Marion County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bull Shoals, Flippin and Yellville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Marion County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Marion County is home to Bull Shoals, Flippin, Yellville and Summit. Employers here counted 3,078 jobs in 2025, down 21.2% from 2019. Its power plants have 340 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 7, at an average $35,892 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Marion County
Marion County is home to Bull Shoals, Flippin, Yellville and Summit.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Oakland.
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 Marion County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,867 | 17,593 | ▲ 4.3% | 42nd of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,908 | 3,078 | ▼ 21.2% | 74th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,178 | $43,450 | ▲ 35.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 5.1% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Marion 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. 17,593 people live here, up 4.3% since 2020.
Who powers Marion County
Utilities with service territory in Marion 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% |
| Petit Jean Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,776 | 15.62¢ | 23% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 340 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bull Shoals | USCE-Little Rock District | Hydro | 340 MW | 1952 |
The Marion County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,078 | $43,450 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 7 | $35,892 | 0.32 |
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 Marion County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Marion County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Marion County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Marion County, Taney 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 17,593 | ▼ 21.2% | 340 MW | — | — | — |
| Baxter County | 42,982 | ▲ 11.0% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
| Boone County | 38,628 | ▼ 0.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Ozark County MO | 9,172 | ▲ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Searcy County | 7,848 | ▼ 2.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Taney County MO | 57,001 | ▼ 2.1% | 216 MW | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Marion County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marion County, Arkansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Marion County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, North Arkansas Elec Coop, Inc, Petit Jean Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Marion County?
1 operating plant with 340 MW of capacity. The largest is Bull Shoals (340 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Marion County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Marion County.
Is Marion County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,078 jobs in 2025 against 3,908 in 2019 (-21.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Marion County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marion County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.