Franklin County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ozark and Charleston
Franklin 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. Franklin County is home to Ozark, Charleston and Altus. 69 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Arkansas Electric Coop Corp (natural gas), the 10th largest pipeline among Arkansas's counties. 69 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Johnson County has 4 data centers. 77 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Its power plants have 362 MW of capacity, 71% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Franklin County
Franklin County is home to Ozark, Charleston and Altus.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alix.
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 Franklin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,131 | 17,725 | ▲ 3.5% | 41st of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,805 | 4,924 | ▲ 2.5% | 25th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,393 | $46,081 | ▲ 26.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 77 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 69 MW | 19% of today's fleet | 10th of 14 by size |
Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 4,924 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. Ozarks Electric Coop Corp - (AR) is the largest utility serving Franklin County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.03¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.11¢ median for Arkansas utilities. 17,725 people live here, up 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Franklin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +77 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Franklin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozarks Electric Coop Corp - (AR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 72,076 | 13.03¢ | 25% |
| Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 58,218 | 11.49¢ | 31% |
| Arkansas Valley Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 54,372 | 13.33¢ | 16% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 256 MW | 71% |
| Hydro | 100 MW | 28% |
| Solar | 6 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Fitzhugh | Arkansas Electric Coop Corp | Natural gas | 256 MW | 1963 |
| Ozark | USCE-Little Rock District | Hydro | 100 MW | 1972 |
| Branch Solar Farm | Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co | Solar | 5 MW | 2021 |
| Arkansas Valley | Today's Power, Inc. | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Fitzhugh | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 69 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Arkansas Electric Coop Corp |
The Franklin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,924 | $46,081 | 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 Franklin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Franklin County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Madison County.
Franklin County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Franklin County, Johnson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 17,725 | ▲ 2.5% | 362 MW | 69 MW | — | — |
| Crawford County | 62,657 | ▼ 9.3% | 34 MW | — | — | — |
| Johnson County | 26,225 | ▼ 6.8% | 17 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Logan County | 21,633 | ▼ 1.2% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 18,410 | ▲ 6.7% | 5 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Sebastian County | 130,641 | ▲ 4.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Franklin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Franklin County, Arkansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Franklin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ozarks Electric Coop Corp - (AR), Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Arkansas Valley Elec Coop Corp. The largest, Ozarks Electric Coop Corp - (AR), charged residential customers 13.03¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Franklin County?
4 operating plants with 362 MW of capacity. The largest is Thomas Fitzhugh (256 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Franklin County?
69 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 69 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Arkansas Electric Coop Corp.
Are there data centers in Franklin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Franklin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Johnson County.
Is Franklin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,924 jobs in 2025 against 4,805 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Franklin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Franklin County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.