Independence County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Batesville, Southside and Newark
Independence County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Independence County is home to Batesville, Southside, Newark and Sulphur Rock. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Five-year data center moratorium”. Its power plants have 1,808 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal, the 6th largest fleet in Arkansas. Construction employs 581, up 13.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 17,752 jobs in 2025, up 9.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Independence County
Independence County is home to Batesville, Southside, Newark and Sulphur Rock.
- Cave City also extends into Sharp County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bethesda, Desha, Floral, Salado.
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 Independence County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 37,941 | 38,785 | ▲ 2.2% | 18th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,200 | 17,752 | ▲ 9.6% | 12th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,124 | $51,300 | ▲ 24.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 514 | 581 | ▲ 13.0% | 24th of 35 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 3.0% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Independence County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.97¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.11¢ median for Arkansas utilities. 38,785 people live here, up 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Independence County
Utilities with service territory in Independence 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% |
| First Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 95,175 | 12.27¢ | 11% |
| Craighead Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,326 | 11.99¢ | 21% |
| Farmers Electric Coop Corp - (AR) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,800 MW | 100% |
| Hydro | 8 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Steam Electric Station | Entergy Arkansas LLC | Coal | 1,800 MW | 1983 |
| White River Lock and Dam 1 | Ozark Hydro Management, LLC | Hydro | 4 MW | 2007 |
| White River Lock and Dam 2 | Ozark Hydro Management, LLC | Hydro | 4 MW | 2007 |
The Independence County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,752 | $51,300 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 581 | $62,271 | 0.62 |
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 Independence County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five-year data center moratorium | In force | 2026-08 |
Independence County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Independence County, White 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence County | 38,785 | ▲ 9.6% | 1,808 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Cleburne County | 25,672 | ▲ 2.9% | 96 MW | — | — | — |
| Izard County | 14,405 | ▼ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 16,741 | ▼ 1.3% | 184 MW | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 16,273 | ▲ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Sharp County | 18,122 | ▲ 12.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Stone County | 12,703 | ▲ 0.1% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| White County | 80,085 | ▲ 11.2% | 209 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Arkansas
Independence County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Independence County, Arkansas?
4 utilities have service territory in Independence County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, First Electric Coop Corp, Craighead Electric Coop Corp, Farmers Electric Coop Corp - (AR). The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Batesville, AR in?
Batesville is in Independence County, Arkansas. About 11,860 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Independence County?
3 operating plants with 1,808 MW of capacity. The largest is Independence Steam Electric Station (1,800 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Independence County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Independence County. The nearest activity on record is next door in White County.
Is Independence County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,752 jobs in 2025 against 16,200 in 2019 (+9.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 514 to 581.
Does Independence County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Independence County, 1 in force.