Johnson County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Clarksville and Lamar
Johnson County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Johnson County, 31% of Arkansas's total. Johnson County is home to Clarksville, Lamar, Coal Hill and Knoxville. Employers here counted 7,860 jobs in 2025, down 6.8% from 2019. 12 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 215, down 3.6% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Johnson County
Johnson County is home to Clarksville, Lamar, Coal Hill and Knoxville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hagarville, Oark, Ozone.
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 Johnson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,721 | 26,225 | ▲ 2.0% | 24th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,433 | 7,860 | ▼ 6.8% | 55th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,331 | $43,980 | ▲ 31.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 223 | 215 | ▼ 3.6% | 30th of 35 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26 | 20 | ▼ 23.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 5.1% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. Its power plants have 17 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Johnson 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. 26,225 people live here, up 2.0% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 20, down 23.1% since 2019 against up 29.6% statewide, at an average $56,407 a year.
Who powers Johnson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +12 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Johnson 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% |
| Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 58,218 | 11.49¢ | 31% |
| Arkansas Valley Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 54,372 | 13.33¢ | 16% |
| Clarksville Connected Utilities | Municipal | Bundled | 3,812 | 8.67¢ | 18% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 17 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Clarksville | Today's Power, Inc. | Solar | 10 MW | 2025 |
| Scenic Hill Solar III | Scenic Hill Solar III LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Scenic Hill Solar IV, LLC | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
The Johnson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,860 | $43,980 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 215 | $43,391 | 0.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 20 | $56,407 | 0.35 |
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 Johnson County
4 data centers in Johnson County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Johnson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Johnson County, Pope 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 26,225 | ▼ 6.8% | 17 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Franklin County | 17,725 | ▲ 2.5% | 362 MW | 69 MW | — | — |
| Logan County | 21,633 | ▼ 1.2% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 18,410 | ▲ 6.7% | 5 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Newton County | 7,026 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Pope County | 64,976 | ▲ 3.6% | 2,006 MW | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Johnson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Johnson County, Arkansas?
4 utilities have service territory in Johnson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Arkansas Valley Elec Coop Corp, Clarksville Connected Utilities. The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Johnson County?
3 operating plants with 17 MW of capacity. The largest is City of Clarksville (10 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Johnson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Johnson County.
Is Johnson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,860 jobs in 2025 against 8,433 in 2019 (-6.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 223 to 215.
Does Johnson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Johnson County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.