicot County | 9,107 | ▼ 10.4% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Coahoma County MS | 19,849 | ▼ 20.0% | 546 MW | — | — | — |
| Drew County | 17,054 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 12,764 | ▼ 11.1% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Phillips County | 14,255 | ▼ 18.8% | 200 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Desha County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Desha County, Arkansas?
2 utilities have service territory in Desha County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, C & L Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Desha County?
3 operating plants with 135 MW of capacity. The largest is Dam 2 (103 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Desha County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Desha County.
Is Desha County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,967 jobs in 2025 against 4,677 in 2019 (-15.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 97 to 83.
Does Desha County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Desha County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.