Sharp County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cherokee Village, Cave City and Highland
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sharp County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Sharp County is home to most of Cherokee Village (4,112 of its 4,981 residents), most of Cave City (1,805 of its 1,987 residents), Highland and most of Ash Flat (1,058 of its 1,156 residents). Construction employs 160, up 44.1% since 2019. Employers here counted 3,950 jobs in 2025, up 12.5% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 75 Arkansas counties). Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Sharp 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 Sharp County
Sharp County is home to most of Cherokee Village (4,112 of its 4,981 residents), most of Cave City (1,805 of its 1,987 residents), Highland and most of Ash Flat (1,058 of its 1,156 residents).
- Cherokee Village also extends into Fulton County.
- Cave City also extends into Independence County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ozark Acres.
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 Sharp County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,313 | 18,122 | ▲ 4.7% | 39th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,511 | 3,950 | ▲ 12.5% | 5th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $28,957 | $41,392 | ▲ 42.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 111 | 160 | ▲ 44.1% | 7th of 35 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16 | 15 | ▼ 6.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 15, down 6.2% since 2019 against up 29.6% statewide, at an average $61,694 a year. 18,122 people live here, up 4.7% since 2020.
Who powers Sharp County
Utilities with service territory in Sharp 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% |
| Clay County Electric Coop Corp - (AR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,523 | 14.19¢ | 29% |
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 Sharp County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Sharp County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,950 | $41,392 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 160 | $52,297 | 0.76 |
| Electrical contractors | 15 | $61,694 | 0.53 |
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 Sharp County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sharp County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Independence County.
Sharp County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Sharp 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp County | 18,122 | ▲ 12.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Fulton County | 12,492 | ▼ 13.7% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Independence County | 38,785 | ▲ 9.6% | 1,808 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Izard County | 14,405 | ▼ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 16,273 | ▲ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Oregon County MO | 8,709 | ▲ 11.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 18,876 | ▲ 9.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Sharp County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sharp County, Arkansas?
4 utilities have service territory in Sharp County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, North Arkansas Elec Coop, Inc, Craighead Electric Coop Corp, Clay County Electric Coop Corp - (AR). The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Sharp County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sharp County.
Is Sharp County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,950 jobs in 2025 against 3,511 in 2019 (+12.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 111 to 160.
Does Sharp County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sharp County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.