Nevada County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Prescott
No data center or power plant project is on record in Nevada County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Nevada County is home to Prescott. Employers here counted 1,970 jobs in 2025, down 21.5% from 2019. Next door, Hempstead County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 6.0% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Nevada 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.
Cities and towns in Nevada County
Nevada County is home to Prescott.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Reader.
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 Nevada County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,284 | 7,942 | ▼ 4.1% | 66th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,509 | 1,970 | ▼ 21.5% | 75th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,932 | $51,560 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 6.0% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
7,942 people live here, down 4.1% since 2020.
Who powers Nevada County
Utilities with service territory in Nevada 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% |
| South Central Ark El Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,410 | 14.70¢ | 12% |
| Ouachita Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 8,391 | 13.19¢ | 10% |
| City of Prescott - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Nevada County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Nevada County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,970 | $51,560 | 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 Nevada County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Nevada County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Nevada County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Nevada County, Hempstead 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada County | 7,942 | ▼ 21.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Clark County | 20,938 | ▼ 6.3% | 76 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbia County | 21,894 | ▼ 1.7% | — | 100 MW | — | — |
| Hempstead County | 19,080 | ▼ 0.2% | 764 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Lafayette County | 5,888 | ▼ 9.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Ouachita County | 21,731 | ▲ 0.3% | 144 MW | — | — | — |
| Pike County | 9,964 | ▼ 6.5% | 26 MW | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Nevada County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Nevada County, Arkansas?
4 utilities have service territory in Nevada County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, South Central Ark El Coop, Inc, Ouachita Electric Coop Corp, City of Prescott - (AR). The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Nevada County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Nevada County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hempstead County.
Is Nevada County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,970 jobs in 2025 against 2,509 in 2019 (-21.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Nevada County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Nevada County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.