Phillips County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Holyoke
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Phillips County. Phillips County is home to Holyoke and Haxtun. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through December 31, 2026”. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 1.7% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,795 jobs in 2025, up 5.7% from 2019. Highline Electric Assn is the largest utility serving Phillips County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.12¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.15¢ median for Colorado utilities.
Cities and towns in Phillips County
Phillips County is home to Holyoke and Haxtun.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Amherst.
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 Phillips County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,528 | 4,420 | ▼ 2.4% | 54th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,699 | 1,795 | ▲ 5.7% | 27th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,123 | $52,223 | ▲ 33.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 34 | 45 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.7% | 3.1% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
4,420 people live here, down 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Phillips County
Utilities with service territory in Phillips County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highline Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,047 | 14.12¢ | 14% |
| Town of Haxtun - (CO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Holyoke - (CO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 72% |
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 Phillips County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Phillips County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,795 | $52,223 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 45 | $40,798 | 0.47 |
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 Phillips County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through December 31, 2026 | In force | 2026-02 |
Phillips County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Phillips County, Logan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips County | 4,420 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chase County NE | 3,718 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 20,654 | ▼ 1.8% | 1,016 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Perkins County NE | 2,849 | ▼ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Sedgwick County | 2,247 | ▼ 13.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Yuma County | 9,896 | ▼ 5.1% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Phillips County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Phillips County, Colorado?
4 utilities have service territory in Phillips County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Highline Electric Assn, Town of Haxtun - (CO), City of Holyoke - (CO), WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Highline Electric Assn, charged residential customers 14.12¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Phillips County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Phillips County.
Is Phillips County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,795 jobs in 2025 against 1,699 in 2019 (+5.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 34 to 45.
Does Phillips County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Phillips County, 1 in force.