Lawrence County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Walnut Ridge and Hoxie
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lawrence County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 181, up 60.2% since 2019. Lawrence County is home to Walnut Ridge, Hoxie, Black Rock and Imboden. Employers here counted 4,131 jobs in 2025, up 5.6% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Lawrence 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.
Cities and towns in Lawrence County
Lawrence County is home to Walnut Ridge, Hoxie, Black Rock and Imboden.
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 Lawrence County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,221 | 16,273 | ▲ 0.3% | 45th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,912 | 4,131 | ▲ 5.6% | 19th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,790 | $44,290 | ▲ 31.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 113 | 181 | ▲ 60.2% | 3rd of 35 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.7% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
16,273 people live here, up 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Lawrence County
Utilities with service territory in Lawrence 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% |
| North Arkansas Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 36,355 | 12.86¢ | 17% |
| Craighead Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,326 | 11.99¢ | 21% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Lawrence County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Lawrence County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,131 | $44,290 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 181 | $74,970 | 0.83 |
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 Lawrence County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lawrence County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Independence County.
Lawrence County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lawrence County, Independence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County | 16,273 | ▲ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Craighead County | 116,957 | ▲ 6.4% | 236 MW | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 47,411 | ▼ 1.3% | 35 MW | — | — | — |
| Independence County | 38,785 | ▲ 9.6% | 1,808 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Jackson County | 16,741 | ▼ 1.3% | 184 MW | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 18,876 | ▲ 9.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Sharp County | 18,122 | ▲ 12.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Lawrence County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lawrence County, Arkansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Lawrence County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, North Arkansas Elec Coop, Inc, Craighead Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Lawrence County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lawrence County.
Is Lawrence County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,131 jobs in 2025 against 3,912 in 2019 (+5.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 113 to 181.
Does Lawrence County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lawrence County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.